Flying Kiwis – October 12
Abby Erceg – North Carolina Courage (American National Women’s Soccer League)
It has not, it’s fair to say, been a good couple weeks for the NWSL. For the North Carolina Courage in particular. It was their coach who was fired after allegations of past misconduct emerged, allegations which brought into focus the frankly shocking rate of scandal in America’s top professional women’s soccer competition... including the shameful ways that those scandals are often swept under the rug in order to avoid the bad publicity. Which of course happens at the expense of the safety of players.
If you wanna read more on that scenario, there’s plenty of it going around – including a lengthy bit in last Monday’s TNC Substack mailer which gets into a couple unfortunate kiwi connections. Then a little bit on Friday too. In the wake of all that, last week’s NWSL games were all postponed. Teams then returned to action in the midweek where the shadow of the scandal – of all the scandals – loomed large. In reference to six years of silence since the initial complaints made against Paul Riley, all the games in the past week saw teams break play after six minutes for a gesture of unity...
Especially poignant for the Courage given how it was their coach who was at the heart of this (albeit from allegations that date back to a previous job). Former assistant Sean Nahas has been promoted to interim coach for the rest of the season as they set about trying to win another title.
Those title hopes had taken a dent with four straight winless games in what turned out to be the last four games of Paul Riley’s time with NCC but they surged back strong with a handy win over Racing Louisville here in Nahas’ first bout in charge. All the damage was done in the first half hour. Lynn Williams put them up on 14’ following up on an Amy Rodriguez shot that was saved, then Rodriguez scored one herself on 19’ sprinting between the centre backs and onto a Jess McDonald through ball before beating the goalie.
Louisville dragged one back in the 24th min as Savannah McCaskill pumped one into the top corner against the run of play which may or may not have taken a deflection... but Debinha scored on 30’ with an emphatic finish from close range and the Courage had no dramas the rest of the way. Louisville only had 5 total shots all game while NCC had 24. Should’ve scored more but all goods. 70% possession meant Abby Erceg didn’t really need to break a sweat in the second half. Back to winning ways with a 3-1 scoreline.
Nooot so flash a few days later though. The Courage played the Houston Dash away in Texas and they started sweetly with a fourth minute Jess McDonald running onto a long ball over the top and slamming past the keeper to make it 1-0. Then things quickly went bonkers. Houston went straight onto the attack and after a couple overly scrappy bits of defending in the area the ball fell for Kristie Mewis to shoot but Abby Erceg came flying in with the block. Unfortunately the ball then landed at the feet of Brianna Visalli who curled it into the top corner unmarked. Then on 23 mins a ball from out wide found Rachel Daly in the middle to give Houston the lead and two minutes later Daly chipped in for a great Shea Groom header and it was 3-1.
The Dash are a good team but this was a bit shocking. It was one thing to see the Courage looking sketchy up front because that’s been a regular thing lately but seeing them getting ripped in defence is rare. Erceg put it down to uncharacteristic errors afterwards, one of them days. She’d make one of those errors in the second half as her touch intercepting a deep cross fell to a Dash attacker, Visalli. Erceg tried for a desperate recovering tackle but Visalli held her balance and squared to Daly who scored. 56 mins and it was 4-1. That was the final score, Erceg picked up a yellow card later on. Courage fall back to fourth place behind the Dash. Top two is probably out of the question now but playoffs are still a likelihood.
Here’s some post-game media stuff, the captain fronting up at a difficult time...
Up Next: NCC vs Washington on Thurs at 12.30pm, then NCC vs Gotham on Mon at 7am (NZT)
Olivia Chance - Celtic FC (Scottish Premier League)
Six goals, six different goal scorers. Celtic were away to Hamilton Academical but this was never much of a contest as the hoops took the lead in the third minute of the match and never came close to relinquishing it. Liv Chance played the whole thing in midfield, pulling strings and all that, though it wasn’t until the 71st minute that she got herself involved in the final product – picking up the ball in the box after Tegan Bowie’s cross and switching it onto her other foot to shoot and score. The sixth of six scorers. Finishing it off in style.
Elsewhere Rangers had no dramas putting eight past Aberdeen while Glasgow City beat Hearts 2-0. Partick Thistle pulled an upset over Hibernian though with a 3-2 win, Hibs having also lost to Celtic earlier in the season. Meaning it looks like a very distinct top three is forming in Scotland...
Up Next: Celtic vs Spartans on Monday at 1am (NZT)
Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)
Would this week be the week? Nope. In fact this week kinda sucked for Spurs. They were away against Brighton with the chance to make it five wins from five to start the new season, an incredible streak that would have equalled their win total from all of last season (and one of those was a default win). But alas it was not to be.
They started with plenty of hustle as has been a feature of their good form. Ria Percival was able to make those late runs into the area that we’re getting used to. Ashleigh Neville had a great shot that was tipped wide by a diving goalie. Though Rachel Williams was a bit too enthusiastic, getting a very early yellow card as she tried to press the defence.
But after a while Brighton began to find a few solutions, especially when they were able to attack at pace. Becky Spencer made a couple saves. Inessa Kagmaan hit the crossbar from distance. Then in the 37th min a shot from just inside the box by Lee Geum-Min crept in under Spencer and Spurs were behind. A soft goal to concede but Brighton were good value for it. They’d later hit the crossbar again through Danielle Carter after a giveaway in defence from Neville early in the second half.
As long as it was only 1-0, Spurs were still well within range. But with quarter of an hour to go another yellow card for Rachel Williams meant they’d have to finish the game with 10 women and that was a critical hit. Victoria Williams scored for Brighton off a corner on 86’, and while Kit Graham immediately responded for Spurs it was too late. A 2-1 defeat ends their perfect start to the WSL. The red card was a bit soft, neither foul was in any way malicious, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Ah well. Full game for Percival who’s played every minute so far.
Up Next: WSL Cup group stage begins on Thursday at 7.30am against Charlton (NZT)
Ali Riley - Orlando Pride (American National Women’s Soccer League)
That was definitely something. The Pride dug themselves into a deep, deep hole against NY/NJ Gotham FC but then almost managed to climb their way out of it. Almost, not quite.
Ali Riley started at right back and was immediately in the wars against Ifeoma Onumonu, almost getting bumped off in the third minute of the match, but she held her own... only for the ball to be sent back into the middle where Gaëtane Thiney curled it past Ashlyn Harris from distance for the opening goal. Looked like Harris lost sight of the shot in the lights or something. A stink start however Orlando responded well and could have been level had Alex Morgan’s shot not been saved.
Two minutes into the second half Thiney scored again. A direct free kick which Harris got two hands to but couldn’t parry to safety, an unfortunate bit of keeping from a very good keeper and the Pride were down 2-0. And three minutes later it was three with Margaret Purce, who’d been brilliantly denied by Harris 1v1 in the first half, finishing off a superb team move.
That was a mess... and yet the Pride picked it up after that thanks largely to the work of Marta. The Brazilian had a shot saved herself, before hustling another chance that was blocked at the near post and then Morgan clipped the frame on the rebound. Should’ve done better there tbh. Yet just as it seemed they were running out of time, Erika Tymrak scored from a deflected shot (84’) and then Marta scored from the penalty spot (89’) and suddenly it was 3-2.
Then they did run out of time. Riley was subbed off with ten to play so she missed the fun at the end. Orlando have dropped out of the top six with consecutive defeats so they’ve got a huge week of games coming up – with the rescheduled games from the Paul Riley postponements happening in the midweek to cram everything in.
Up Next: Chicago away on Thursday at 1pm then Louisville away on Sunday at 12.30pm (NZT)
Katie Bowen – Kansas City (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Well what do ya know? Katie Bowen is recalled to the Kansas City midfield and they get a positive result against a very good team. The Portland Thorns booked their spot in the playoffs earlier in the week while KC are just playing out the rest of the season looking for some pride and growth yet KC were able to hold them to a scoreless draw. Both of KC’s wins have come with Katie Bowen in midfield but after being subbed off at half-time against Chicago in late-August she then didn’t play either of the team’s games in September. Maybe there was a secret injury involved, dunno. But she was back in the middle of the park for the Portland game, playing 77 minutes on the way to a clean sheet.
To be fair, they did need some luck along the way. Bowen got the game going with a long range shot off target but after that she did a whole lot more defending than attacking. She missed as many tackles as she made and her passing success wasn’t too flash... but that’s deceptive because that scrappiness in the midfield was the main reason KC were able to frustrate Portland, who despite their standings hit up this game on the back of consecutive defeats.
Neither team looked like scoring in the first half but the Thorns found some solutions in the second. Meghan Klingenberg had a shot deflected narrowly off target. Rocky Rodriguez shot wide. Regardless, KC were still battling away and a Katie Bowen cross on the overlap down the right floated onto the crossbar and probably should’ve been put in by Hailee Mace but for a heavy touch. Anybody’s game at this point.
Bowen was replaced with quarter of an hour to go which was not long after a super Adrianna French save from a Morgan Weaver header prevented Portland taking the lead. Then came that big dose of luck that was teased earlier. 85th min of the match and Christine Sinclair, international football’s all-time leading goal scorer, stepped up to the penalty spot after Mace had tripped Weaver. But incredibly Sinclair missed. Off the post despite sending the goalie the wrong way. Hence the 0-0 draw. Gotta gobble that up if you’re a Kansas City fan.
Up Next: Double gameweek with KC vs Houston on Thursday at 1pm and then Chicago vs KC on Sunday at 1pm (NZT)
Rosie White – OL Reign (American National Women’s Soccer League)
She’s back. Wasn’t a part of OL Reign’s thrilling 3-2 win over Chicago this weekend, a win which continues the team’s hot run of form and puts them in a great position to challenge for first overall over the last couple weeks of the regular season (and guarantees a playoff spot)... but hopefully it’s only a matter of time. White last featured for the Reign way back in May before a chronic illness issue that also kept her out of the Olympics. Stoked to see she’s close to a return now.
Up Next: Portland vs OL Reign, Thursday at 3.30pm, then OL Reign vs Washington on Sunday at 3pm (NZT)
Moses Dyer – Valour FC (Canadian Premier League)
Ooh mate that’s a tidy finish, alright. It’s an international break for the fellas this week, one which involved a couple All Whites fixtures so there’s even less going on than usual from the kiwi blokes. Leagues that continue during the international break, like the lower leagues in England, are happening without the likes of Tommy Smith or Nik Tzanev around. Minnesota United lost 3-1 at home to Colorado with Michael Boxall away in Bahrain.
But the Canadian Premier League doesn’t bother with such things which meant that Moses Dyer was able to score his third goal in fourth games, his sixth overall this season, and considering four of them have been penalties this was definitely his best strike. Valour went on to win 3-1 against Forge. Sweet as.
Up Next: Pacific vs Valour, Sunday at 11am (NZT)
CJ Bott - Vålerenga (Norwegian Toppserien)
Sneaky 1-0 win away from home to keep things alive for VIF. CJ Bott only played the first half of this game, a very open one in which both teams had great chances but it was Vålerenga who took the lead in the 38th thanks to a deflected shot from Dejana Stefanovic. Good feet to create room for the shot and then a little luck to get it where it needed to go. Bott was then subbed off at the half, presumably a tactical switch because Olaug Tvedten who replaced her is a midfielder (and she nearly scored early in the second stanza after a beautiful quick-touch passing move).
Seemed to do the trick. VIF were the better team down the back half and although there were a couple gasping moments because of their lack of a second goal they held on for the victory. With three games left they cannot finish any lower than fourth and there’s still a mathematical (albeit hugely unlikely) chance of getting top two. Plus they’re in the cup final so there’s a trophy on the line. Cool to see CJ Bott getting a run of starts too, even if she did get subbed early here.
Up Next: Arna-Bjørnar vs Vålerenga, Monday at 2am (NZT)
Emma Rolston - Arna-Bjørnar (Norwegian Toppserien)
Ninety minutes for Emma Rolston... but that’s about all there is to say. They were away to Rosenborg who are just about clinging in on the title race and are definitely going hundies to at least finish second and make the Champions League qualifiers and they absolutely battered Arna-Bjørnar 7-1. A-B did pull one back midway through the second half to make it 2-1 but that’s about it. Less said the better. Should be well clear of relegation so that’s not a worry.
Up Next: Arna-Bjørnar vs Vålerenga, Monday at 2am (NZT)
Vic Esson – Avaldsnes IL (Norwegian Toppserien)
Sometimes there are games like this. Avaldsnes were 3-0 up away to LSK Kvinner a little after half-time, sitting in a position to cause a real upset in the race for second place (and Champions League qualification) in the 2021 Toppserien. Then it all went awry.
Both teams had seen shots slide just wide of the post in the beginning stages. LSK were the ones forcing the issue more but Avaldsnes looked tight on the counter. It appeared that LSK had the opener twice in quick succession after a corner kick was first cleared off the line by a defender and then the second effort was quite brilliantly caught on the line by Esson.
And then Giovanna De Oliveira made a sharp run to the near post to give Avaldsnes the lead in the 36th minute and then in the 40th she held one up for Irene Dirdal whose initial attempt was blocked but she regathered the ball with a nifty spin move and then picked out the bottom corner for 2-0. Stunning stuff there and it got even better when, five minutes after half-time, Karina Sævik was able to bundle in a third after a cross from the left wing.
Four minutes later a powerful downwards header from Sophie Roman Haug was too much for Vic Esson to deal with, just a really good backpost header. Now it was 3-1. Then with twenty minutes to play, Avaldsnes had basically everyone back to deal with a corner kick but couldn’t stop Nora Eide Lie from winning a header which seemed to take a looping touch off a defender and it dropped in off the crossbar. Esson had a striker fall right over her in the chaos, preventing her from having a go at the falling ball, but there was no foul awarded. Might’ve already crossed the line by then was the problem.
It was desperation defence now. Trying to hold on amidst an LSK barrage – especially from those aerial deliveries. Esson picked up a yellow card on 84’, not sure what for but gotta assume time wasting is a likely possibility. However Mimmi Veum drove in an 88th min equaliser on the cut-back. Then Haug popped up at the back stick on 90 mins to tap in the winner. From 3-0 up to losing 4-3. That cannot have been fun.
Helpfully, other results went their way. Including that Vålerenga win over Lyn. That means that Avaldsnes remain one point clear of the relegation zone with three games remaining. Their final game away to Stabæk has the potential to be decisive in all that.
Up Next: Avaldsnes vs Sandviken, Monday at 1am (NZT)
Marko Stamenic - HB Køge (Danish Division 1)
Handy lil compo of some of Stamenic’s best moments from the last game before the international break. This dude’s legit, mate.
Up Next: Sunday at 12.30am against Nykøbing FC (NZF)
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