Flying Kiwis – March 24
Logan Rogerson - HJK Helsinki (Finnish Veikkausliiga)
One of the major narratives leading into the weekend’s Premiership Grand Final was the absence of Logan Rogerson for Auckland City after he’d scored 8 goals in 13 games to get them to that stage. Safe to say they missed his presence running in behind the defensive line too but that’s another story. Rogerson had picked up a pro opportunity in Europe that he initially was gonna take at the end of the Premmy season but then the season got pushed back by a week thanks to the ol’ lockdown and that was a little too late to change the plans so he missed out on that last game.
With that one in the bag though, the focus turned to where exactly he was off to. Initially “a professional opportunity in Europe” was all the crumbs we were left to feed upon, which led to the obvious speculation of Scandinavia given the impending start of their season. Now the riddle has been solved as Rogerson’s been unveiled as a new signing for HJK Helsinki in Finland.
The contract is for the 2021 season with a two-year option that the club can pick up if they like what they see. HJK Helsinki just so happens to be the biggest club in Finland. Reigning champs from 2020 with thirty league titles in their history, including nine of the last twelve. HJK is the only Finnish club to have competed in the Champions League (back in 1998-99) plus they also made the Europa League groups back in 2014–15. Every season they get a qualifying campaign in for one or the other competition (or both). They’ll enter the first round of UCL qualifying for next season’s tournament in the midyear.
It’s also the club that a previous Auckland City FC hero, David Browne, happens to play for. Papua New Guinea international Browne signed on the same terms out of ACFC (with his two year option taken up) and played 14 times on the club’s way to the league title last year. Rogerson has been identified as having similar attributes as Browney... though there is a bit of acceptance that he may need time to adjust to the league. Rogerson previously played professionally in Germany for Carl Zeiss Jena but injury meant that stint never really got going. Of course, playing in Finland also means he’ll come up against Nikko Boxall (SJK) a few times across the journey of the season too.
Miika Takkula, HJK's Director of Sports and Development: “Logan is a speedy and technically skilled wide player who brings depth to our attacking department. He comes to us from a different operating environment, so of course we have to give him time to adjust. At his best, he will able to produce a lot of team-helping games in the third quarter of the season, so we are confident about the future.”
HJK have already eased their way through the league cup group stage, albeit not without a few scares, with a draw and two wins – Browne started the latter two and game off the bench in the first game adding up to 147 minutes, scoring in a 6-1 win vs KTP to polish things off. The league season begins in a couple days. Not sure we’ll see Rogerson so soon but you never know.
(Also if you’re wondering the line that he says at the end of the video is: “On vain yksi Klubi”. Which the club mantra – e.g. You’ll Never Walk Alone – and it means: “There Is Only One Club”... the more you know!)
Up Next: HJK vs Honka, midnight on the border of Wednesday/Thursday (NZT)
Winston Reid - Brentford FC (English Championship)
Wayne Rooney-managed Derby County were on the agenda for Brentford in the midweek. And we got a change in the backline for the occasion... though it wasn’t Winston Reid who dropped out as club captain Pontus Jansson was welcomed back from injury. Instead Ethan Pinnock had a rest. Jansson (who is Swedish not Danish, despite the trend at the club) was a fan favourite for Leeds back when Chris Wood was there, funnily enough. He’s a rough and tumble defender so let’s just say there’d be no prisoners taken between he and Reid... although if the prisoners ran away they’d probably escape because there’s not an abundance of pace there either. Jansson was playing for the first time since December after ankle surgery.
Once more it was a flying start. Same as against Blackburn last time the Bees won a penalty inside the first ten minutes and typically Ivan Toney took it to the bank. Brentford then kept it coming, with Bryan Mbeumo shooting past the post from a great look before making amends by helping set up Sergi Canos who slammed in a second in the 23rd minute. The Bees well on top and things were grand.
Then the second half happened. Wayne Rooney must have had some golden words to offer at the break because Derby pulled one back within a couple minutes. Nathan Bird crossing low to an open Lee Gregory at the back stick. Brentford had the chances to have made it 3-0 when they were dominating and really kill the game off. Instead they kept it at a couple and a quick concession after the break gave Derby all the encouragement that they needed.
And Brentford just weren’t able to stem the tide. Derby County played quick and direct and while that did mean we got plenty of Winston Reid action, throwing himself about winning headers and launching clearances, it also eventually proved to be a little too much for them. Couple minutes left and Louie Sibley worked his way into a nice pocket of space and really swiftly switched that ball onto his left foot where he curled it inside the far post beyond the reach of David Raya in goal. Lovely strike, lovely move. But a brutal one to concede for Brentford.
Neither side looked much like scoring in the time after that. A few Brentford set pieces that didn’t quite align, one of them Winston threw himself at a header and got clattered by his own mate Ivan Toney. Took a second to shake that one off. He’d just earlier been slapped in the face winning a defensive header against a fella that couldn’t hang with him in the air and, mate... Winston wasn’t having it. Out came the big right index finger poking holes in the dude’s chest. Reidy was ready to lace up the gloves. Players from both sides rushed in to break up the kerfuffle as Winnie finished up his lecture.
2-2 the final score. Two dropped points for Brentford. Swansea City did lose 3-0 to Bournemouth on the same evening but Watford had a big 4-1 win over Rotherham so that basically blows the game in hand that the Bees had on them. The Bees versus the Hornets, ha! At least Winston got a bit of recognition later on...
So that wasn’t good (other than the Team of the Midweek part) but the games come thick and fast in this league and mere days later they were up against Nottingham Forest with a lesson to learn about how quickly a footballer can go from hero to zero.
Get this: Brentford took an early lead from the penalty spot. Ivan Toney fouled, wrestling on a corner kick, Ivan Toney dusting himself off to bury it for 1-0. 12 minutes played. Incredibly that’s the third game in a row in which Brentford scored first from an Ivan Toney penalty inside quarter of an hour played. Nicely done. Brentford with a couple other decent chances in that first half too although it was Notts Forest who were holding most of the possession, albeit without really testing GK David Raya at all. The Bees’ best bet at a second goal being when Vitaly Janelt got free off a deep corner except his side-footed volley went into the ground and bounced back up against the underside of the crossbar with Henrik Dalsgaard also missing a quickfire follow up that clipped the post.
Similar story into the second half where Bryan Mbeumo couldn’t finish from about nine yards out after Toney’s square ball, his attempt deflected over by a pretty brilliant sliding block from a defender. That wastefulness caught up with Brentford in the 63rd minute as a cross in from the left was flicked on into Winston Reid’s path but he was off balance and couldn’t clear the ball properly, instead sending it into the path of Filip Krovinovic who dispatched it into the bottom corner. Despair...
There was still time to try find a winner but a winner was not to be found. Ivan Toney and Saman Ghoddos both had half-chances. It finished 1-1 and the Bees thus drop more points in their promotion quest and, sitting in fourth, the gap between second place and themselves is now larger than that between themselves and fifth. That’s thanks to Watford winning later on that day, 3-0 vs Birmingham, although top placed Norwich only drew (1-1 vs Blackburn) and Swansea City actually lost again (1-0 vs Cardiff) so not as bad as it could have been... but Brentford are in big need of a winning streak. Winston Reid started alongside Pontus Jansson here, by the way.
Up Next: International window, followed by Huddersfield vs Brentford at 12.30am on Sunday 4 April (NZT)
Lily Alfeld, Elizabeth Anton & Malia Steinmetz – Perth Glory / Annalie Longo & Claudia Bunge – Melbourne Victory (Australian W-League)
Five – count ‘em FIVE – New Zealanders all named to start in the same W-League game. Gotta be a record. IS a record, in fact. The only other game in which that was even possible was Adelaide vs Sydney FC in 2012-13 where Abby Erceg and Sarah McLaughlin started for ADL and Emma Kete and Annalie Longo started for SYD... with Hannah Bromley coming on off the bench for Sydney FC that day. Five kiwis appearing in the same W-League game but only four of them started.
Perth may have entered this game winless with only one draw but this was one of their better showings. Probably shoulda taken the lead when Caitlin Doeglas got 1v1 beating the offside trap. Twice, in fact. However they were keeping the Victory pretty quiet at the same time, Lily Alfeld’s first major save coming in the second half from an accidental shot as Angie Beard’s cross took a deflection and was going in but Alfeld retreated to push it away.
Yet five minutes later...
If someone’s gonna score against Alfeld, it might as well be Annalie Longo. Third of the campaign for her. Crucial goal in their top four chase as well, coming after Kyra Cooney-Cross got deep and cut it back.
Steinmetz was subbed off soon after as Perth chased an equaliser. Wasn’t to be. 1-0 to Melbourne Victory who currently sit fifth thanks to their game on the weekend being postponed but one win from their last two will guarantee finals footy since Adelaide have already played all their games. Full games for the other four kiwis, with Bunge also getting that clean sheet.
Perth still had a weekend game even if the Victory didn’t. Home against Melbourne City with the Aotearoa Three all starting once again. And once again they lost 1-0. Doeglas was again their best attacking outlet but again couldn’t get a goal to show for it – this time the offside flag was an enemy not a friend. Meanwhile City had two thirds of possession and more than twice as many shots, not mustering a heap in the first half but coming on strong in the second and they should have already been in front when Rhali Dobson took advantage of some disorganised defending, Liz Anton left marking two women at once, in the 67th minute for what proved the only goal. Lily Alfeld did get a touch on it with her trailing foot but not enough to prevent the goal. Malia Steinmetz had been subbed off just before the goal. The other two got full games. Perth have only two more opportunities to register a win this campaign – rematches with both Melbourne teams this week.
Up Next: Melbourne City vs Perth Glory again, Thursday at 9.05pm, then a rematch with Victory on Sunday at 6.05pm(NZT)
Paige Satchell - Canberra United (Australian W-League)
Down near the pointy end of the season, Canberra Utd really needed to win away against Newcastle. They’re playing the leaders Sydney FC in their final game so failing to win here would quite likely doom them. Well, they definitely turned up in a goal-scoring mood (despite the weather) and it was Paige Satchell who so nearly gave the Green Machine the lead in the 13th min running onto an early low cross from Nikki Flannery but Jets keeper Claire Coelho closed her down for the close-range save.
Instead, ten minutes later, the hero status fell to the usual suspect: Michelle Heyman. Slamming in her tenth of the season at the near post after the find from Grace Maher. In Heyman’s 100th W-League game no less. The hits then kept coming for Canberra... only problem was that Coelho’s save off Satchell wasn’t a fluke. She was all over the place to deny pretty much everyone else too and when she couldn’t get her hands or feet to a shot the woodwork was there to help. Heyman headed off the crossbar in first half stoppage time and then Lauren Keir fired the rebound off the post. If they weren’t already 1-0 up they’d have felt cursed.
Straight outta the break Coelho shut down Flannery one on one and the worry was that they were leaving themselves vulnerable to an equaliser the longer they failed to get a second – especially as Rhianna Pollicina volleyed one off the top of the bar for Newcastle. But there was nothing they seemed to be able to do - Claire Coelho tipping what looked like a sure goal for Flannery onto the crossbar in the 66th min.
In the end a single goal would do. Canberra did hold on for that crucial 1-0 win... though only just as the pouring rain and the falling darkness made things very tricky and there was on scrambling moment in stoppage time where a dropped ball by the keeper looked for a second like the Jets were about to steal a point but it was hacked away to safety and with that, a draw against Sydney (or a win) will put them into the semi-finals.
Elsewhere in the W-League, the Brisbane Roar title quest took a huge blow this week as top scorer Emily Gielnik and captain Clare Polkinghorne will both miss any potential (likely) finals games after both securing moves to Vittsjö GIK in Sweden. They’ll both play Brisbane’s final regular season game but they can’t stick around any later as they have to be registered in Sweden before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. Gielnik in particular has really carried the Roar’s attack so s’pose it’s gonna have to be the Liv Chance Orchestra come finals time. Vittsjö is the same club that both Hannah Wilkinson and CJ Bott played for recently-ish.
Up Next: Canberra vs Sydney, Friday at 7.35pm (NZT)
Ryan Thomas – PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie)
PSV.Supporters.NL: “Roger Schmidt said at Friday's press conference that he was hopeful that he will have Ryan Thomas against AZ. The New Zealand midfielder has been missing in recent games due to an injury, but has been able to resume group training. However, the training sessions on Friday and Saturday will determine if he will actually be available.”
Not sure what happened in those Friday and Saturday sessions but he didn’t make the squad for the AZ Alkmaar match and PSV went on to lose that one 2-0. Jesper Karlsson scored in the 4th min and Teun Koopmeiners scored in the 68th. One more blow in what was already looking like a feeble title challenge against runaway leaders Ajax but more importantly it draws AZ level with PSV on points after 27 games apiece. PSV still up on goal difference but they’ve got their work cut out in getting back into the Champions League at this rate. At least Thommo should be good to go after the international break.
Up Next: PSV vs Heracles, Monday 5 April at 12.30am (NZT)
Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)
Mark Robinson, Dons manager: “We don’t think it is just going to be a week or two for Sam [Walker]”
Not to wish ill on a professional athlete or anything, but this is a ruthless and unpredictable environment and with old mate injured that does mean Nik Tzanev appears to be in line for a decent run of games. He made a very impressive start last week on short notice. This week he tacked another pair of appearances onto his record, including his first home league start...
This was very nearly a bugger of a game as the Dons got quite a bit going down their right wing in particular but getting the ball into the net was a step beyond them. Several good moments from Ryan Longman crosses in particular. But they didn’t score, didn’t even come particularly close, and then after the break opponents Wigan stepped it up and got Nik Tzanev’s heart rate going which a quick save off a free kick before in the 58th minute some clever interplay in the area saw Jamie Proctor give the Latics the lead.
Thankfully AFCW did pull back onto level terms in the 79th minute when George Dobson headed in from a Longman cross (of course it was gonna be a Longman cross). Smooth header and a deserved equaliser... but Joe Piggott couldn’t get a touch on a chance at the back post soon after that would have won it. Points left on the plate uneaten there although the one point they did get from a 1-1 draw did lift them off the foot of the table.
Next up it was Charlton Athletic, a much tougher prospect with promotion playoff expectations compared to AFC Wimbledon and Wigan’s dreams of merely avoiding relegation...
Not much Tzanev could do about Jayden Stockley popping up at the near post in the tenth minute to give Charlton the lead. Five minutes later they were back level as Ryan Longman got in, managed to work back into an angle to shoot despite initially looking like it’d gotten away from him, then slotting nicely for 1-1. But five minutes after that a long ball over the top to the right wing led to Diallang Jaiyesimi thumping in a second goal for Charlton, any chance Tzanev had of stopping that one obscured by Stockley running in front of him (from on onside position so no dramas).
Little bit hectic there and the game did calm down after that, though the Dons remained on the back foot. Stockley volleyed wide. Tzanev made a sharp stop to keep Liam Millar out. Then the half time break gave AFCW some welcome relief and they picked things up afterwards with a decent spell that didn’t lead to an equaliser but that was alright because after working hard to no avail the traditional way, Charlton merely gifted them a second goal instead. 65th minute and Ryan Longman charged down a pass across the six yard box meant for the keeper and poked it first time into the net. That gave the Dons a bit of room to push for a winner, and Joe Pigott did hit the post from a tricky angle, though Charlton themselves struck the woodwork in stoppage time so it coulda gone the other way.
2-2 was the final score and it seems they’re gonna have to do this survival thing one point at a time. Three starts in a row for Nik Tzanev, all draws... and those are valuable draws as the bottom six teams are separated by just two points. Plus the Dons have a game in hand.
Also good on the fella for a bit of community outreach too...
And an appearance on an “audio fanzine” too, hanging out with the emotional stakeholders...
Up Next: Sunday at 4am against Northampton Town (NZT)
Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)
At that point it was all looking sweet for Tottenham. Up 1-0 against Bristol City, Siri Worm with the screamer from the first shot of the game. The pressure didn’t stop at that either with Rosella Ayane firing wide before Rianna Dean put a tricky rebound over the post after the keeper had spilled one and Kit Graham had a couple shots – including a crack off a Ria Percival free kick that was cleared off the line...
But they didn’t score a second and Bristol City struck the post early in the second half through Ebony Salmon’s fantastic deep volley before levelling it up in the 53rd minute as Gemma Evans headed in off the post from a corner kick. Bugger. That did at least spark Spurs back into action and it took a brilliant save to keep Gemma Davidson’s shot out of the top corner, while a flurry of crosses into the area caused trouble late on. But they couldn’t find another one and therefore drew 1-1... a regrettable result for three reasons: 1) it was there to be won, 2) that’s six games in a row in which Spurs have failed to win & 3) Bristol City are deep in the relegation battle so this was both one of their easiest remaining games and also a chance to really put some formidable distance between themselves and the drop zone.
Ria Percival with the full ninety against BCFC of course, remaining one of the last eight ever-present WSL players this season. This was also the first game since the mask came off. Don’t think we ever got an explanation for why she needed it in the end. And, yes, naturally there was a yellow card in there near the end as she body-checked a Bristol City player to prevent a counter. Commentator reckoned it might have also been one of those “persistent fouling” situations.
However they did still get three points this week as their earlier postponed game against Birmingham, who called the game off 24 hours out because of a player unavailabilities, has been ruled by an independent tribunal to have been a forfeit with Spurs awarded the points for a 3-0 default win. Gives them a seven point buffer between themselves and Bristol City, the second team in the relegation zone, which could well be crucial as we enter the latter stages of the campaign.
Up Next: The small matter of the North London Derby, Spurs vs Arsenal at 4.30am on Sunday (NZT)
Meikayla Moore – Liverpool (English Championship)
Outstanding areas with that vid. It’ll have to do for this entry too with no games this week as the Championship had a scheduled break. Back at it next weekend.
Up Next: Monday at 6.30am against Blackburn (NZT)
Tommy Smith – Colchester United (English League Two)
Two games this week... zero goals scored. Tommy Smith did his bit against Salford as the lads kept a clean sheet, although there was a loud shout against him for a penalty following a heavy tackle (but the ref wasn’t having it). Nothing much else happened in the first half. Second half Salford came out swinging but were repelled, then the U’s did have a couple spare chances as the game dragged on – trying to impress Salford co-owners Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs (and their mate Roy Keane) who were all in the crowd. 0-0 the final score.
But they got dropped on the weekend as fellow relegation candidates Port Vale leapfrogged them on the standings with a 1-0 win courtesy of a 19th minute Devante Rodney goal, curling his shot into the far top corner after dashing in from the left wing. Rodney nearly set up a second five mins later but Theo Robinson couldn’t get enough punch in the shot. Rodney would also hit the post in the second half as the visitors pretty clearly had the best of the game. Colchester had one great chance near the end as Aramide Oteh got a powerful header on target, the U’s only shot on target all arvo, but a superb save from Scott Brown means that Colchester have now gone five consecutive games without a goal. Still seven points clear of the drop with 10 games remaining but they’re not making it fun. Full games both times for Smithy, with a yellow card in the Salford one.
Up Next: Wednesday at 8am vs Tranmere Rovers (NZT)
Dan Morgan – Maritzburg United (South African Premier Soccer League)
A win! A 2-0 win away to TS Galaxy no less (Myer Bevan not involved for Galaxy, as per). Dan Morgan played the full thing as Maritzburg produced one of their best performances in ages, getting out on attack inside the first thirty seconds and not letting up for most of the game. However finding the actual breakthrough against a dogged TSG backline was not easy. There was a shot tipped onto the post in the first half as the Team of Choice had basically all the chances, Dan Morgan well involved from left-back too. He was on long throw duty as well as whipping in a few crosses and he had a shot that he dragged just wide late first half too.
He was also, with twenty minutes left, the dude who came closest to cracking things as he lined up a cross from only just inside the other half and it floated out of his control and dropped onto the crossbar with the keeper fussing to get a hand on it. Mere centimetres from Puskas Award contention, absolute fluke though it would have been...
Thankfully in the 74th minute they finally got there. Bongokuhle Hlongwane with a ripper of a goal as he slashed in from the right and popped his effort top bins. Then not so long after the captain Tahbiso Kutulema got in behind and crunched in a second to clinch the points with ten to play. Clean sheet for Morgan and mates. Most importantly a win which lifts them out of the relegation zone... finally.
Poor form from Morgz here though, only joining the celebrations with feeble offerings of high-fives after the dancing finished, come on bro...
Up Next: Maritzburg vs Chippa Utd, Sunday 4 April at 3am (NZT)
Jana Radosavljevic - Werder Bremen (German Bundesliga)
DFB Pokal quarter final, mate. The big time. Knockout football in the latter stages after getting through on penalties in the round of sixteen. Slight issue however being that they were up against heavyweights Werder Bremen and, well...
A 7-0 defeat. Okay then. Jana Radosavljevic was named to start (getting 63 mins before being replaced) and Werder held them out for almost half an hour before Rebecka Blomqvist scored and then it got ugly quick. 4-0 down at half-time and it was a cruise from there. So it goes. The success was in getting to that point in the first place.
Werder Bremen also had a league game earlier in the week where they faced Freiburg with Rado named on the bench. She’d eventually be subbed on for the last quarter of an hour however that meant she missed all the fun as all three goals were scored in the first half an hour – Werder edging it 2-1. Had to cling on at the end there but they did, all goods. Now six points clear of the drop zone. Highlights here.
Up Next: Meppen vs Werder Bremen at 1am on Monday (NZT)
Hannah Wilkinson – MSV Duisburg (German Bundesliga)
A goal-scoring debut always buys you a bit of room early on in a club stint. You do still have to follow it up though and that task began in earnest for Hannah Wilkinson with a pair of games this past week. First was against SC Sand. Fellow relegation candidates therefore a game that the Zebras really had to target... but that goes both ways and SCS very nearly took the lead early on with a shot off the crossbar that had the keeper beaten.
Eventually Duisburg got a few things churning too. They had a really nice spell in the mid-1H that included several chances including one time when the ball fell nicely to Wilkinson in the area but she cut back onto her right foot for the better angle and was closed down. Wilkie was linking up nicely, Duisburg making a point of using her height. If we’re being honest though Sand should really have taken the lead as Patricia George had two golden chances in a row and got neither even on target.
Then a dog ran onto the pitch, lol...
Basically this was a fantastic game between two desperate teams with heaps of shots and it’d take forever to list them all. Suffice to say that it shoulda been like 3-3 going into the last few moments... when Chaira Loos latched onto a cross that was only half dealt with and she thumped in an 89th minute goal or SC Sand that could have spelled doom for Duisburg’s season... except they equalised immediately through Claire O’Riordan. Long ball targetting Wilkinson, who took a blatant shove as the ball escaped beyond her... but O’Riordan ran onto it with the keeper challenging and the ball squeezed through the both of them to where O’Riordan could just run it over the line. 1-1 the final score. Not the victory that Duisburg needed but the draw at least keeps the light burning. Full game for Wilkinson. Highlights here (highly recommended).
It was another full game for Wilkinson as the Zebras hosted Bayer Leverkusen. Not a game they were expected to win but they created a few chances. Wilkie blazed one off target early on. However they never looked in control and in the 22nd minute they leaked a sloppy one when Verena Wieder snuck one through. Duisburg made a change on 25 mins that didn’t look injury enforced, followed by a double change at the half. Whether that desperation made a difference or not, they did win a handball penalty in the 54th minute which would have tied things up except Geldona Morina missed it. Keeper guessed the right way and the shot didn’t have the juice to beat her. Morina fell backwards in horror at it all.
Another moment of controversy a while later as Wilkinson ran onto a flicked header and deftly lifted it over the keeper to score a beautiful goal only the offside flag was up immediately. Looked like a no doubter offside at first but the replays, inconclusive as they always are, suggested it was pretty close...
Chiara Bücher then scored a blinder in the 74th min and Bayer Leverkusen won 2-0.
Up Next: Monday at 1am away to Bayern (NZT)
Callum McCowatt & Elijah Just - FC Helsingør (Danish Division 1)
The going’s still good for FCH. They lost their winning streak with a 0-0 against Skive to close out this phase of the season but no dramas there. Not the best of games to be honest with the pitch not holding up too well, not too many golden moments to talk about. Callum McCowatt started the game, he had a header off a corner saved late-ish in the first half but was subbed off in a triple change on 56 minutes as the home side threatened with their best spell of the game and that’s where we step off the train because Eli Just was an unused sub (and Dalton Wilkins remains out long term). Relatively uneventful game on the whole.
After the international break, Helsingør will return and play in the promotion round where the top six teams battle things out home and away, while the bottom six teams do the same. Top two in the promos get to play Superligaen next season, bottom two in the relegations get the drop. All points from the season to date carry over. This is the first season that the First Division has had this format - there used to just be playoffs but then they shortened the top tier and increased the second tier from 12 teams to 14 teams as of this season and that came with a shake-up. Viborg are almost certainly going up while FCH are 13 points behind second place with a max of 30 more points available to them so probs not gonna make that leap. But it’s football so you never know.
Up Next: TBD
Ali Riley - Orlando Pride (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Up Next: New season starts in May, preseason is already underway
Katie Bowen – Kansas City (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Up Next: See above
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