Flying Kiwis – December 22
Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)
Tottenham sitting in the Champions League places at Christmas with Ria Percival having played every single WSL minute for them? You may have predicted one of those things but doubt many predicted the other yet here we are. Six wins and two draws from their 10 games so far has Spurs up in third place and feeling good.
They also cruised into the Conti Cup quarters with a late Rachel Williams goal (89th min) giving them a 3-2 win over Coventry which they didn’t even need in their final group game. Ria Percival was an unused sub in that one, yet to feature in the Conti Cup as Spurs won all three games while rotating things around. And in the quarters they’ll play... Liverpool. The Reds drew with Sunderland in their last group game and still had enough to go through top of their group despite losing the penalty shootout bonus point. Meikayla Moore was an unused sub in that match after playing every minute of the first three group games. Slightly annoying. Hopefully she gets the start on January 20 against Percival and Spurs. Hopefully Percival gets the start too now that we’re into the knockouts.
Percival always gets the start in the WSL. There she was lining up in the midfield as always as Spurs closed out their year’s work with a home game against Everton. High energy contest but one which was short on shots to begin with. Anna Anvegård and Toni Duggan had decent chances for Everton midway through the opening half, meanwhile Spurs’ first sighter came via Jessica Naz trying her luck from range after a flick on from Ria Percival. But the excitement ramped up from there. Spurs keeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela made an outstanding stop off a snapshot from range by Grace Clinton... then a Ria Percival free kick was headed just past the post by Rachel Williams.
All even at the half, nothing much between them... until Jessica Naz angled through down the left in the 51st minute and scored a ripper of a finish. It was going to take something special to split these teams and that’s what this was. No surprises that the attack came about from a Percival win in midfield. Everton were calling for a foul after RP shouldered Clinton off the ball but the ref said all goods so Spurs countered and scored.
Twenty minutes later they might’ve had a second from a similar chance, Percival gassing it forward on the break and finding Naz inside but this time Naz crossed instead of shooting and it was a tiny bit beyond Cho So-hyun at the far post. Not to worry, Spurs closed it out for the clean sheet and their fifth win by a single goal this WSL campaign. They know how to win the close ones.
Another typical Percy game in which she was absolutely everywhere. She was one of four players shortlisted for Player of the Day by the club’s social media afterwards. 27 pressures applied, 5 tackles, 4 interceptions, 2 blocks, 6 shot creating actions, only 1 foul conceded. Perhaps a tad sloppy with her passing but otherwise a masterful midfield performance, especially defensively.
Up Next: Chelsea vs Spurs, 8 Jan at 8am (NZT)
Anna Leat – West Ham United (English Super League)
Perfect record across the Conti Cup group stage and the kiwi gaffer is a happy chappie. Through to the quarter finals without conceding a goal. But what’s more is that the cup stuff has been a window for the backup keeper to get her minutes... that backup keeper being Anna Leat, of course. Yet to make an appearance in the WSL as Australia’s Mackenzie Arnold has those gloves on tightly but Leat has played three games in the cup and has kept three clean sheets.
The latest was a 3-0 win over Brighton in which she didn’t have to make a save. Kate Longhurst (26’) and Melisa Filis (40’) scored in the first half and then Katerina Svitkova added a cheeky third deep into second half stoppage time. West Ham had slightly less possession but Brighton only had two shots overall and neither were on target. Pretty simple day at the office for Leat – you do at least get a brief glimpse at her in the very first few seconds of the highlights as she punts a perfect long ball out of her hands to a winger.
Excellent stuff. That ended up being their last game of the year because their WSL match against Chelsea on the weekend was called off due to covid cases for the opposition... which you’ll soon find out was a trend for almost every kiwi playing in England over the last week. They’re off until the second week of the new year now – ending the year in seventh place on the ladder. Also for the Conti Cup quarters, West Ham have drawn... Chelsea! Good luck with that one.
Up Next: West Ham vs Man United, 10 Jan at 7.45am (NZT)
Chris Wood - Burnley FC (English Premier League)
Strange times for the Flying Kiwis desk right now. The American leagues have finished up and many of the European ones are on winter break. As the winter breaks set in for some, the various English leagues only ramp up... but unfortunately covid cases have also been ramping up leading to a number of postponements.
Beginning with Chris Wood. After their 0-0 draw with West Ham last week, Burnley were due to face Watford in the midweek only for that one to be called off a mere two and a half hours before the scheduled kick off after Watford had an outbreak of cases. Then on the weekend Burnley were supposed to face Aston Villa only for that one to go the same way with Villa getting positive results back from their previous day’s PCR testing. That one was also canned with around 2.5 hours until scheduled kickoff. Frustrating for Burnley to be on the other side of that both times. Only four out of ten Premier League games were played this weekend. Burnley also had that game called off against Spurs earlier in the month due to heavy snow.
If this trend is affecting PL clubs then you already know it’s affecting lower league clubs as well. Nik Tzanev’s AFC Wimbledon had their game with Portsmouth called off due to cases in the Pompey squad. Tommy Smith’s Colchester have had both their weekend’s fixture with Hartlepool and also their upcoming midweek fixture with Forest Green postponed.
As for the women’s comps, Ria Percival and Spurs did get to play. Already covered that. Meikayla Moore’s Liverpool didn’t have another match scheduled this year anyway. But Grace Neville’s London City Lionesses had their match with Brisol City canned. And Katie Rood’s Southampton went the same way...
Up Next: Honestly not sure... but Burnley are scheduled to face Everton on 27 Dec at 4am (NZT)
Matthew Garbett – Torino (Italian Serie A)
Look, they all count the same. Don’t shoot you don’t score. Whatever cliche you want to use. The goalkeeper may have had a nightmare there but bottom line is that Matty Garbett was on the scoresheet for the third time in all comps this season, bagging the second in a 2-0 win over Bologna that sees them stay second in their division after 13 games. A whopping nine points behind Roma U19s already, who are undefeated, but holding off the likes of Cagliari, Genoa, and Juventus.
The Primavera league is the top tier of youth football (under 19s) in Italy, consisting mostly of the Serie A academy teams. It was revamped in 2017-18 to the format it is now... but if you include previous formats then Torino’s 9 championships are the most in the country. Garbett’s starting most games for them and proving to be a pretty valuable player. Scored 1 goal with 2 assists in cup competition. Has scored 2 goals in league play.
The Bologna game was his first back after a two-game suspension following a red card right at the end of extra time of the Coppa Italia Primavera as Torino lost 3-2 to Sampdoria. Garbs in trouble for protesting some decision or another with his team desperately chasing an equaliser. Already on a yellow. Them’s the rules. Dude’s doing pretty damn well though. Also the first team is sitting comfortably in 10th on the Serie A ladder having beaten Verona 1-0 this past weekend. Handy to know given how they’ve been linked with Libby Cacace.
Up Next: Away to Inter U19s on Thursday at 12.30am (NZT)
Sarpreet Singh - SSV Jahn Regensburg (German 2. Liga)
Last game of the year... bit of a mess. Regensburg fell 2-0 to Darmstadt at home meaning that they end the year with three consecutive losses, dropping to eighth on the ladder. Eight points behind St Pauli in first, two points off Hamburger in third.
Close game between two evenly matched teams. With no fans in the stands at the moment some of the Jahn employees apparently got together to bang on drums and buckets and fire off an air horn or two to help with the atmosphere. Nice gesture though not sure if it helped or not because Darmstadt actually hit the post in the first minute thanks to Tim Skarke. The same bloke went close again twenty mins later as Darmstadt had the better of an otherwise uneventful first half, 0-0 at the break. Regensburg then picked up some steam in the second and a Sarpreet Singh corner had to be palmed away off the line by the keeper after Max Besuschkow struck a volley on it. Then came a golden chance for Singh to put his team in front on 69 mins. Clear sighter but he put it achingly wide by about two centimetres.
That miss was a turning point in the match because straight afterwards SSV Jahn gave away the ball cheaply at left back and Phillip Tietz ran to the byline and cut it back for Emir Karic to slide Darmstadt into the lead. Killer blow after SSV’s best period of the contest. Regensburg did work a few more Besuschkow long shots but not a whole lot else, struggling to break down their guests’ defence. Tobias Kempe then scored a second in stoppage time with a brilliant curler. Singh played the full match for the second game in a row and the second time in his Regensburg career.
Regensburg have definitely lost a lot of momentum since their rapid start to the 2.Liga season. Probably was to be expected that they’d drift back into the pack at some point though maybe the break will help them recapture whatever magic they started with. Once again Sarpreet Singh covered more distance in this match that anyone else (11.9km). He hits up the winter break with 5 goals and 7 assists in league action – good for equal best and lone best in his team, respectively. In fact that assist total is only two off top in the entire competition.
Up Next: SV Sandhausen vs Jahn Regensburg, 17 Jan at 1.30am (NZT)
Liberato Cacace – Sint-Truiden (Belgian Pro League)
Two games this week and finally Liberato Cacace was back in the starting team. For both of them, playing ninety minutes each time. So that’s good. Cacace played quite well too, particularly in the second game. But the wider problems remain because STVV lost both matches and have now suffered five defeats in a row.
The effort was there in the 2-0 defeat to Anderlecht. Despite being under the pump for long periods, especially in the second half, they held on until the 60th minute when Lior Refaelov nodded in from close range. The pressure finally tolling. But a Cacace cross from deep was headed just wide soon after with STVV were still only one moment away from snatching something.
Now, had Anderlecht converted one of their many other chances then it would have been all over. They missed some sitters, tbh. But they didn’t score any of those so Sint Truiden were able to whip in three consecutive corner kicks in stoppage time with the dangling apple of an equaliser before them... didn’t get one though. Thus Anderlecht went down the other end and Majeed Ashimeru scored a 98th minute clincher (after the 2-3 mins it took for the VAR to confirm it).
That was an expected defeat against team in good form. Then away to Gent... well, they were expected to lose that one too, to be fair. And after a few useful attacking ventures they went behind to a soft goal in the 27th minute. Gave the ball away on the right wing and Laurent Depoitre finished it off with Cacace unable to get back in cover from left wing-back in transition. Bad giveaway on the other side, bad goal to concede. The response was decent as they went close to a goal of their own a few times – including a Cacace through ball for Taichi Hara who was closed down by the keeper for a nice body save – but then Tarik Tissoudali scored on 64’ after another defensive giveaway and bloody hell, that’ll get ya.
That’s what Cacace was talking about in terms of the soft goals they conceded in this game. He also said that the spirit was good after going down by two. Hara slipped in a goal with five to play that got them back in the match. However they ran out of time. 2-1 defeat. They’re now only one point clear of relegation. Still, first starts for six weeks for Cacace so that’s a positive.
Up Next: STVV vs Eupen, Tuesday at 9am (NZT)
Niko Kirwan – Calcio Padova (Italian Serie C)
Semi-finals of the Serie C Cup. Padova up against US Catanzaro in the home leg. Niko Kirwan starting at left wing-back... and he was a man on a mission. Ninth minute he sliced inside with a stepover and lashed one towards goal from just outside the area which the keeper made a diving one-hander to keep out. But then from the resulting corner he blitzed his man with a run from the back post and headed home to give Padova the ninth minute lead.
Then two minutes after that he whipped in a mean cross that was headed on target but again the keeper got a big left hand to it. Unfortunately they then got caught out at the back and conceded a leveller after quarter of an hour and then Ronaldo Pompeu, their number 10, got himself sent off for a stamping challenge in the 37th minute and they had to play it safer after that. Did work a couple useful chances late in the game after Kirwan had been subbed. Ended up 1-1 so pretty even going into the second leg away from home in about a month’s time.
Kirwan then started and played 53 minute in a 0-0 draw away to Virtus Verona, an okay result against an in-form team but it does put them at risk of dropping further behind Südtirol who were thus five points clear at the top with a game in hand. Südtirol have had some covid in their team though so they won’t play again until after the brief winter break (which is only a couple of weeks in Italy).
Padova, meanwhile, snuck in one last game before the end of the year at home against Renate and again Kirwan got the start – three of them in a week – and helpfully they did grind out a 2-0 win here to finish the year on a high and close that cap to first place to two points (but with two extra games played). Might even be able to claim an assist for Kirwan for the first goal as he tried to collect a pass out on the right, getting one controlling touch, before Cosimo Chirico took it off his feet and whipped in a screamer of a finish. Fabio Ceravolo then scored another lovely outside the box finish in the 54th min and Padova were able to get home from there. Good win.
Up Next: 10 Jan at 2.30am away to Pergolettese (NZT)
Stefan Marinovic - Hapoel Nof HaGalil (Israeli Premier League)
Time to check in on the All Whites number one and... hmm. Stef’s had better stretches of footy. In this past week Hapoel Nof HaGalil have been knocked out of the Israeli State Cup with a 2-0 defeat to Petach-Tikva though Marinovic didn’t play that one as they mixed up the team a little. He was naturally back in the team for the league clash away to Hapoel Katamon a few days later but, after taking a fifth minute lead, Nof HaGalil ended up losing 3-1 with a red card. The third goal was a penalty. This defeat sees them drop to 12th on the table, leapfrogged by their opponents. Only three points off last.
That makes it seven games in a row in all competitions without a win including four straight defeats. The last time they tasted victory was on November 2 in a 1-0 win over Beitar Jerusalem in a game where both teams had a red card. That insta post above this para is from two weeks ago but is equally as relevant now.
To be honest, it’s a stingy time for most kiwi keepers right now. Marinovic’s biggest rival for the All Whites gloves is Michael Woud and he’s out injured with a shoulder complaint, not having played at all in the past month. Woud is also apparently likely to be leaving Almere City with Japanese club Kyoto Sanga FC in discussions over a transfer. After seeming to be a promotion candidate for three quarters of last season only to fade down the stretch, it’s been a very disappointing season for Almere City to date and Woud’s form has suffered as a result. But the club has confirmed that talks are “heading in the right direction” with Kyoto Sanga – who were second in the J2 League last season and thus are stocking up for the top flight which begins in March.
Nik Tzanev has been playing well but didn’t get to play this week due to covid postponement. Jamie Searle is still a step below senior footy with Swansea City. Oli Sail just got injured for the Welly Nix. As for the ladies, Anna Leat is doing great for West Ham but it’s early days for her as a pro and she’s still the backup. Erin Nayler’s pretty much had a year and a half written off at club level though has a great gig lined up with Umeå in Sweden for next year. Vic Esson is off season at the moment. Lily Alfeld has had a couple heavy losses with the Phoenix. Wouldn’t take much to swing these trends right the other way around though. Flying Kiwis wisdom says just wait a few weeks and everything will change in football.
Up Next: 5am on Boxing Day against Maccabi Netanya (NZT)
Francis De Vries – IFK Värnamo (Swedish Allsvenskan)
Good news everyone... Francis De Vries, fresh off helping Värnamo get earn consecutive promotions and a place in the Swedish top flight, has signed a new contract that’ll keep him at the club for the 2022 campaign. This after three years and 86 league matches with the team.
FDV: “It feels good to extend the contract with IFK and to be able to continue on the wonderful journey we have had these past two years. I look forward to working with everyone in the club for the coming season and I will do my best for the club during our first year in the Allsvenskan.”
Sports Manager Enes Ahmetovic: “We are very pleased that Francis De Vries has chosen to continue playing with us in IFK Värnamo. Francis is a much appreciated person in both the club and in the city. In keeping with the rest of the team, he has taken great strides, which has carried him all the way to the New Zealand national team. I look forward to seeing his constant running on the left wing carry into the Allsvenskan. We are talking about a clever and skilfull player whose leadership qualities will do us good in the coming years as well.”
Now we await news on whether Joel Stevens will be able to join him.
Up Next: New season should start around April or something
Logan Rogerson - FC Haka (Finnish Veikkausliiga)
We’re not gonna get that Auckland City reunion between Logan Rogerson and David Browne but it’s probably for the best as Logan Rogerson has instead signed on a permanent basis with the club he spent the second half of this year on loan with: FC Haka.
FC Haka tried to sign him initially before he moved from ACFC to HJK. Then they picked him up on loan and the dude was starting most games and looking increasingly more impressive with every subsequent minute. This after injuries had slowed him down earlier in the year with his parent club. Haka were always keen to bring him back but HJK had an option on his contract for another year which slowed things down. However when it became clear that they weren’t going to take that one up, FC Haka pounced and now Rogerson finds himself at a club with a familiar and guaranteed role where he knows he’s appreciated. The contract is for one year with an option for a second.
Logan Rogerson: “I was on a loan last season in Haka and I really enjoyed my time in Valkeakoski. Teemu (Tainio) really helped me enjoy football in Haka's shirt and that was a big reason why I wanted to continue here next season as well. The team has a lot of potential and is full of young, successful players, which we witnessed towards the end of the season. Personally, I try to help the team to the best of my ability, both on and off the field. I want to continue to improve and I believe that I will be able to grow a lot from last season.”
Rogerson’s currently back in Aotearoa but will fly back to Finland in January.
Up Next: Holidays at home, then preseason in Scandinavia
Joey Champness - GZT Giresunspor (Turkish Süper Lig)
He’s starting to chip away at them minutes now, is old JOWIC. Quarter of an hour in a 3-1 win over Altay and then seven minutes in a 3-1 loss to İstanbul Başakşehir. These are small cameos where he didn’t get to do a whole lot but he’s not featured in seven consecutive matches in all competitions. Getting his ins.
Up Next: Sunday at 2am against Hatayspor (NZT)
Joe Bell – Viking FK (Norwegian Eliteserien)
Hey that’s cool. Joe Bell with the Eliteserien Player of the Year award from NTBnifs, a Norwegian football stats agency, which basically means he had the highest average match rating: a nice even 6.00. Nudged out out Fredrik Bjorkan (Bodø/Glimt – 5.96), Magnus Wolff Eikrem (Molde – 5.95), and Patrik Berg (Bodø/Glimt – 5.92) as his closest rivals.
Also meant he got to do an interview or two where he discussed how he plans on challenging for the title next season, how he wants to play big games in Europe with this team... and how he’s not thinking too much about the possibility of being transferred in January. No doubt that he’d be happy to stay with Viking where he’s in a great place but also after a season like that he’s surely gonna have some interest come his way. Exciting times regardless.
Joe Bell: “I do not like to be hypothetical. At the moment I am a Viking player and already excited about what next season will bring. At the same time, I know professional football, and everything can change in an instant. Now I will celebrate the season and have some time with the family and then see what happens in January.”
Up Next: That’s the million krone question, aye?
NWSL Yarns
Right so after all the words a week ago... those busy NWSL draft days came and went without any Aotearoa involvement. The Expansion Draft saw Angel City FC and San Diego Wave scoop up a few handy unprotected players from other rosters but Ali Riley was not one of them so supposing she signs her new offer then she’ll remain an Orlando Pride player. They spread those announcements out so just gotta be patient.
However Katie Bowen is gonna need a new team. Despite the club offering her a new contract only two weeks ago, which presumably she signed given what’s happened since, she’s been placed on waivers which means that another team can take that contract as is within a short time frame or else she becomes a free agent. Very weird turn of events. Must have liked that draft haul better than expected.
Then along came the College Draft and... neither Daisy Cleverley nor Jacqui Hand were picked up. 189 players were registered, 50 were selected, neither of the two registered kiwis were in that latter group. The American soccer scene can be pretty weird so the idea of two full internationals – one of whom has played at both World Cup and Olympics before – getting ghosted isn’t as shocking as it should be. There’s a heavy focus on local players on the whole with only 8/50 draftees hailing from outside the USA. And there’s some logic behind that too, it means not spending a valuable international roster slot on a prospect player.
All of which means that the NWSL Crew hasn’t quite had the shake-up we were hoping for. Cleverley and Hand may hang around for training camp invites and try to prove themselves as undrafted gems or they could head elsewhere to pursue their next steps. No Welly Nix possibilities, of course. There’s no room for additional NZers on the roster. Rosie White is also in a similar boat having been released by OL Reign. Was hoping for six New Zealanders on NWSL rosters at this time a few weeks ago, instead we might be at two. But plenty more water to go under that bridge yet.
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