Flying Kiwis – November 10
Michael Boxall, James Musa & Noah Billingsley – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)
They call it Decision Day in the MLS, the final day of the regular season when those final playoff positions are settled once and for all, paving the way for the knockouts to follow. But before the belated and disrupted 2020 MLS regular season could finish there were some midweekers to get through. And having been injured (albeit playing through the pain) in the previous game and with Minnesota United already guaranteed their admittance to the postseason... it meant the wise but unfortunate decision was made to rest Michael Boxall as the Loons took on the Chicago Fire. After 19 consecutive ever-present games he finally missed his first minutes of the 2020 season for Minnesota. But there was a sneaky olive branch offered to the nation of Aotearoa in his place, see if you can spot it...
Yup, Noah Billingsley joining James Musa on the bench. Billingsley’s first time in an MLS matchday squad having spent most of his rookie season out on loan earning experience at the USL level. What a sight. He didn’t end up playing but a nice little milestone all the same.
This was a decent little game. Chicago Fire were playing to sneak into the expanded Eastern Conference Finals and could really use a result to boost those odds. A result that was looking more than likely after an hour of footy with the Fire up 2-0. An open game with chances at each end had seen Robert Beric head one home on 16 minutes and then Mauricio Pineda slotted a second on 51 minutes. In between those two goals Mihailovic missed an open one for Chicago, Minnesota had Finlay chopped down on the break (Calvo avoiding a red thanks to the recovering defender on his inside, making it a smart yellow card to accept), Beric had a shot blocked by a sliding defender in the six yard box, and Finlay had a shot at the far post saved on the break. At once Chicago were both lucky to be leading and also unlucky not to be leading by more.
Then the luck dropped away. Minnesota had looked pretty messy at the back, giving up multiple chances (including the second goal) from poor clearances which is not something you’d expect to see if Boxall was out there. But defender Jose Aja made up for that in the 64th minute when he got a foot on an Emmanuel Reynoso free kick to the far post to make it 2-1. The game had begun to swing when Reynoso had come off the bench in the 60th minute. Elliot Collier would be subbed of for Chicago to see out the last twenty minutes and maybe grab a goal to seal things and he did have one chance cutting back in from the left wing but his shot was sliced way too high and wide.
Then in the 80th minute Robin Lod headed in a Romain Métanire cross (Métanire being the Minny right back that Billingsley is hoping to compete for game time with) and the Loons were level. On came James Musa for the final five minutes to clog things up and a 2-2 draw was how it ended. Points definitely dropped by Chicago, though they remained in the playoff spots, while for Minny it keeps them in the hunt for a home playoff game.
Basically Minnesota just had to win their final game to get what they wanted. Taking down FC Dallas would mean swapping places with them on the table from fifth up to fourth. Not sure they felt entirely worried about the result however, as Michael Boxall was again left out of the squad to rest up. Billingsley and Musa were again named on the bench. More like Groundhog Day than Decision Day.
That took the heat out of the first half from a Flying Kiwis perspective, we were just waiting for the subs to start happening, but that’s unfair to the game itself as Emanuel Reynoso came out in incinerating form by hitting the crossbar from a free kick and having a shot brilliantly blocked in the box before setting up Kevin Molino for the opening goal all within the first 17 minutes. Minny turned the ball over with Robin Lod who fed Reynoso who fed Molino. The Loons almost conceded straight away but for a goal-line clearance from Brent Kallman that left him tangled in the net and Dallas also hit the crossbar later in the half from one they should really have scored. Chuck in some more quality defending by both sides and this was an exciting little game.
But Minnesota struck a crucial blow within two minutes of the second half and of course it was Reynoso who stroked it in. A bad Molino first touch then cost him a one-on-one opportunity but Minny kept coming and Ethan Finlay almost scored their third after chopping past a defender with a little more than quarter of an hour remaining. It was beginning to get frustrating as we were gonna need another goal before we saw any subs and the clock was ticking. Especially with FC Dallas always chipping away and they were so unlucky not to score when Ryan Hollingshead lashed a half-volley off the post.
Then everything happened at once. First Kevin Molino scored in the 79th minute to ice the contest, again set up by Reynoso after some nice Robin Lod work. Molino was then immediately replaced while soon after James Musa and Chase Gasper were seen stripping off the training gear and getting ready to come on... when right back Romain Métanire went down hurt. The physio had a look and signalled for a change and next thing Noah Billingsley was standing next to his compatriot Musa preparing to make his MLS debut. The Moose gave him a pat on the back and said good luck and the two of them were swiftly out there – Billingsley becoming the 20th New Zealander to play MLS football.
There wasn’t much time for either of them to get much done. Billingsley got a few tidy touches, diverted a couple crosses, almost gave away a penalty muscling up against an FC Dallas attacker. Musa won a couple sneaky tackles in midfield though also managed to pick up a yellow card for one that he mistimed. But they might need to use this as a dress rehearsal because the Loons do have a few players jetting away for international duty next week and there’s a decent chance they’ll therefore be short a few of them thanks to quarantine upon their returns when the first round of the playoffs commence. Not to mention the injury to Romain Métanire if he’s unable to recover in time. Wait and see how that goes... Minnesota Utd closed it out for a 3-0 win and they finished fourth in the West.
Gaffer Adrian Heath: “It was great to see Noah [Billingsley]. Noah has had a really difficult year because of COVID, et cetera. He’s been on loan. So it was great to see him on the pitch. Good to see Chase [Gasper] back. I thought Marlon Hairston had a really good game in midfield as well. So there was an awful lot of pleasing things this evening. But the biggest one is the attitude of the group to go and grind it out and come away with another win.”
Up Next: Minnesota United vs Colorado Rapids, MLS Playoffs First Round, in two weeks’ time (TBD)
Elliot Collier – Chicago Fire (American Major League Soccer)
As for the Chicago Fire, they faced NYCFC knowing that a win would put them into the playoffs, a draw would maybe put them into the playoffs if a couple other results went their way, while a loss wouldn’t entirely doom them but three different games would have to work out exactly right so best to just win and be sure of it.
They had the perfect start when Djordje Mihailovic accidentally diverted a long shot into the goal but he was offside so it didn’t count. Neither did Valentín Castellanos’ furious shot at the other end as the post got in the way... but 15 mins in and Alexander Callens put NYCFC in front from a corner kick. That would be the first of many goals on this wild afternoon.
Gary Mackay-Stevens made it 2-0 after 31 mins, rounding the keeper, holding his feet when he coulda gone down looking for a spottie, and then slotting from a tight angle to put NYCFC in the driver’s seat... for about two minutes before Robert Beric nodded one in unmarked from six yards out to get Chicago back into it. Yet not even five minutes after that Jesus Medina went top bins from the edge of the area and NYCFC had that two goal advantage restored... for three minutes before a rapid-fire double from Przemyslaw Frankowski took us into the break gasping for air at 3-3. Five goals in eleven minutes.
The second half wasn’t so generous. Results elsewhere weren’t really going the way that Chicago wanted them to go and that tension made its way into the game as every chance NYCFC had felt like it could ruin Chicago’s entire season while their own chances became more and more frisky as they ran out of time. On came Elliot Collier for the last fifteen minutes as they kept chasing a winner that’d extend their campaign... but then a horrible pass across their own defence gifted the ball to Castellanos who only needed one touch to score. Absolute mind-explosion from Miguel Navarro there.
There was still time to save it. EC had a great chance at the far post when a low cross was palmed half-clear by the keeper and as he readjusted on the run Collier could only lift it onto the roof of the net. Another one in a long list of moments this 2020 season where Collier was both unlucky but also could’ve done better. He was involved again as Robert Beric couldn’t guide a shot past the keeper. The pressure kept up... but Chicago never found a way through. A draw would have put them into the Eastern Conference play-in bracket. A 4-3 loss instead eliminates them.
Collier’s season comes to an end with 21 appearances (2 starts) totalling 519 minutes of footy with zero goals and one assist. He was a regular presence in the last 15-20 minutes of games bringing some pace and energy off the bench but frustratingly while he often seemed on the brink of a big breakout game it never came and his lack of goals will feel pretty rough given how narrowly they missed out at the end there. ‘Tis a cruel sport sometimes, is football.
And, umm... not sure if this is tongue-in-cheek or not but we’ll choose to take it as sincere...
Up Next: Nada
Bill Tuiloma – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
Two down and two to go... Bill Tuiloma didn’t actually play on Decision Day. He was an unused sub with Portland chasing the game, eventually drawing 1-1 with LA Galaxy thanks to a last minute goal from Jorge Villafaña... which didn’t end up mattering because with other results going the way they did Portland would’ve had to win to finish any higher than third as they have done. No dramas. That gives them a home game against FC Dallas first up and it keeps them on the other side of the draw from the other two Flying Kiwis interests in the playoffs (Minnesota & Sporting KC... who’ll meet each other if they both win their first round matchups).
But Tuiloma did play the game before that, lining up at centre-back against the Colorado Rapids in a midweeker. Unfortunately the game lived up to that midweeker status with some extreme midweeker vibes... but in a first half devoid of almost any other talking points there was one moment that overwhelmed all others as Bill Tuiloma initially conceded a penalty by leaning into a shot block and kicking the ball into his own arm... only to see that penalty overturned by the VAR as it was determined that... not sure what they determined actually. Think it was that because he deflected the ball into his arm the handball was therefore accidental and didn’t halt a goal-scoring chance or whatever. Even though his arm was extended. Here, have a look and see what you reckon...
This was Bill Tuiloma’s 50th MLS appearance for the Timbers so s’pose he was due a gift to celebrate. Anyway, terrible first half other than that. Tuiloma had a shot from a mile out stepping up from defence but it was high enough that it would’ve missed a second goal placed on top of the first. Then later on he bravely blocked a direct free kick in the wall with a header, leaning in to challenge it rather than flinching away like an ordinary plebian might’ve.
The second half wasn’t much better but at least it was more open. Both teams with spare chances along the way... this was a game which could easily have gone in any of the three directions, it was just a matter of whether either team would find a way through. Bill Tuiloma had one of many of those spare chances when he got up for a header at the far post from a corner kick... but he couldn’t get over top of it and ended up needing a look from the physio after a head clash in the process. Aaaand then Colorado scored. 83rd minute and Kellyn Acosta was the one who buried it, Bill Tuiloma doing his best to stop the move by hacking down a Rapids attacked on the edge of the box but the ref played advantage as it fell to Acosta who picked his spot for what proved to be the winner. 1-0 to Colorado. Didn’t really matter in the end.
Up Next: Portland Timbers vs FC Dallas in a couple weeks, TBD, bring on those MLS Playoffs
Winston Reid - Sporting Kansas City (American Major League Soccer)
One last Decision Day drama and they had to get the orange balls out for Sporting Kansas City’s trip to face Real Salt Lake with the snow falling very heavily. Winston Reid has played professionally in Denmark and England though, he knows a thing or two about the cold. And he was back in the starting line-up here having missed the last two games as an injury precaution... which doesn’t include two scheduled games in that time which were cancelled after covid concerns with their oppositions. Those cancellations worked out alright for them though because they meant that with the Western Conference decided by points per game they were playing for top spot in the conference if they could win against RSL.
Which they dutifully went out and did. The game was a shambles to watch because of the conditions but a goal just before the half and a goal just after it made all the difference. Khiry Shelton and Erik Hurtado got the goals in a 2-0 win... meaning that SKC, who missed the playoffs entirely last year, finished top of the pops in the Western Conference. The number one seeds.
That’s the way to do it, not only did three clubs with kiwi players make the MLS playoffs in the West (four if you include Deklan Wynne & Colorado but he hasn’t played for them all year so best not to) but that entire trio is built to go all the way. Not out of the question that we get a Flying Kiwis MLS Champion in 2020 (Jake Gleeson was the last kiwi champ in this competition, sitting on the bench for the final in 2015).
Up Next: Sporting KC vs San Jose Earthquakes in the first round of the playoffs, TBD
Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)
Sneaky bit of Conti Cup action here and it feels like basically every game this season Spurs have been up against a powerhouse team forced to sit back and defend most of the way. This was no difference as they travelled the relatively short distance to face Chelsea and their star-studded team. Ria Percival started in a midfield three as has been the tendency this season, in there to rough things up and try nudge her team forward on the counter attack if possible.
Spurs started this one fantastically, coming out of the blocks with heaps of energy and getting a couple shots off in the first 5-10 minutes culminating in Siri Worm striking a free kick off the post. That turned out to be a bit of a false alarm as Chelsea soon settled in and bossed possession... but Spurs have had a lot of practice defending as a team and stifling oppositions and they did a heap of that here. Sam Kerr struggled to get involved. Ji was forced to drop really deep. Pernille Harder did have one strike in the first half that she put over the top yet for the most part Tottenham defended really well and we were still scoreless at the break.
Kerr and Harder would both be subbed off with more than half an hour remaining, chalk that up as a moral victory for Spurs (Chelsea were playing their first game in nearly a month, tbf). Chelsea kept on running the show but they were having all sorts of trouble finding a way through all those Spurs bodies... Percival exemplified all that as she charged into the path of a shot from range to block it, bodies on the line. Buuuut then Erin Cuthbert took a pop with about twenty mins left and Becky Spencer couldn’t hold it, one she probably should have done better with and finally Chelsea were in front. Spurs tried their best to hit back, which is never easy when you’ve had to be so defensive, with a flurry of corner kicks and forcing one impressive save out of Ann-Katrin Berger after Rosella Ayane had struck one from a Ria Percival cross... but then Chelsea won a penalty after a shot caught the hand of a defender and Melanie Leupolz stepped up to score it. 2-0 to Chelsea was how it ended. Percy played the entire match.
They were more evenly matched on the weekend against Reading in the league stuff. This was a game which had its narratives dominated by the debut of USA legend Alex Morgan off the bench though Morgs wasn’t able to spark a winning goal in a tightly fought 1-1 draw. Reading had scored first through Brooke Chaplen who headed in a cross from Emma Mitchell, however Spurs were very quickly level again as Ashleigh Neville managed to flick a header past Grace Moloney in goal. The more goals she concedes the better with Erin Nayler stuck on the bench for Reading still awaiting a league debut. Morgan came on in the 70th minute though didn’t really do anything. Percival played a full game in the midfield where she continues to do things like this...
She’s also third equal in recovering the ball in the opposition half. About what you’d expect from Percy. Spurs are still without a league win this season but at least this result halted a four-game WSL losing streak. Plus when you’re short on goals, scoring just four in six games, having one of the world’s top strikers available now seems like a useful omen.
Up Next: Sunday at 7.30am away to Bristol City (NZT)
Erin Nayler – Reading (English Super League)
They lost 3-0 so it wasn’t great but that’s a belated club debut for Erin Nayler who has been stuck on the bench since signing with Reading. A bit of WSL Cup action tends to bring about the rotations for most teams and finally Nayler was able to actually play for her new club... as a last-minute addition but that’s how it goes. Gotta stay ready. None of the three goals she conceded against West Ham were Nayler’s fault, they were all tap-ins after square balls across goal and she actually almost saved the third one. Meanwhile at the other end Reading somehow conspired to miss two penalties this game. Ah well.
Up Next: Away to Everton on Sunday in the league at 5.30am (NZT)
Sarpreet Singh - Nürnberg (German Liga 2)
We haven’t heard a lot from Sarpreet Singh recently. For good reason... he’s hardly played. He missed one game with illness (can’t be too careful these days for obvious reasons) and even aside from that he’s barely gotten a start for his loan team. Singh was an unused sub in FCN’s most recent match, a 1-1 draw with Düsseldorf that lifts Nürnberg up from second to last to third to last on the ladder going into the international break. And we won’t hear from Singh for a few more weeks either because he’s on his way back to Aotearoa for ‘personal reasons’.
Dieter Hecking (FCN Board Member): “Sarpreet approached us with the request for reasons that were more than understandable for us. We granted this request. Alternatively, Sarpreet would have settled his important personal concerns at home during the winter break. But there is no real winter break this season Because of the long journey he is now integrating his stay into an international break.”
Singh will already be on his way back as you read this. He was leaving after the Düsseldorf game (might as well have left before since he didn’t play). He’ll then have to do two weeks of quarantine before having a week at home and then will be on his way back to Germany. Singh will miss two games.
There’s genuine reason for him to be upset with the way this loan has gone so far. He’s there to get first team experience but has only played 114 minutes in seven league games so far. Two of those games he didn’t play at all, four of them he came on as a sub, and only in one of them did he start. Obviously FCN weren’t expected to be as crap as they have been this season and that’s affecting how much room they feel they have to pick a dude from outside the club... can’t imagine Bayern Munich are too chuffed with that.
As far as Singh goes though... gotta suspect this is more a case of if not now then never. Dunno what the “important personal concerns” could be so best wishes there to the Singh clan but with the condensed calendar this season stripping away most of the winter break and the lockdowns during the minimal offseason that they got (remember Germany was the first major league to return from the pandemic) this is kinda his only window to make it home. The next international break is not until March. Probably his only chance.
Up Next: Quarantinio
Ryan Thomas – PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie)
That pesky coronavirus ain’t letting up and a midweek trip to Greece to face PAOK in the Europa League – the team which got caught up in that ownership kerfuffle which led to Xanthi being relegated and sold and eventually signing Callan Elliot... that season hasn’t started yet btw – didn’t exactly help matters in the middle of a crisis of unavailabilities. What it did do, however, was cause Ryan Thomas to play another game at right back.
For 45 minutes this game was looking sweet. PSV were knocking the ball around confidently and they took a deserved lead from the penalty spot when Eran Zahavi stepped up to score from twelve yards. The Dutch side had plenty of chances to add to that as well. As we say things were looking sweet.
But then just two minutes into the second half PAOK won a free kick, they swung it into the box, it bounced around a little... and then was struck towards goal by Andrija Zivkovic. It looked like Ryan Thomas had it covered as he drifted back onto the goal-line but then a cheeky touch by Stefan Schwab turned it past him and PAOK were level. A sloppy pass out from keeper Yann Mvogo soon afterwards had hearts in mouths for a sec but they survived that... only for Ryan Thomas to later get caught out at right back with no options and he was dispossessed, allowing the Greeks to flood forward with Zivkovic banging it home. He had a chance to clear it but turned back towards his goal looking for a pass that never arrived. Not really what we wanted to see. Even worse, Thommo stayed down hurt after losing the ball with the physio having a long geeze at him.
Thommo would get up and limp off the pitch where he was immediately subbed off. A more natural wide player (albeit a winger) in Mauro Junior came on in his place while Noni Madueke was also brought on... but little good that did because straight after the belated restart Christos Tzolis stepped forward untouched and fired one into the bottom corner from the edge of the box and it was now 3-1.
And three became four when Tzolis again found some space after a one two straight through that right back area. Mauro Junior swiftly taken out of the play by the move. The resulting switch to Zivkovic just outside the box was always gonna be danger and Zivvy cut inside onto his left foot and went bang. Four goals in the space of twenty minutes after PSV had looked so good in the first half... football can be very strange sometimes. The rest of the game unfolded in a shell-shocked state. There was no comeback. 4-1 to PAOK in an all-time contender for the Game Of Two Halves Hall of Fame.
So... that was a complete disaster. Granada went and beat Omonia 2-0 in the other game in the group so at the halfway point PSV are sitting third on 3pts, Granada are leading with 7pts, and PAOK are second on 5pts. Omonia have 1pt at the bottom there. Reeeeally can’t afford to lose the return leg against PAOK in three weeks’ time.
The prognosis wasn’t great for Ryan Thomas after that injury... though it wasn’t too bad either. The subsequent league game against Willem II came too soon for him but his manager said he doesn’t expect him to miss much else. The international break has come at a convenient time for RT. They did at least get their regular right back Denzel Dumfries back for the Willem II game so that’ll likely end Thomas’ flirtation with that position.
Nothing to worry about against Willem II. Phillip Max and Mario Götze both scored first half goals and then Donyell Malen added a third inside the last ten minutes as they won 3-0 to hit the international break only two points off top. Not always the most fluid performance but they defended pretty well and it wasn’t ever in much doubt after Derrick Köhn was sent off for WII in the 64th minute.
Up Next: Monday 23 November at 4.45am away to FC Twente (NZT)
Vic Esson – Avaldsnes IL (Norwegian Toppserien)
It’s all gonna come down to the final week in Norway. One more round of footy and one single point separating the top three teams. Avaldsnes probably felt like they’d blown it last week when they lost to Rosenborg but then this week they were the only one of the top three to win, putting them right back in the mix.
They did it easy with a 3-0 win over Klepp (Kirsty Yallop’s old club, there ya go). Andrea Norheim gave them the lead in the sixth minute and it was all Avaldsnes the rest of the way, pretty much. Vic Esson did have to make one save late in the first half after a giveaway in midfield left them exposed but she set herself up and made a sharp diving stop to preserve the lead going into the break... after which they finally got the second goal that had looked so inevitable when Olaug Tvedten slammed in a low drive in the 51st minute. Holmfridur Magnusdottir came off the bench to make it 3-0 when she scored from a corner in the 67th and 3-0 was the way it stayed until the final whistle (although there was one scary moment as Klepp hit the post while it was still 2-0).
Meanwhile Rosenborg, try as they might, couldn’t find a winner against Sandviken which blew their chances of going top, while Vålerenga could have therefore clinched the title with a win away to Lyn but instead they were staring down the barrel of defeat when Dejana Stefanovic stepped up in the 86th minute to level the game at 2-2. Even that point would have put them in a great position... however Runa Lillegård hit back in the 89th minute to win it for Lyn with her second of the day. CJ Bott was an unused sub.
Vålerenga still hold on to first place thanks to their goal difference which with a four goal advantage should be enough that a win on the final day locks in the trophy. Here’s what the table looks like...
And here’s what the last round of fixtures looks like for the trio of contenders...
Sandviken vs Avaldsnes
Klepp vs Rosenborg
Vålerenga vs Arna-Bjørnar
Avaldsnes have the toughest of the three games plus they also need both teams ahead of them to drop points if they’re to rise up the ladder. Unlikely to happen though remember that the second spot is also a Champions League qualifying spot so it’s not only the title on the line here.
Up Next: As above, all games are 1am on Sunday (NZT)
CJ Bott - Vålerenga (Norwegian Toppserien)
So CJ Bott and Vålerenga have a league title to play for this week but there’s plenty else on the menu too. Like the small matter of the Norwegian Women’s Cup which is up for grabs in the midweek when Vålerenga take on Stabæk. Two trophies on offer in the next two games.
Not sure if CJB will he get a run out there or not, Vålerenga has proved a tough team to break into this season... but she did get a smooth ninety minutes last Friday as the Norwegian side cruised past KI (Faroe Islands) in the first round of Champions League qualifying. Three goals in three minutes in the first half basically put it beyond doubt early on, Synne Jensen getting them started from the penalty spot then Ajara Nchout and Janni Thomsen chipped in and from 0-0 on 24 minutes it was suddenly 3-0 after 27 minutes. Despite being in complete control they wouldn’t score again until the last twenty minutes, Nchout with her second, but when they did they proceeded to skittle the Faroe Islands club with three more goals including one to their left back for the night... Catherine Joan Bott.
Boom. First goal for the club - and she wasn’t the only one either, Rikke Nygaard also scored her first for Vålerenga as a rotated team had absolutely zero problems with cruising into the second and final round of qualifying. UEFA’s stats have it at 36 total shots for Vals and just 1 for KI. They next face Gintra Universitetas (Lithuania) away from home, in a single legged game, in a week and a bit. Victory there will put them into the competition proper which begins with the round of 32.
Up Next: Stabæk vs Vålerenga at 8am on Thursday (NZT)
Liberato Cacace – Sint-Truiden (Belgian Pro League)
The fella in action again. No doubt that he’s first choice at left back already but there are other issues at that club as they lost yet again, this time going down 2-1 to Genk, piling more pressure on Kevin Muscat. The Aussie manager was already close to the sack three weeks back but a win against Standard Liege eased a lot of that panic. However only temporarily.
All the goals were scored in the first half, STVV conceding in only the fourth minute of the game as Theo Bongoda evaded Cacace’s marking from a throw-in routine and somehow snuck a shot in from a stink angle. Took a deflection of the defender to unsight the keeper, it seems. STVV were able to equalise as Yuma Suzuki scored a sharp one from a low corner routine... but that parity only lasted three mins before Bongoda had his second with a ridiculous lob of the keeper. An amazing goal.
Sint-Truiden were the stronger team in this game, especially after going behind for the second time. They had comfortably more shots in the second half and Cacace was able to push forward from wing back and get involved in all that too. Perhaps not as much of an attacking weapon as he was for the Phoenix, still gotta work on that, but he did have one shot after a corner kick ended up drifting deep to his side which was going in but was saved and it was he who lifted in a deep cross that was headed onto the crossbar with ten minutes remaining. He also kinda sorta got his own captain sent off... right near the end of the game, stoppage time in fact, and Cacace and captain Steve De Ridder were both gassing back against a counter attack and Cacace shoved the dude in the back but De Ridder was the one booked, his second yellow.
The game ended with a bit of a boilover of tempers which sums up how STVV were feeling after laying it down against a more favoured opposition (and a team they’ve got a real rivalry against) only to still lose 2-1. Muscat praised the character and effort of the team but bemoaned the lack of clear chances created and the finishing from those they did create. He also said he hopes to be able to appeal the second yellow for De Ridder since the bloke didn’t really do anything at all. Cacace fouled him.
Here are some words from Libby...
And here are some more words from Libby...
LC: “It is going well, I am satisfied. But I am not yet at 100% of my ability. I hope to be able to show that "little bit extra" as soon as possible. Since I am higher in the field than at Wellington Phoenix, that also requires assists and goals.”
Up Next: Leuven vs Sint-Truiden, Tuesday 24 November at 8.45am (NZT)
Ali Riley – FC Rosengård (Swedish Damallsvenskan)
There’ll be no fourth Swedish league title for Ali Riley. There’s still a round to go but there’s no catching Kopparbergs/Göteborgs after they clinched their first ever championship in style beating Linköping 7-0. Instead it becomes a matter of Rosengård looking over their shoulder and ensuring they still finish second for Champions League qualification and in that regard they did what they needed to do with a 3-0 win away to Piteå.
Ali Riley got the start at right back and would go on to play the entire ninety minutes for the first time in a league game all season. She’s been a constant contributor for Rosengård but has been rotated around the place in different roles having only joined the team late on loan after Orlando Pride’s NWSL season capitulated in the pandemic and it’s been notable to see her chipping away either on the right or the left and even once or twice a little further forward.
It took a while for FCR to get going against a stubborn Piteå defence but Anna Anvegård slotted the follow-up after a parried shot in the 49th minute and somehow Sanne Troelsgaard managed to escape a wall of defenders to make it 2-0 in the 65th. Johanna Rytting-Kaneryd scored a third late on and bingo. The 3-0 win means that FCR only need to keep their own room tidy with a win or draw against Växjö in the final week of the season to get that second spot (and Ali Riley’s fourth runners-up medal in Swedish footy). Or hope Kristianstad drop points. Dig some highlights.
To be honest FCR should probably have won the championship but a run of one win from five around October time really cost them... such is football. Of course there’s also the small factor of this season’s Champions League to consider. Rosengård have already qualified for the round of 32 with the first legs to take place in early December... though not sure if Ali Riley will still be around for that or not. That’s three weeks after the league season ends and she’s under contract to return to Orlando Pride for 2021. If on the odd chance she does then she could add to her record 35 appearances in that competition (the next New Zealander on that list is Ria Percival with 6 UCLW apps).
Up Next: FRC vs Växjö, 3am on Monday (NZT)
Hannah Wilkinson – Djurgården IF (Swedish Damallsvenskan)
Another ninety minutes for Hannah Wilkinson, who has timed her run just in time to start the last three games in a row having only started once in the league in 2020 previously. And this was a crucial game too. Djurgården away to Umeå, both teams deep in the relegation battle and coming off three straight losses each. Back in her Vittsjo days Wilkie once scored the goal that saved them from relegation on the last day of the season... so could she perform some similar heroics here?
Nope. But they didn’t lose either which is the most important thing. Wilkie did have one chance on the hour mark, free at the near post but the cross was deflected before it got to her and she couldn’t adjust in time. Up until then it’d been mostly Umeå with the better opportunities although neither keeper was ever up to much. Plus the draw suits DIF so much more as they stay ahead of Umeå by a single point going into the last game where they face bottom-placed Uppsala knowing that a win will guarantee them safety for next season (or they could just hope Umeå loses to Eskilstuna Utd). Here are your highlights.
Up Next: 3am on Monday at home versus Uppsala, no pressure (NZT)
Joel Stevens & Francis De Vries – IFK Värnamo (Swedish Ettan Södra)
Something concerning is happening here. Värnamo have now lost four games in a row, all but one by a single goal, and they’ve had a red card in each of the last three. With promotion looking like an absolute cinch they’re all of a sudden in danger of bottling it with a cosmic degree of catastrophe. One other trend of these games is that Joel Stevens has been sorta marginalised, an unused sub in the first loss and not even in the squad the next two times (perhaps injury?). He was back this week playing 27 minutes off the bench as the first sub called upon (Francis De Vries has been ever present in these games, btw)... but then: drama.
Their keeper claims the ball in the air and doesn’t take kindly to the attacker standing so close to him. The ref blows his whistle and sends the keeper off, claiming he kicked out at the striker (he did but it was soft) and a penalty was awarded. On came a replacement keeper and he was beaten by the 67th minute spot kick for what proved to be the winner. When your luck’s out, your luck’s out. Opponents Utsikten would later scoop up a red card of their own but while Joel Stevens did go close with a whipped shot, IFKV weren’t able to save themselves with a late goal. 2-1 to Utsikten. It speaks to how much of a step above Värnamo had been before this slump that they’re still three points clear at the top of the conference with three games left but they’re gonna have to change things pretty rapidly. Like, against second place Landrskrona next game for example. A win there and all is forgotten.
As for the other kiwi duo in the Swedish first division, they finally won another game with a 2-1 squeaker over Täby but it’s too late to save them having already been confirmed for the drop. Jesse Edge played a full game in this latest one but Matty Conroy’s been out injured for ages now, having only made four appearances for IFK Berga.
Up Next: Värnamo vs Landskrona at 5am on Monday (NZT)
Nikko Boxall – SJK (Finnish Veikkausliiga)
That right there was SJK’s final game of the season and it was a belter. Conceded an own goal in stoppage time to seemingly cost them the win away to RoPS but then Mehmet Hetemaj scored even deeper into stoppage time for the victory. Lovely way to cap things off. Ordinarily at this point the league would split in half into the championship and relegation rounds – SJK would’ve missed the cut for the champo by three points – but with things being what they are and all the pandemic delays they’d decided to just call it here. Seventh place with 29 points from 22 games. Nikko Boxall missed the start of the season but still ended up playing 17 games (all starts) with four yellow cards. He played the third most minutes in the squad despite arriving late.
Up Next: Offseason blues
Chris Wood - Burnley FC (English Premier League)
Can’t remember the last time that The Woodsman had such low billing in a Flying Kiwis but that’s how Burnley are tracking these days. A 0-0 draw against Brighton at least got them a second point of the season and raised them off the bottom of the table but chances were at a minimum throughout and Chris Wood only had 22 touches of the ball in his 84 minutes of football. One shot in there, an early header which was on target yet comfortably saved (by Aussie Mat Ryan), but honestly you’d hardly know he was playing and that’s if you managed to stay awake at all. It’s going to take some time for Burnley to get the wheels turning again... they did look better at the back with Ben Mee returning, however their goal drought at front is getting extremely concerning.
LancsLive: “[Burnley] have mustered just three goals in seven matches, two of which came on the opening day, and have not scored since Ashley Westwood fired in at Newcastle United, a run of more than six hours. Sean Dyche retained Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes up front against Brighton but the pair just didn't get going. In mitigation they were feeding off scraps, with Burnley offering precious little creativity in midfield, yet neither striker was able to fashion a chance nor did their understanding yield hopes of one.
It is not all down to the front pair, Dwight McNeil was quiet and Ashley Westwood and Josh Brownhill were too deep to link play through the middle. It meant a chasm between the Clarets midfield and attack and another day without a goal. Dyche acknowledged the shortcomings after the game and is now tasked with finding a solution.”
In the meantime here’s rehashed glimpse of happier times...
Up Next: Burnley vs Crystal Palace, Sunday 22 November at 4am (NZT)
Joe Bell – Viking FK (Norwegian Eliteserien)
A tale of two 3-0s this week. First Viking lost 3-0 to Odd, then they won 3-0 against Rosenborg. Unfortunately Joe Bell only played the first of those two matches, the defeat, though it wasn’t because he was dropped as penance or anything. It was because early in the second half he went and did this to pick up his fourth yellow card of the campaign, second in two games, and that meant a cheeky suspension.
Bit too handsy in the challenge there, oh well. First game he’s missed all season.
Up Next: Sarpsborg vs VFK, Monday 23 November at 6am (NZT)
Niko Kirwan – Reggiana (Italian Serie B)
For the first time since 20 October ol’ Reggiana were able to play a game of football. Having come out the other end of a coronavirus outbreak in the squad that had peaked with 21 separate positive tests within the playing group (as well as at least eight more amongst staff) they were finally cleared to play again and they took full advantage with a 2-1 win over Venezia. Igor Radezzi scored first (11’) but that was cancelled out by Francesco Forte (19’)... but Simone Mazzocchi had the final say in the 66th minute for just the second win of the season for Reggiana. Niko Kirwan started this one on the bench and was subbed on for the last twenty minutes and he had a header near the end that would have clinched it had it been on the right side of the woodwork but they still held on to win 2-1.
Up Next: Away to Lecce at 2am on Sunday 22 Nov (NZT)
The NWSL Gals
All four of the contracted NZers in the 2020 NWSL (not all four of them actually played in 2020 but still) had their contracts either extended, options picked up, or were already on the books for next season. That was the first step of the NWSL offseason, the next step was to see who would be protected ahead of the expansion draft as Racing Louisville enter the competition. And no surprises here...
Woulda been weird if they didn’t protect the club captain. The other three were more on that borderline. It wouldn’t matter if they were drafted by Louisville, that’d mean Louisville value them and have a role in mind for them in their first team... the important thing is that the quartet are all contracted and will be in the NWSL one way or another. But there’s only one person who has to worry about that and that’s Rosie White as she fell outside the chosen eleven protected players for OL Reign. Ali Riley and Katie Bowen were both amongst the Orlando and Utah protectees respectively. The expansion draft takes place next week.
Up Next: 1pm on Friday – the NWSL expansion draft (NZT)
Tommy Smith – Colchester United (English League Two)
The 3-1 league win over Stevenage was good. That went as planned, Smithy playing the full thing and playing very well as a Jevani Brown hat-trick earned all three points for the U’s. Tommy Smith did give away a penalty for a foul on Arthur Read but Dean Gerken, his old buddy from their Ipswich days, stepped up and saved it so no dramas.
The FA Cup first round clash against Non-League Division One side Marine FC... not so good. Smith started on the bench for a rotated Colchester team but had to be subbed on an hour into things with his team 1-0 down and looking awful. Smithy didn’t have anything to do with it but they did actually score within a few minutes of him coming on, Harry Pell slamming it in after some scrappy stuff following Marine’s keeper spilling an earlier shot. But they weren’t able to go on with it from there. Against a team sitting 86 places below them on the English league ladder they pelted them to no avail, going into extra time and with the last play of the match they had a shot cleared off the line but still no way through. Off to penalties... where they lost 5-3. Joshua Bohui with the crucial miss with CU’s fourth attempt. Eighth tier Marine FC knocking out fourth tier Colchester United. That’s a bit embarrassing. Smithy picked up a yellow card in extra time.
Up Next: Home to Southend on Weds at 8am in the EFL Trophy (NZT)
Ollie Whyte - Istanbulspor (Turkish 1. Lig)
Noice. Whyte was a stoppage time substitute in a cup game there, in which Istanbulspor were 1-0 up, then 2-1 down, and came back to win 3-2 against Elazigspot, who had a man sent off near the end (just before Whyte came on). His debut for the Turkish second tier club albeit a pretty tiny cameo.
Up Next: Away to Altinordu after the international break
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