Flying Kiwis – September 29
Katie Bowen – Utah Royals / Rosie White – OL Reign (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Get. In.
The NWSL has had a strange yet ambitious 2020, affected by bad timing as much as anything else when the pandemic came along but the league has rallied pretty well for the Challenge Cup... then a little less well for the Fall Series. But still, it’s football for both Katie Bowen and Rosie White (the only two NZers involved) and it just so happened that they played against each other this week, with Rosie White starting in attacking midfield for the Reign and Katie Bowen getting another crack at right back for Utah. Both of them played ninety minutes.
Rosie White’s goal came in the 28th minute, a real banger from the edge of the area which was by no means the only banger of the match either. Utah had taken the lead in only the ninth minute as Aminata Diallo whacked one in low from distance and in the 22nd minute it was very much advantage Bowen as the Royals took a 2-0 lead, Tziarra King with the powerful headed goal. Hard to know what to think when you’re supporting a player on each team but luckily this game didn’t give you time to think at all. The Reign hit back immediately as Beth Balcer ran through onto a dummied pass (and finished sharply instead of squaring to Rosie White)... and then five minutes after that White got her first goal since August 2019 (to be fair she hasn’t been able to play a whole lot in that time).
But as chaotic as that first half hour was, the rest of the game settled down into passivity. Katie Bowen put a great ball through with five minutes to go but it didn’t lead to anything notable. Rosie White picked up a yellow card along the way. 2-2 was the final score.
This was the Reign’s first game of the Fall Series while Utah had lost one already... Utah are also working with an interim head coach in Amy LePeilbet with regular gaffer Craig Harrington (and his assistant) both being placed on administrative leave due to an ongoing investigation into their workplace environment. Not really the kinda situation Katie Bowen wants to find herself in considering she’s already been through this at international level... but it’s worth noting that under LePeilbet she’s played ninety minutes in both games, which she didn’t do once in the Challenge Cup (granted that’s as much to do with Gunny Jonsdottir being out on loan and Kelly O’Hara opting out). Oh and the club’s up for sale, as if that wasn’t enough drama already.
Aaaaand one more look at that goal because why not?
Up Next: It’s OL Reign vs Portland on Thursday at 3pm & Utah vs Portland on Sunday at 3pm (NZT)
Liberato Cacace – Sint-Truiden (Belgian Pro League)
Is that...? Could it be...? It is!
Finally we’ve got a debut for Liberato Cacace at STTV, coming away to KV Mechelen. Kevin Muscat eased him in after joining basically as soon as the Welly Nix season ended but after five games outside the matchday squad he finally got his big chance. The game didn’t go great as a five minute brace from Aster Vranckx in the second half doomed STVV to a 2-0 defeat which means they’ve now gone six games without a win and are sitting third-last on the ladder... but amongst a disappointing performance Cacace seems to have been one of the brighter spots. He played all ninety minutes, with more touches than any other player on his team. He was also one of only five starters for STVV not to be booked along the way. A couple shots off target, a couple crosses. All in all picking up where he left off for the Welly Nix.
Cacace was one of a couple of changes due directly to the club’s struggling results. They had been talking about a top half finish at the start of the season and already seven games in that’s looking doubtful. We’re into the final week of the transfer window so there could well be another addition or two – a creative midfielder sounds like a priority. Bit of a weird situation to be stepping into but heaps of room for Libby to be the hero that STVV needs. No sooner was his debut over than he was straight into the media work.
And you know what else? It was his birthday the next day. HB, Libby.
Up Next: STVV vs Kortrijk, Sunday at 7.45am (NZT)
Michael Boxall – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)
Adrian Heath, Minny Utd Manager: “For any coach, he’s a dream. He’s low maintenance, very rarely injured. When he is injured, he makes nothing of it, trains every day, great teammate. All of the things that you need to be a top-class professional, that is what Michael Boxall is.”
More Adrian Heath: “Strange thing about Boxy is, surprisingly for a lot of people, he’s one of the best athletes here within the club. He’s one of the quickest as well. So when you put that all together — and the fact that he’s 6-2, athletic, consistent, a great teammate and great professional on and off the field — I couldn’t be more pleased. And it goes to a fitting player who epitomizes everything good about professional football.”
Heaps of lovely quotes in there about the Quality Dude that Michael Boxall is. He’s been ever-present this season and in recent weeks has ticked off his 100th MLS appearance as well as becoming Minnesota Utd’s all-time top appearance maker. He’s been through some tough times at this club and a part of some pretty rancid defensive units but as the Loons have turned the corner into being a competitive playoff team Boxy’s become even more influential. Good read.
Two games this week and first up they lost 2-1 to Columbus Crew. Kei Kamara made his debut for Minnesota up top but a rotated attacking crew around him never quite got it going. They fell behind on the half hour as Lucas Zelarayán headed in from a chip into the area... with Boxall left yelling at his right back for not stepping up to close down the crosser when he told him to. Then he had his other fullback to blame in first half stoppage time as he tumbled over the back of an attacker and conceded a penalty which Zelarayán should have slid in for the second goal... but he blasted it over the top to spare Minny Utd.
The Loons only had two shots on target all game though so not a lot of creativity on offer. They got away with one as Lucas Zelarayán whacked a brilliant effort off the post but with twenty left Pedro Santos scored from a tight angle and the Loons were fast running out of time.
However Robin Lod did pull one back with a couple minutes left to give them some hope of grabbing an equaliser after all that and then bloody hell in the final minute of stoppage time Emmanuel Reynoso whips a free kick into the box which is flicked on by Jose Aja and turned into the net by none other than Michael Boxall! Except the offside flag was up. And the VAR didn’t want a bar of it after concluding that Aja’s head was ever so slightly in front of the last defender as the initial ball was struck. His coach wasn’t happy about it. Letter of the law it’s probably fair though...
The incident is in the middle portion of that vid, by the way. Also Boxall was the only member of his back four who didn’t get booked... mildly interesting stat there.
Different story for the defence as they faced Real Salt Lake later in the week. Boxall had his CB partner rotated again but kept up his own ever-present record as his back four had things on lock. However it was the same story as the previous game for the forwards who couldn’t find a way through in a 0-0 draw. New signing Emmanuel Reynoso was by far Minny’s most dangerous player with his slicing runs from the right wing and a free kick that was only just tipped over. He just didn’t get one to stick. Robin Lod and Kei Kamara had chances too. Not a bad performance at all from Minnesota other than the bit where they forgot to score a goal. That’s four games without a win for Minnesota who are on a bit of a skid.
Michael Boxall on the winless streak: “I thought we created a lot changes in the Houston game, but then aside from that … just in that final third, things aren’t quite clicking as they should or as they have in games where, like, the last time Salt Lake came here. So, it’s always difficult when you’re switching up the combinations, between injury and availability, and what not. It’s just we haven’t gotten things clicking quite how we’d like them too.”
James Musa was an unused sub in both games...
Up Next: Sunday at 1pm versus FC Cincinnati (NZT)
Meikayla Moore – Liverpool (English Championship)
Just a couple minutes at the end there for Mouse, though she was out there as the Reds scored the fourth goal (heading the ball on from a corner in the build up as Kirsty Linnett volleyed it in). After a disappointing draw with Durham in the first week, Liverpool have now had consecutive hefty wins and are beginning to look like the dominant force they expect to be in the Championship this season. Just in time for Meikayla Moore to begin ingraining herself in that team.
Up Next: Monday at 4am away to Coventry (NZT)
Olivia Chance – Sheffield United (English Championship)
Seven points from their first three games has Meikayla Moore’s Liverpool team second on the ladder, behind not on goal difference but by virtue of having scored two fewer goals than the top team. The top team being Sheffield United... and oh would you look at this?
Looks like we could have a Flying Kiwis battle for promotion on our hands. Only the Championship champions go up so it could go all the way down to the wire. Not to mention Katie Rood at Lewes as well, more on her later.
Chance joins Sheffield Utd on what the club labelled as a “short-term contract”, so not sure entirely what that means. Could be a pandemic-related caution or maybe an opportunity to earn a longer deal. Might mean it lasts until the end of the season or maybe only the end of the year. We’ll see. But it’s outstanding to have Chancey back in the ranks again after she was released by Bristol City at the end of last season despite being a regular for them in the Super League. The Blades are down a division from that but they’re a strong team expecting to win a lot of games, another way in which this situation is similar to Meikayla Moore’s at Liverpool.
Liv Chance: “It's nice to be back playing. The sessions have been good and I've enjoyed the intensity, the short, sharp nature of them. I'd had some good discussions with Neil beforehand and I like him as a coach and as a person. I think that really helped my decision to come to the club. It's always exciting to be joining a new club and to play football, especially this year when there's been so much inconsistency. I'm looking forward to maybe having a bit more of the ball than I did last season, playing for a team that is so strong in their league.”
Blades boss Neil Redfearn: “Olivia is a great addition to the squad. She's a current New Zealand international and has excellent drive to succeed, she brings a real wealth of experience and game craft to the group. It's great to be able to have Liv's quality in the group.”
And she was straight in there too. On the bench as the Blades took on London Bees and subbed on at half-time... at which point it was still only 1-0 in a game that ended up as a 4-0 victory. Melissa Johnson and Katie Wilkinson both got doubles.
Up Next: Monday at 2am away to Charlton (NZT)
Marko Stamenic – FC Kobenhavn (Danish Superliga)
So... Marko’s settling in pretty well in Copenhagen then. As expected he’s gone straight into their U19 team to start with but he’s already leading them to success. Stamenic played ninety minutes in the midfield as FCK faced FC Nordsjælland in the youth cup final, an influential performance from him too. FCK controlled most of the first half but failed to make that possession count for clear shots at goal and were caught out in the 38th minute when Andreas Bredahl snuck through to score for their opponents (coming while Nordsjælland had a dude in the sin bin too – apparently the Danish U19s stuff do that sin bin thing).
However a dominant second half saw Copenhagen roll on to victory and lift the trophy. And who got them started? Marko Stamenic of course as he struck the equaliser in the 54th minute with a sharp little finish at the near post. They later took the lead in the 72nd minute as William Bøving polished off an excellent counter attack and they confirmed the trophy ten minutes later with a Hákon Arnar Haraldsson goal after FCN had been forced to overcommit going forward to try get back in the final. 3-1 was the final score. Cue the celebrations.
Up Next: Keep doing what he’s doing, basically
Jamie Searle – Swansea City (English Championship)
Jamie Searle was released by Aston Villa at the end of last season after spending a year with their U23s... but the word was he’d land on his feet with other offers coming his way and now here he is having signed with Swansea City. The club mentioned that the deal is subject to international clearance and it comes as they’ve sent one of their up and coming keepers (Josh Gould) on loan to Barry Town in Wales. Not sure what capacity Searle will join the club in but Gould was the club’s main U23 keeper last season so that seems the most likely window for him. 23 year old Englishman Freddie Woodman is their number one in the top side, with 21 year old German goalie Steven Benda his backup.
Up Next: The next U23s game is away to Bristol City U23s on Weds at 1am, so we’ll see if he features (NZT)
Callan Elliot – Xanthi (Greek Super League 2)
Another young kiwi signs professionally overseas, another player leaves the Wellington Phoenix, another A-League player joining Xanthi in Greece... this one’s fascinating for a few reasons. Better lay the groundwork first though because Xanthi were relegated from the top flight last season, absolutely crumbling after having been being deducted 12 points for “the illegal transfer of the team's shares” - which dumped them into the relegation playoff where they lost 4-1 on aggregate to Apollon Smyrnis. So... not a good situation for them. They’d been in the top flight for more than thirty years previously.
To get more specific about what happened with the points deduction, there were members of PAOK Thessaloniki who also owned shares in Xanthi, giving PAOK’s owners a stake in Xanthi which is illegal for obvious conflict of interest reasons. PAOK were also deducted seven points – with extra tastiness because the initial complaint was apparently lodged by PAOK’s title rivals Olympiakos. PAOK ended up finishing 18 points behind champs Olympiakos in second place so it didn’t really affect them too much though it did effectively cost Xanthi their top flight status as they’d have easily avoided the relegation playoff otherwise. And in order to pay their legal fees (it was apparently a huuuge drama in Greece) as well as, you know, continuing to exist in amidst pandemic complications, they had to release most of their squad and play academy dudes down the stretch hence how they were so easily beaten in the playoff.
That ownership drama led to an opportunity. A businessman called Bill Papas swept in and bought the club to clean things up and bring a bit of ambition to the club’s rebuild. But who is Bill Papas? Well, he’s the president of NPL side Sydney Olympic. An Australian dude. And pretty much the first proper thing he did as owner was to hire Tony Popovich to coach the team (along with a couple of his Perth Glory assistants).
There is an appeal from the club to try and restore their top flight status but those things don’t tend to be too successful so in the meantime they’re pretty much putting together a new squad from scratch. That includes a bunch of local players but it also reportedly includes Matt Jurman, Josh Brillante, Poppa’s two teenage sons... and now Callan Elliot who is expected to sign a three year contract. Elliot departs the Phoenix as a free agent, having featured 9 times over two seasons for them – the final of those appearances being in the Elimination Final against Perth Glory... who were coached by Tony Popovich.
Up Next: [looking eyes emoji]
Chris Wood - Burnley FC (English Premier League)
A midweek League Cup game against Millwall and Chris Wood probably thought he’d get to put his feet up most of the night, maybe have a run for fifteen minutes at the end there if it was close. Instead Jay Rodriguez was added to the crowded waiting room outside the Burnley physio’s office as he was forced off hurt after only quarter of an hour and up stepped the Woodsman.
Decent chance to get a goal or two then, you’d think... but alas not to be. Still a solid contribution from him though. Millwall started off looking a little threatening from aerial set pieces... but Burnley took the lead on the brink of the half thanks to an utter thunderbastard from Josh Brownhill. He fair munted that thing into the top corner. From that point on it was the Clarets in control. A couple times Wood got into nice positions and the ball didn’t quite find him, he also missed a header from a Dwight McNeil cross. Deep into stoppage time though he helped guide one square for Matej Vydra to add a second. There you go then, still got an assist. Burnley won 2-0 and advance to the next round.
Burnley Express: “Another industrious display from the striker [Wood], working across the front to hold up the ball and link play while also dropping off to collect the loose balls. Always alert to everything around him and picked out Vydra for Burnley's second.”
He was industrious against Southampton on the weekend too but with less success. Burnley were still without both starting centre-backs and just five minutes in the match they were trailing as Danny Ings bundled one in... and that was pretty much all the goal-mouth action in this one. Burnley struggled to create much and Southampton were happy to keep their structure and defend – the Saints didn’t have another shot on target all game after Ings’ goal.
Chris Wood had a header across goal early in the second half which he couldn’t quite get proper contact on, the deep ball a bit behind him and the keeper able to make a comfortable save. That was the only shot he had all game, technically speaking... however he was directly involved in two of the Clarets’ most dangerous moments. The first midway through the opening half as he was knocked over by Jan Bednarek in a challenge as Woodsy tried to hold it up in the box. Looked like a shove in the back, also looked like Wood had halted and drawn the contact. The ref waved it off.
Then in the second stanza he had the ball in the net but the pesky lino had already flagged him off. He’d been closing down his defender then stepped in on an under-hit backpass and somehow squeaked it past the keeper’s smothering challenge and tapped it in. Replays suggested it was a whole lot closer than it felt at the time but nobody really argued or complained. VAR quietly upheld the decision.
Other than that Charlie Taylor mashed one at goal which Alex McCarthy saved nicely and there were a bunch of deep crosses and long balls into the mixer towards the end which Southampton dealt with well enough. 1-0 to the Saints and Burnley have lost two outta two to start the new campaign. Whiiiiich sadly brings an end to Wood’s four-game goal-scoring streak. He’d have taken that penalty too if it’d been awarded, dammit.
Up Next: EFL Cup Round of 16, Burnley versus Manchester City, Thursday at 7am (NZT)
Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)
Rightio, FA Cup quarter-final. Tottenham versus Arsenal. North London Derby. Outstanding. Let’s go...
Damn, okay. To be fair Spurs held them out for longer than anyone else has so far this season. It was still scoreless with twenty minutes to play, Arsenal definitely the more aggressive team but they’d been stifled up to that point. Caitlin Foord put one off the crossbar in the first half. Katie McCabe had a goal disallowed. Alanna Kennedy had a couple good efforts for Spurs along the way but slowly the Gunners twisted the knife and with 71 minutes gone Jordan Nobbs picked off an errant pass (there were a few of them as Spurs struggled to hold possession) and chipped the keeper with a truly brilliant finish. Then Lisa Evans scored a hatty in the final seventeen minutes and Arsenal ended up with a 4-0 win to advance to the semis. A fair result but the scoreline definitely got blown out there at the end. Ria Percival was subbed off with eight minutes left and the score still at 2-0.
Up Next: Man City vs Tottenham in the WSL on Monday at 12.30am (NZT)
Rebekah Stott – Brighton & Hove Albion (English Super League)
Things were a bit better in this FA Cup tie, Brighton against Birmingham... but not better enough. It started terrible for them when they conceded in the first five minutes as Sarah Mayling tapped in at the far post. Dani Bowman drew Brighton level again from the penalty spot midway through the half but soon after the break Mollie Green did the same from a Birmingham penalty and Brighton were back on the brink. Things were looking bleak... until Denise O’Sullivan headed in from close range in the 89th minute and we were off to extra time. Where nothing happened. Brighton had the best chance of extras but couldn’t convert and it would take a shootout to decide the winners. Both teams had early misses and it was 2-2 after three kicks... but Megan Connolly’s effort was saved by Hannah Hampton which allowed Georgia Brougham to step up and win it for Birmingham. 2-2 after extra time, 4-2 to Birmingham on penalties. Stotty didn’t take a penalty although she did play the full 120 minutes.
Up Next: Man Utd vs Brighton at midnight on Sunday/Monday (NZT)
Ryan Thomas – PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie)
All good news there as PSV cruised past Mura (Slovenia) with a 5-1 win in the third round of Europa League qualification. This was their first game in the competition and with that victory they’re now only one game away from the group stage. They’ll face Rosenborg (Norway) away in the playoff round this upcoming midweek.
Ryan Thomas started and played 74 minutes of this one. Relatively comfortable from him, holding the midfield down as fellas surged forward ahead of him. The first goal came from Donyell Malen in the 16th min with a glancing header from a free kick and despite conceding a bit of a soft one five minutes later they responded in similar time through Mauro Junior. There was a scare early in the second half as Yvon Mvogo made a solid save down low at his near post... and from then on they ran away with it. Cody Gakpo (who came on early for an injured Maximiliano Romero) scored a double and Malen added his second in between them.
After starting all four games this season Thommo was then given a rest away to Heracles where he was only picked on the bench (along with a couple other regular recent starters – fresh legs being the operative idea). But it didn’t go so well. They were 1-0 down at half-time and playing crap, with only an offside flag keeping them from being down more. Clearly there was only one way to fix things...
The ol’ triple change at the break trick, aye? It sort of worked. PSV very quickly got back on level terms with a penalty that was converted by Philipp Max but although they without-doubt improved in that second half they still couldn’t find a winner to show for it and even then they had to rely on at least one great save and a couple crucial last-ditch defensive interventions along the way just to get the point they ended up with. 1-1 the final score. First dropped points of the new campaign.
Up Next: Europa League playoff, away to Rosenborg on Friday at 6am (NZT)
Niko Kirwan – Reggiana (Italian Serie B)
The coach promised he’d stay after they got promoted and sure enough Niko Kirwan was there as Reggiana drew 2-2 with Pisi to being their Serie B campaign. In fact he wasn’t only there... he started and played ninety minutes. Out there on the left by the looks of it in his 26 jersey. Probably at wing-back. Reggiana scored first but were down a goal at the half, Riccardo Martinelli’s 68th minute strike eventually earning them a draw at home to kick things off. Plenty to build from there. Highlights here.
Up Next: Coppa Italia second round against Monololi on Thursday at 5am (NZT)
Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)
The game in question there was a 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove’s U21 side in the EFL Trophy group stage. These are relatively throwaway games to be fair, in which the lower league clubs are joined by top flight academy teams but that does mean a lovely chance for the reserve keeper (and a few other backups) to get some repetitions in and a clean sheet and a win is plenty good for Tzanev in his second game of the season. Not a lot to do in a fairly comfortable win here... though he did nearly set up a goal late on with a long ball over the top.
‘Twas back on the bench a few days later as the Dons got their first league win of the season with a 1-0 banger away to Fleetwood Town, Steve Seddon with the only goal late in the first half. Good-o.
Up Next: The Dons vs Accrington Stanley, Sunday at 3am (NZT)
Tommy Smith – Colchester United (English League Two)
Away to Barrow and this was some prime League Two footy right here. Colchester got very lucky when Barrow’s number nine missed an open header at the far post in the first half, with that fairly simple miss being contrasted by each team scoring an utter blinder from distance – Noah Chilvers for CU in the 34th min and Mike Jones for Barrow in the 54th. Miss the easy one, score the hard one. After a few cheeky set piece halfies for both teams the game then ended 1-1 with Smithy getting booked during his ninety minutes. Another away point for Colchester.
Up Next: A bit of EFL Trophy stuff midweek vs West Ham’s U21s on Weds at 7am before they host Oldham Athletic on Sunday at 3am (NZT)
Katie Rood - Lewes FC (English Championship)
It’s always nice to get that first win of the season, even more when it’s been over a year since the team last won a league match. But an early Rhian Cleverly goal, six minutes into the match, proved enough for Lewes as they beat Coventry 1-0.
It was also Katie Rood’s first start of the season having come off the bench in their opener. No goal to show for it but she came close to adding a second on a few occasions. There was a header late in the first half and a shot cutting in from her left wing early in the second in particular. The longer the game went on the more Coventry started to force the issue as they tried to find an equaliser but Lewes’ keeper Tatiana Saunders was solid and they consistently got players back in defence for cover, holding on for a tasty three points at home.
Up Next: London City vs Lewes, Monday at 2am (NZT)
Winston Reid - Sporting Kansas City (American Major League Soccer)
He’s baaaaack.
After more than 900 days between league appearances for his clubs, Winnie then played three games in a week for Sporting KC and was unsurprisingly injured in the third of them. A pesky groin thing that caused him to miss a couple weeks but he was back on the bench to face Orlando City and after the starting defence leaked a couple goals late in the first half he was called upon to steady the ship for the second stanza.
Which he dutifully did... although SKC didn’t quite have the sauce to spark the comeback, getting one goal back but losing 2-1. Centre-back Matt Besler was the dude he replaced after Besler was booked early and by most accounts had a bit of a shocker. He got waxed for both goals trying to play an offside trap that didn’t work. Reid didn’t have a huge amount to do as SKC were much better going forward in that half, Johnny Russell cutting the deficit after 52 minutes but the rest of them didn’t seem to know how to place their shots. Reid did have to get involved against the break a couple times late on as the game got stretched and you’ll be relieved to know he did a much better job of it than Besler. But yeah they still lost.
They were then supposed to play away to the Colorado Rapids on Monday NZT except that one got cancelled a day out as the Rapids had a player and three staff members test positive for coronavirus. Fair call – the last thing we need to see is poor old Winnie adding to his long list of injuries with a bout of the ‘rona. Luckily they didn’t call that one off before Reidy was able make an appearance on the pre-game zoom media chat – with a few kiwi media folk also invited along so that was cool. Plenty of Winston quotes floating around at the moment thanks to that.
Up Next: Houston Dynamo vs Sporting KC, Sunday at 1pm (NZT)
Elliot Collier – Chicago Fire (American Major League Soccer)
The standard 20-30 minutes off the bench for Elliot Collier here as Chicago Fire laid the beat down on Houston Dynamo with a 4-0 win... although they were already three up by the time he came on having blown this one out of the water nice and early on. Collier had one big moment as he got through on the left wing, throwing in some stepovers but taking it to the line instead of cutting in to shoot, then shooting anyway from a tight angle and having his effort denied by the keeper’s shoulder/face. Not much else to mention, CJ Sapong won a penalty in the last minute of the ninety which he missed but got to retake as the keeper had jumped off his line and he put it away at the second attempt. Still waiting on that first Collier goal of the season.
And he’s still waiting after a 2-0 win over Atlanta United required only first half goals for Fabian Herbers and Robert Beric. Collier didn’t come on until the 79th minute. Chicago started fantastic and got the early goal in the seventh minute then they were able to strike a sucker punch second as Atlanta were beginning to take control of the match. Brad Guzan made a couple superb saves for ATL to keep it at 2-0, then it was Chicago’s keeper’s turn to do the same. By the time Collier came on they were in close-out mode... winning their second game in a week after going winless in the five previous. Finding a little form.
Up Next: Montreal Impact vs Chicago Fire, Sunday at 12.30pm (NZT)
Jana Radosavljević – Werder Bremen (German Bundesliga)
Nice to have at least one cup result that went well this week. Jana Radosavljević was brought on off the bench for the last half hour of Werder Bremen’s win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, a win which was about as routine as routine gets. They led as early as the fourth minute and were 3-0 up at half-time. Then came a raft of subs which slowed things down, Rado was the first sub used, before they scored two more late one to seal a 5-0 victory.
Next was SGS Essen in the league as Werder Bremen tried to carry a bit of that cup form into the main stuff... but this time it was them that conceded in the fourth minute thanks to a quality finish from Jill Baijings (Essen had already missed an open goal by that time too). A Stephanie Goddard own goal in the 63rd minute, not able to control her header from a deep free kick into the box, then had them in real danger and it was time to go to the bench. On came Jana Radosavljević... and within four minutes she’d set up a goal. Chipping the ball to Jasmine Sehan at the far post. Very decent, however Eleni Markou scored again for SGS with a couple minutes to go and Werder Bremen lost 3-1 and currently sit last on the table after three games. Draw’s been unkind to them though, they should rise up in a few weeks. Check out the highlights.
Up Next: Saturday at 6.15am away to Hoffenheim (NZT)
Joe Bell – Viking FK (Norwegian Eliteserien)
Ninety minutes and a win. Good day at the office for Joe Bell. It didn’t seem like that at first as VFK conceded in the fourth minute of the game and then almost leaked a second with the offside flag to thank for that one not counting. But then Zymer Bytyqi took advantage of a bit of space at the far post (after an air-balled clearance) in the 35th minute to level and after surviving a double goal-line clearance at one point they went on to win it with a Tommy Høiland goal in the 65th min. That makes it five league wins in a row for VFK and they’ve got another winnable one coming up next week. Happy days.
Up Next: Viking vs Strømsgodset on Monday at 5am (NZT)
CJ Bott - Vålerenga (Norwegian Toppserien)
When you win 7-0 you get to take a few liberties... like throwing on a fullback on the injury comeback trail for almost half an hour of footy. CJ Bott made her debut for Vålerenga before the international break with a cheeky three minute cameo... in the win over Klepp she got 28 minutes. Slowly working her way in there after being unable to train for most of the year following knee surgery. She’s now back just in time for a spell of three weeks without a league game, so it goes. Ajara Nchout Njoya scored four goals in the win and Vålerenga now sit three points clear at the top (though they’ve played an extra game).
Up Next: Vålerenga vs Rosenborg... but not until 19 October (NZT)
Vic Esson – Avaldsnes IL (Norwegian Toppserien)
Elsewhere in the Toppserien, Avaldsnes had themselves a 1-1 draw away to Lyn. Nothing Vic Esson coulda done about the goal but it was a pity they conceded only three minutes after deservedly taking the lead. They’d won 5-2 in the reverse fixture so a tad disappointing to only come away with one point, particularly after dominating the early stages, but Lyn have been improving lately to be fair. Avaldsnes are still fourth on the table.
Up Next: Avaldsnes vs Kolbotn on Sunday at 2am (NZT)
Joel Stevens & Francis De Vries – IFK Värnamo (Swedish Ettan Södra)
Little bit of drama here as IFK Värnamo lost their 12-game unbeaten streak (11 of them wins). They were up against Motala and were down 2-0 after just 25 minutes, a shot from outside the box and a penalty kick slapping some unfamiliar panic into the Varnie lads. Not a position they’ve been in very often... probably best to mention that the penalty was conceded by Francis de Vries for handball. He got booked for it too. Michael Kargbo scored a ripper before the break to close the game but Motala made it 3-1 again soon after it. A rebound goal after a corner kick header.
But IFKV have a heap of goals in them these days and a couple goals in the space of a couple minutes had them back on level pegging... Freddy Winsth bundling one hope from a Joel Stevens corner kick and then Kargbo put one on a dime for Edvin Becirovic. 3-3, how about it? Ah but then they subbed off Stevens and they let in two goals in the last twenty minutes to lose 5-3.
So naturally they came out fired up against Trollhättan in the next game and Joel Stevens did this to get them started...
Abdussalam Magashy scored a second later in the half from a defensive mistake and they got themselves a 2-0 win out of it. Stevens, who had already been heavily involved in the attack (two pretty great saves to deny him in the first half alone, a shot blazed narrowly wide in the second, as well as setting up a chance or two), was subbed off with 12 minutes left while FDV got the full game and the clean sheet. Värnamo sitting pretty 13 points clear at the top of the division. Third goal of the season for Stevie, what a strike too. And pretty unlucky not to get more.
As for Jesse Edge & Matthew Conroy at IFK Berga it was a decent week. Two games and two draws, both against teams in the top half of the table. No sign of Conroy this week but Edge played the entirety of the first game (1-1 vs Sylvia) and came off the bench for about the last half hour of the second (0-0 vs Gefle). Doesn’t get them off the bottom of the southern conference but it gets them within range.
Up Next: Värnamo are away to Eskilsminne at 1am on Friday (NZT)
Michael Woud – Almere City (Dutch Eerste Divisie)
He’s starting to make a bit of a habit of this. After conceding four in a game a couple weeks back, Michael Woud has kept three consecutive clean sheets with the latest coming in a 2-0 win over Helmond Sport. Second half goals for Anass Ahannach and Delvechio Blackson doing the trick. At least one important stop from Woudy when the scores were still even too. Earning that clean sheet... when he was asked about the clean sheets before this game he had this deliciously assured response...
Michael Woud: “That's my job.”
Job complete for this week. They briefly went top after the win, though NAC are back ahead of them after keeping up their perfect record a day later.
Up Next: Wednesday 7 October at 5.45am away to Den Bosch (NZT)
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