Flying Kiwis – August 10
Anna Leat – West Ham United (English Super League)
Fresh from the Olympics, where she played against eventual bronze medallist the United States for her fourth international cap, Footy Ferns goalkeeper Anna Leat has stepped into the big time club scene with West Ham United. The 20 year old had been attending Georgetown University in the USA until the pandemic came along and since then she’s played some Premiership footy for Northern Lights along with some FFDP stuff. It was only ever a matter of time until she went professional and now the wait is no more.
West Ham are managed by Olli Harder, who was born in New Zealand to German and began his coaching journey in Aotearoa. Probably not the best known in the homeland because most of his coaching career has taken place overseas in the USA, China, Norway, and as of last December now England as well. Harder was able to guide West Ham to safety despite taking over with the threat of relegation and one of the first things he did after that was sign Australian international Tameka Yallop – an honorary kiwi by marriage – whom he worked with (alongside her wife and former Footy Ferns midfielder Kirsty Yallop) at Klepp IL in Norway, which was where Harder really made his name. Now he’s done a solid for The Culture by picking up Anna Leat as well and boosting another New Zealander up into the WSL. Fantastic.
Anna Leat: “I’m so excited to join West Ham. The whole experience of coming here has been pretty unreal and it’s been something I’ve really been looking forward to for a long time now. I’ve definitely been putting in the hard yards to get to this point so it’s an awesome feeling to finally be here. I’m British on my dad’s side and I’ve always wanted to live in England, the opportunity came up and it was perfect. I’ve been wanting to make the jump to a pro league and this is the best in the world so I’m delighted to be at West Ham.”
Olli Harder: “Anna is somebody that we've been monitoring for some time. She's a young goalkeeper with a lot of International experience for someone of her young age. She will add tremendous value to our goalkeeping department and will bring lots of energy to the changing room. I believe that she is somebody who has a great mentality and fits into the culture that we are creating here at West Ham.”
First things first, Leat will have some work to do to get games for West Ham. She hasn’t played at this level before and Erin Nayler could tell you it’s a lonely job as the backup goalie in the WSL. Nayler only got one cup game all last season for Reading. You’d imagine Leat gets a bit more wiggle room than that but Australia’s Mackenzie Arnold is the starting keeper (except for the time she played twenty mins in midfield off the bench in a cup game last season – Harder trying to balance the workload with a few injuries in the squad... they won 11-0 so whatevs). Irish international Courtney Brosnan also played a fair bit down the stretch but has since left for Everton. Anna Leat slides into her spot. She’s the seventh offseason signing for the Hammers so far.
Also, a word of appreciation for the artistic director of her inaugural photo shoot because this snap’s an instant classic in the Footballer Signs With New Club genre...
Up Next: The new term kicks off away at Brighton in early September
Joe Bell & Gianni Stensness – Viking FK (Norwegian Eliteserien)
It’s happening. Days after the rumours first emerged from the Norwegian end we have confirmation of a deal and Gianni Stensness will join Joe Bell at Viking FK, how good is that?
It could mean a reinstatement of the midfield duo that beat Norway 2-0 at the 2019 U20 World Cup... a game which has been referenced as a major reason why Viking signed Joe Bell and as it happens Gianni Stensness scored an absolute cracker in that match. Or perhaps they’re signing him to replace Joe Bell because there has been rumoured interest from English Championship clubs in JB’s signature.
Actually, the official club announcement reckons that he’s been signed as a defender first and foremost... albeit in the knowledge he can also cover midfield. The way that he was used at the Olympics and in the position which Danny Hay is on record as saying he has the most potential at. He’ll also go straight into the first team once he’s available. Worth mentioning that Bell and Stensness are also both ex-Wellington Phoenix players although they didn’t overlap as Stensness was only there for a year and Bell had already left for the Uni of Virginia by then. Stensness still had a year to run on his CCM contract by the way so there will have been a transfer fee. Norwegian media is suggesting something in the range of NZ$150k...
Meanwhile Joe Bell was back into that midfield at the first opportunity as VFK took on Kristiansund over the weekend. Good game this one too. Joe Bell and Zlatko Tripic stood over a free kick on the edge of the area in the ninth min. Bell pointed a few things out... then Tripic curled it just inside the post via a hand from the keeper (who really shoulda saved it but so it goes). Early goal to Viking who continued to push forward and in the 17th min their right fullback Sebastian Søraas Sebulonsen got into the box on the underlap and crunched in a second.
Bell was able to clear one off the line defending the post from a corner as Kristiansund tried to find a way back into the match, VFK doing their usual thing of fluctuating wildly within games. No surprises then that Snorre Strand Nilsen put one away in the 35th min – keeper spilling a shot from the left for the easy tap in. But Viking were better after their half-time oranges. They’d survived the carnage now it was time to unleash some more of their own and imagine the scenes if this Joe Bell move had led to a goal...
With ten to play, Zlatko Tripic finally banged one in for a Viking third. Then only a brilliant save kept Harald Nilsen Tangen from scoring another Viking goal from a similar scenario a few minutes later. But Viking being Viking (maybe Gianni Stensness can help some of this) they got caught playing too high at the back and Bendik Bye made it 3-2 with a couple mins to play... still survived for the win though. Three of their last four games have ended 3-2 one way or the other but they’re sitting eighth place on the ladder only four points off second and also manoeuvred their way into the third round of the cup while Bell was gone.
Up Next: Molde on Monday at 4am (NZT)
Callum McCowatt, Elijah Just & Dalton Wilkins - FC Helsingør (Danish Division 1)
Right place at the right time for Callum McCowatt. It took him ages to get on the scoresheet when he first arrived at FCH but this season it’s only taken him about two minutes. Both he and Elijah Just were named on the bench for the trip to Horsens having only just returned from the Olympics. Just was subbed on at half-time (and you can see him taking that initial shot from the right edge that’s repelled back out in the vid) and McCowatt was subbed on just after the hour. Then McCowatt scored in the 63rd minute and that was your winner in a 1-0 triumph.
FCH had been under a bit of pressure in that first half. They’d had to do a lot of defending and then when they did get out on the attack either the ball wasn’t quite falling for fellas or Horsens were simply too well organised to break down. But Just’s introduction seems to have helped matters – or maybe a half-time bollicking from the coach did it – because they were much more potent in the second half and it was that sustained pressure in the Horsens half that led to McCowatt’s goal. Weren’t able to grab a second at any stage... but they defended very well to close out the win.
Dalton Wilkins was also on the bench for the full kiwi triumvirate but he didn’t manage to get out there. However while the other two were away in Tokyo he did make cameos in each of Helsingør’s first two league matches: four minutes in a 1-0 win over Fremad Amager and then quarter of an hour in a 3-1 win away at Esbjerg. So, yes, add that all together and Helsingør have won all three fixtures to start the new season to be tied for first place with Lyngby (but behind on goal difference). After kinda incredibly finishing fourth in 2019-20 immediately after being promoted it seems that FCH may have higher ambitions this time around.
Especially with all three Aotearoa lads back in the swing. McCowatt only joined the club last season and Dalton Wilkins missed all but the first and last games of that campaign with injury. McCowatt wasn’t ready for game one and didn’t play in game two there so this was the first time that all three had been in an FC Helsingør matchday squad together. Next milestone is all three playing in the same game, then all three on the field at the same time, then all three starting together... hey maybe one day they’ll all score in the same game too. We can dream.
Up Next: Home to Vendsysel at 5am on Saturday (NZT)
Sarpreet Singh - SSV Jahn Regensburg (German 2. Liga)
Bundesliga.com: “Jahn was quickly on top of the game and initiated victory after only half an hour. Niklas Beste made it 1-0 with a long-range shot (27th) before Andreas Albers headed in a cross from Sapreet Singh for 2-0 (31st). The first scorer, Beste, then assisted another goal in the second half by preparing Max Besuschkow's 3-0 (68th).”
First round DFB Pokal action is what that mini recap is all about. SSV Jahn had a helpful draw away to FC Rot-Weiß Koblenz who play in the Regionalliga which is exactly what Sarpreet Singh was trying to avoid by going out on loan rather than sticking with Bayern’s reserve team after their relegation. Sure enough, SSV Jahn were way too good. A couple first half goals more or less clinched it and they made sure of the win in the second half. Singh set up the second goal to keep up his trend of scoring or assisting in every game for Regensburg (which is only three games so far but still a quality way to start) before being subbed off about five minutes before the third goal went in.
You can check out the highlights here on the DFB website. The first goal was a slick looping curler from distance, the third was a backpost header from a corner kick... and the second you’ve already seen. Comes with a sneaky Singh/sing pun from the English commentator too.
Up Next: 11.30pm on Saturday away to Holstein Kiel (NZT)
Abby Erceg – North Carolina Courage (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Nothing changes for the ironwoman of football. Didn’t miss a beat or even take a hint of a break before getting back into the NWSL yarns and in her second game back she was close to flawless as the Courage had to work for a 1-0 win over Gotham. Difficult game but a Meredith Speck goal in the 38th minute was the difference. Following up after Jess McDonald’s header from Carson Pickett’s cross was saved. Not the sort of game that’ll live long in the memory but a very important one after NCC had only taken two points from their previous four matches. And Abby Erceg just keeps churning out greatness, nothing else to add there.
Up Next: Chicago Red Stars at home at 10am on Monday (NZT)
Ali Riley - Orlando Pride (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Back in training and straight back into the starting team as Orlando Pride are almost back to full strength now after struggling since Olympic players started disappearing. They’re still without Alex Morgan (and Erin McLeod) but Jodie Taylor’s helped ease that absence since she joined the club and wouldn’t you know it she scored fifteen minutes into the match against Chicago Red Stars. Excellent run in beyond the defensive line then a great cut back and finish. A goal had been inevitable with both teams starting brightly... the Pride were the ones who made it count.
Ali Riley played at right back as she’s been doing most of the season. No messing about there. Though to be fair it was a bit of a quiet one from her, lots of good defensive work down that edge and some good consolidating stuff in possession but didn’t really get a chance to get forward too often (which actually has been a tendency all year as the Pride play quite direct). She was then subbed off at half-time presumably to be vigilant about that workload after the Olympics. Sydney Leroux scored a late one to ease the tension of a close game and given Orlando a 2-0 win which gets them back up to fourth.
Up Next: Portland Thorns on Sunday at 11am (NZT)
Katie Bowen – Kansas City (American National Women’s Soccer League)
Excellent form off the short run up. Good high non-bowling arm, straight back. Could hold that rhythm through the front foot bowling stride better but the wrist action is superb, gathering plenty of off-spinning revolutions, with a hint of drift inwards also. Line is perfect. Length needs a bit of work.
Only got quarter of an hour of Katie Bowen in Kansas City’s latest. She came on with a 2-1 deficit against Racing Louisville but KC weren’t able to salvage it, Cheyna Matthews scoring in the 86th to make it 3-1 in the end. Kansas City are still without a win after 13 games. No change to that status while Bowen was away.
Up Next: KC vs OL Reign on Sunday at midday (NZT)
Ryan Thomas – PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie)
They were lying when they said that Ryan Thomas would be back for the Johan Cruijff Cup. Didn’t quite recover in time and Roger Schmidt listed him as out in the pre-match press conference two days beforehand so it wasn’t gonna happen. Maybe he’ll be back for the second leg against FC Midtjylland. We shall see.
Without him PSV continued their impressive form to start the new term. They whupped Ajax 4-0 in a huge turn-up result. It wasn’t quite as shocking as that sounds because Ajax were missing a few players and then they did kinda play the last fifty minutes with ten men after Nic Tagliafico was red carded. But in fairness they were already 2-0 down at that stage thanks to a Noni Madueke double. Yorbe Vertessen and Mario Gotze then added goals in the last quarter of an hour to complete the rout. In four games so far – home and away against Galatasaray then home to Midtjylland and away to Ajax – the Eindhoveners have scored 14 goals and conceded just two for four wins.
Up Next: Midtjylland vs PSV, UCL third round qualifying second leg on Wednesday at 6am (NZT)
Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)
Same as last season, Nik Tzanev got to walk about as the starting keeper for the opening Dons fixture... but this time it’s his gig for real and not just temporary. After years of battling away he finally got an extended crack with the gloves earlier this year and helped guide the team to relegation safety in the process. Thus he begins the new campaign with the literal number 1 on his back. It was a long time in coming, and he was harshly overlooked more than once in the past, but here we are and the rewards are sweet.
So how did the Dons go first up? Tidily would be the word. This is a young team that they’ve got at the moment having lost a couple of dudes in the offseason but they looked good in from the start against Doncaster Rovers, pressing high and looking basically untroubled at the back. It was shaping as a simple day for Tzanev in goal... until a minute into the second half when a ball was bobbled by a defender straight to Charlie Seaman whose shot into the ground bounced beyond Tzanev’s reach for the opener.
But fair play to them, they responded well and in the 57th minute they were level again. Ayoud Assal slipping in behind the defensive line after a Tzanev long ball had led to some scrappiness from the Rovers defence. Then Luke McCormick, who had set up that goal, went and whipped in a free kick from literally the edge of the box in the 74th min and boom there was your winner. 2-1 to AFC Wimbledon. The goal was the only shot on target that Doncaster Rovers had. Good areas seeing McCormick starting so well as he was one of the many new additions (coming in from Chelsea’s academy in his case) scooped up to try and cover for the loss of top scorer Joe Pigott who has left for Ipswich.
Up Next: Charlton vs AFC Wimbledon in the first round of the EFL Cup on Weds at 6.45am (NZT)
Tommy Smith – Colchester United (English League Two)
Gritty, battling, competitive, feisty. All appropriate words for Colchester’s opening day draw away to Carlisle. Both teams had chances. Both teams were right up for it. Neither team had enough quality in the attacking areas to break the deadlock. Tommy Smith had to show a clean pair of heels in the second half to catch up with Jon Mellish and give him enough of a nudge for him to lose his balance and have his shot saved after a half-field runaway without it being a foul. There were a couple other strong saves by keeper Shamal George later on including a double banger to deny both Tristan Abrahams and Mellish at close range as Carlisle finished the stronger side. Smithy did put a header over the top from a corner but it wasn’t really close. Both clean sheets remained in tact for a 0-0 draw. Can’t argue with that.
Up Next: Birmingham vs Colchester in the EFL Cup on Weds at 6.45am, then it’s Colchester vs Northampton in League Two on Sun at 2am (NZT)
George Stanger - Hamilton Academical (Scottish Championship)
You get relegated, you lose players. That’s how it goes. But you lose players and others get to step up and fresh from returning from the Olympics there was George Stanger in the starting line-up for the Accies as they hosted Greenock Morton. He’d already missed a trio of Scottish League Cup games as well as the opening game of the Championship last week – in which the Accies came from 4-0 down against Raith Rovers to draw 4-0 just a few hours after the OlyWhites were beaten on penalties in the Olympic quarters – but nah first game back and he was straight in there. Excellent signs. Stanger played six total Premiership games for Hamilton Academical over the last couple seasons but only two were starts.
Unfortunately ‘twas not so good on the result front. The Accies conceded a first half goal to Gozie Ugwu and were never able to respond. Morton had a late red card and it didn’t matter. Stanger was subbed off with twenty to play. Could be for fitness reasons, could have been tactical chasing a goal. Probably a bit of both in the coach’s mind. He’d had a header cleared off the line just before the sub.
Up Next: No game next week, then it’s Hamilton vs Kilmarnock on Sunday 22 Aug at 2am (NZT)
Vic Esson – Avaldsnes IL (Norwegian Toppserien)
Thanks to the Norwegian league being smart and taking a couple weeks break during the Olympics, Vic Esson only actually missed one club game while away with the Football Ferns. That was a 1-1 draw with Stabaek. Meaning that Esson has played consecutive games against Klepp, keeping a clean sheet in a much needed 3-0 win before the Olympics and now keeping a clean sheet in a 4-0 win away to Klepp after the Olympics. After a shocking start to the year, Avaldsnes have now moved up into mid-table comfort thanks to seven points in the last three matches (after three points from seven matches prior).
Olaug Tvedten scored the first one in the 29th min with a volley from the penalty spot after yet another cross in from the right wing, which caused havoc all day. Avaldsnes continued to work shots at goal and five mins before the break Karina Sævik dashed in at the near post to poke in a second and then Anna Langås Jøsendal stroked in a third straight afterwards. Rebecka Wanvik Holum bagged in another one in the second half to finish off a really convincing win.
There was also a healthy 3-0 win for Vålerenga against Kolbotn although CJ Bott was only an unused sub in her first matchday since getting back from Footy Ferns duty. Exactly what they needed to get back into the swing of it all after a couple weeks off during the Olympics. They’re six points off top and five short of the second Champions League place but the win is what mattered most. Their current UCL qualifying campaign begins very soon too. Gotta get past Mitrovica (Kosovo) and then the winners of PAOK (Greece) vs Agarista Anenii Noi (Romania) to get into the second round of qualifying. No easy task there though they will be favoured. That mini-tournament takes place in a week and a half.
Up Next: Away to Bryne on Thursday at 4am in the Norwegian Cup... then it’s home to Vålerenga on Sunday at 1am in the days before that lot play that little UCL qualifying tournament (NZT)
Bill Tuiloma – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
Sixth minute of first half stoppage time, midweek footy against San Jose, and up leapt Bill Tuiloma with the glancing header that led to the equaliser from Felipe Mora. Nice little goal there at a crucial time having gone behind 24 minutes into the game as their keeper dropped a simple-ish one at the feet of a striker. Steve Clark then got injured and had to be replaced by backup keeper Alijaz Ivacic. Stink day for him.
So count that as an assist to Bill Tuiloma’s tally, his second of the year (to go with one goal). Problem was they needed another one from somewhere and weren’t able to find it despite having the majority of the good chances against a fairly in-form Earthquakes side. This could have been a really nice win that could have given them a boost towards the playoff spots if they’d been better at finishing. Earlier Yimmi Chara had out a shot narrowly wide. Tuiloma himself thumped a diving header straight at the goalie.
Then in the second half Chara lifted a runner over the bar. Mora volleyed wide on the spin. Mabiala had maybe the best of them with a header from a left-wing cross. And Diego Chara added to the frustrations by getting sent off in stoppage time. 1-1 would have to do. Portland then promptly traded Jeremy Ebobisse to the Quakes about a day later (the trade had already been reported beforehand, Ebobisse not playing then adding a substantial clue to the mix of what was coming).
There were a few changes to the team for the quick turnaround to face Real Salt Lake after that. A few changes... but Bill Tuiloma remained in the eleven. This time he started with Dario Zuparic instead of Larrys Mabiala. Plus he also started with the captain’s armband. Leadership qualities abound with all these kiwi CBs who find themselves in the MLS, that’s for sure.
This was a game chock full of madness. Portland won a penalty after only eight minutes (courtesy of a VAR check) for a handball after some aerial set piece bombardment. Dairon Asprilla did the business there and then a lovely bit of build up play and an even better finish from Yimmi Chara had it at 2-0 with only a third of the game gone. A rapid start from the Timbers and the home crowd were loving it... until they kinda eased off. San Jose nearly pulled one back immediately but for a good low near post save and in the 40th min Albery Rusnak scored one for real. Sharp finish into the bottom corner but not great how the Timbers were caught out in their own transition there.
Pressure continued before and after the break though Portland scrambled through it. Then in the 62nd min old mate Seb Blanco chipped in a gorgeous ball over the top towards the run of Felipe Mora who controlled it with his back to goal then struck it home on the spin, lovely stuff. And a massive response for Portland to restore the two-goal advantage. Damir Kreilach made it 3-2 with ten left, Bill Tuiloma getting his angles wrong on the long ball slightly, but a strong performance from the Timbers keeper Aljaž Ivačič, as well as some hefty blocks/clearances from Cap’n Tui towards the very end there, helped them hold on for the 3-2 win. So they drew a game they should’ve won and won a game they arguably were lucky not to draw. Evens out in the end, right?
Up Next: Monday at 12.30pm against Seattle Sounders (NZT)
Elliot Collier – Chicago Fire (American Major League Soccer)
Collier had been drifting out of favour for the Fire and then he got injured so he hasn’t had a proper feature for a little while. But then along came the New York Red Bulls and there was Elliot Collier suddenly in the starting line-up. Hanging out with Chinonso Offor up front in a 3-5-2 shape for just his second start of the year and his first for three months. Not a case of injuries here as basically all the forwards at the club (and MLS clubs don’t tend to have a heap of them for some reason) were available. It was more than the Fire were playing their third game in seven days hence there were five changes from the draw with NYCFC in the midweek.
Luka Stojanović was the main man on this day. In only the second minute of the match Collier dropped deep to collect the ball then fed it into the feet of Offor who one-touched it off to Stojanović and the Serbian slammed it into the not-quite-top-corner-but-close-enough for a beautiful goal. Then in the eighth minute a long throw from the right was diverted to Stojanović at the back stick and he stroked it away to make it 2-0. This is a Fire team that hadn’t won in five matches. To be two up already was dreamland.
While they haven’t been scoring enough lately, they have been defending really well since going to the three at the back system. And they continued to defend very well in this game. Collier was replaced in the 57th minute. Chicago probably should’ve scored a third soon after but Fabian Herbers hit the bar on the break. Eventually the Red Bulls did get a goal but not until the seventh minute of stoppage time as Tom Barlow followed up on a save to make it 2-1.
Up Next: Monday at 10am against Columbus Crew (NZT)
Claudia Bunge – Melbourne Victory (Australian W-League)
Back at it. Claudia Bunge will return for Melbourne Victory as they seek to defend their W-League title, re-signed in a triple banger of news as Kayla Morrison and Polly Doran also re-upped with the club at the same time. Morrison and Bunge were the starting centre-backs throughout the title run so that’s a pretty bloody useful place to start.
Coach Jeff Hopkins: “I’m very happy to be welcoming Kayla, Claudia and Polly back for the new W-League season. We continue to create a unique environment at Victory and we intend to build on our progress in 2021/22. Kayla, Claudia and Polly will all play important roles on and off the field to drive positivity and success. Fans can expect some new and familiar faces when we return to the pitch in November.”
Up Next: The new season kicks off on November 13, with preseason beginning next month
Liz Anton – Perth Glory (Australian W-League)
PG Head Coach Alex Epakis: “We are really happy to have Liz back this season. She returns on the back of her Olympics experience and spending the majority of the off- season involved in national team training camps in New Zealand. Liz was a player who really stood out and played an important role throughout some of the difficulties of last season. It is easy forget she is still very young, but she plays with experience and conducts herself in such a fantastic way on and off the field and is a real benchmark athlete and person. I am fully aware of how focused she is to return and help the team and club bring our vision to life and I am excited to work closely with her to further assist her personal development.”
Anton is 22 years old and coming off her first ever W-League season in which she played every single minute for Perth and was awarded the club’s Most Glorious Player nod for those efforts. Also known at other clubs as the Player of the Year award. Perth were way off the pace in last place without a win to their name last season but that was with a very young team and Anton’s excellence made her a key re-signing for them.
Then from Anton’s perspective you only have to look at how many players in the WSL in England in particular (but also the NWSL in America and the various Scandinavian leagues) have gotten there on the back of W-League exploits to see where this comp can take you. Same applies to Claudia Bunge. Not only is it a good solid level in and of itself but the W-League goes hard on the CV too.
Up Next: See above
Support the efforts on Patreon if you appreciate what we’re up to
Also whack an ad, sign up to our Substack mailer & tell a mate about TNC