Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)

If you’re a lower league team that makes it deep enough in one of the cup competitions that the Premier League sides started popping up in the draw, you either want to play a similarly ranked lower league team for the best hope of advancing or you wanna play the biggest team possible away from home. A midweek trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal in front of 50,000 fans was definitely right up there in the Choice Bro rankings for AFC Wimbledon.

Astonishingly the game wasn’t even properly broadcast (or even streamed) anywhere although roughly 8000 of the fans in attendance were there to rep the Dons, at least. Great support for a big occasion. Sadly a rash challenge by Nesta Guinness-Walker on Gabriel Martinelli meant a tenth minute penalty was awarded. Would’ve been a huge boost towards their chances of springing an upset had Nik Tzanev been able to deny Alexandre Lacazette from the spot but alas he dove the wrong way and the Gunners took the lead.

But the Dons hung tight at 0-1. No team has scored more goals from set pieces in any of England’s top four divisions than AFC Wimbledon so far this season and the odd corner kick was always a threat. Plus they had some genuinely solid spells of possession in there too. Arsenal were always the dominant team but the Dons were certainly contributing to the game. With quarter of an hour to go there was still only the one goal in it... thanks to an excellent save from Tzanev to deny Thomas Partey’s piledriver mid-second half.

But Arsenal had bench options who could lift the gears. Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka both came on and both were involved as ESR made it two on 77 mins, as Lacazette recycled after his initial low ball had been blocked and found Smith Rowe with space to pick his spot. Nothing Tzanev could do about that, nor about Eddie Nketia’s heeled strike three minutes later. 3-0 was the way it ended.

Wonderful night of footy... but the hangover was real. AFC Wimbledon had to return to League One stuff with a trip to Shrewsbury Town (attendance: 5346) after their trip to Arsenal (attendance: 50,000) and it didn’t go so well. Dapo Medube had put them in the lead on 32’ thanks to a rapid-fire counter attack (and following a great double save by Tzanev earlier in the game) but Shrewsbury got level five mins before the half when Luke Leahy’s looping header dropped in out of Tzanev’s reach, then in the 67th Daniel Udoh headed in from a right wing cross. Tzanev shaped to come for it but changed his mind as again the penalty box header was way too easy for Shrewsbury to win. Jack Rudoni did have one golden chance to snatch a point late on but he couldn’t make solid contact with his header eight yards out with nobody marking him. 2-1 to Shrewsbury.

Up Next: Rotherham vs AFC Wimbledon, Weds at 7.45am, then Burton at home on Sunday at 3am (NZT)

Chris Wood – Burnley (English Premier League)

Midweek League Cup action against Rochdale of League Two... this was never gonna be too tricky of a task for the Clarets. Still it was a strong side that Sean Dyche rolled out there with only a handful of regulars rested – but among them was Chris Wood. Save the legs, bro. Jay Rodriguez and Matej Vydra led the line instead with The Woodsman on the bench.

After a wasteful first half, Burnley suddenly found themselves in deficit when Jake Beesley gave the ‘Dale a 47th minute lead. Massive upset on the cards? Nah because then Jay Rod responded by going super saiyan with four goals in the space of 18 mins (50’ 60’ 62’ 77’). Chris Wood came on for him after the fourth and almost set up a sneaky fifth but no need to be greedy. They had a bit of a scare in there but that scare seemed to wake them up as the Clarets ended a 14-game winless streak in all competitions going back to the start of last season (and including the penalty shootout win over Newcastle in this same comp) and wiggle their way into the fourth round draw.

Cool cool. After which it was full strength elevenses as the Clarets visited Leicester City, Chris Wood out there against one of his old clubs. But for most of the game he was only a supporting character as one of his old teammates, and also his newest one, hogged the spotlight. Jamie Vardy conspired to score an own goal (12’) from a flicked near post header but he levelled up himself with a sharp finish in the 37th min via some prime Vardyness. However Burnley were back in the lead a mere three minutes later as new signing Max Cornet slammed in a volley. Excellent finish, however he’d have to go off injured at the break.

Vardy missed a few good looks early but he was a constant danger throughout and Leicester definitely turned up the heat after Kelechi Iheanacho entered for the last half hour. It was messy from the Foxes but they did have most of the ball. They were the aggressors. So can’t really argue when Iheanacho combined with Vardy and the latter rounded the goalie to score. 85 mins played and it was all equal at twos. We weren’t quite done there though.

Chris Wood had one shot off target and was mostly involved battling for those aerial balls. Very much a game which hadn’t gone his way... until deep in stoppage time. Basically the last stretch of the entire game where Ashley Barnes parried on a header in the box and Chris Wood glanced it off his own noggin for a dramatic, dramatic, dramatic late winner. In off the post.

Then the VAR took it away from him...

It was the right call. He stuttered his run like he needed to do but the defender stepped up behind him just in time. Split seconds is all it took. Wood was philosophical afterwards, saying that his job is to play off the shoulder of the last man in those situations. He makes sure he puts it in the net and then lets the officials take care of what they’ve gotta do. Some days you eat the VAR, some days the VAR eats you. 2-2 the final score and Burnley are still yet to win this Premier League season, hence it’ll be a bottom of the table clash next week against Norwich.

Up Next: Burnley vs Norwich, Sunday at 3am (NZT)

Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)

Spurs were unconvincing in beating Birmingham on opening weekend but they defended great and ground it out. Then they battled like absolute champs for a huge upset win over Manchester City before the international break. Against winless Reading in game three it was much more of the first one than the latter but again Tottenham found a way.

Percival was in that more attacking midfield role that we saw her in against Birmingham and was therefore heavily involved in happenings for Spurs as they pretty much bossed the whole match. Reading had one shot on target all arvo. They haven’t scored a goal all season and had no answers to that problem here. But they are a decent defensive team and that caused frustrations for Spurs as a breakthrough proved hard to find. Percival curled a free kick narrowly over the top. She stepped up in the press and turned the ball over outside the area, feeding Kit Graham whose shot was saved. Percy then had a shot of her own cleared off the line by the thigh of a defender in the same move. Later on she put in a super cross to Rachel Williams who couldn’t get enough contact on her diving header.

It was one way traffic. Spurs were all over them but they needed that goal. And then Jessica Naz did this with five minutes to play, running on to the ball from substitute Jiali Tang...

There it was. Tottenham with the 1-0 win to remain perfect after three games and briefly go top of the ladder until Arsenal surpassed them with a brow-raising 5-0 win over Man City. Both teams have 9 points but Arsenal’s goal difference is already +10 compared to Spurs with +3. Regardless, an incredible start to the season and Ria Percival has been right in the middle of it all. Highlights on FA Player.

Up Next: Big tester away to Arsenal in the FA Cup on Thursday at 7.15am... then away to Leicester in the WSL on Monday at 2am (NZT)

Joe Bell & Gianni Stensness – Viking FK (Norwegian Eliteserien)

Third round of the Norwegian Cup, Viking were up against Rosenborg. A team above them in the league standings which is not exactly the draw you want in the round of 32 stage. One of three all-Eliteserien ties in the round and the only one involving two top half teams. As rough as it gets in other words. But Viking beat Rosenborg a couple weeks ago (the game in which Joe Bell scored that ripper of a goal) and say what do ya know they beat them again in the cup here.

Gianni Stensness at centre-back. Joe Bell in central midfield. Same as the last couple league games. Viking are actually defending champions of this competition from when it was last staged in 2019, just before Joe Bell joined the team, so they were definitely taking it seriously. If you didn’t believe it before then you had to after Viljar Vevatne attempted a bicycle kick that was even on target until it hit the head of a defender. A sign of things to come because 33 minutes into the game Veton Berisha broke wide out left and swung in a cross that Kristoffer Løkberg headed home. Viking leading at the half, although only just...

As cliched as it sounds, the next goal would be crucial. Fifty minutes gone, it was Viking who got it. Zlatko Tripic, who scored the winner in that 2019 final, with the low cross in for Yann-Erik de Lanlay who was able to touch it past the keeper from six yards. 61 mins on the clock and Rosenborg got back into it when Carlo Holse sliced inside the VFK right back and slammed in a slick goal... but then Tripic got one of his own in the 79th that effectively clinched it. Joe Bell got a yellow card in stoppage time as Viking closed it out.

3-1 the final score and De Mørkeblå (the dark blues) are officially on a cup run. Also guess what? They’ve drawn Kongsvinger away in the next round. A third tier team - one of only two to make it to the last sixteen. Unfortunately the start of the cup got delayed for covid reasons though so the next round doesn’t actually take place until next season, which is a little weird but gotta squeeze it in where you can – Gianni Stensness will surely still be there come next March (albeit as an Australian) but whether Joe Bell’s there or not who can say. Probably not.

VFK’s run of really difficult games wasn’t quite over yet though. On Monday morning NZT they were up against Molde, meaning that in their last eight games in all comps they’ve had to play Molde twice, Rosenborg twice (including that cup game), as well as Kristiansund and league leaders Bodø/Glimt once each. Six games against the top four teams in the Elitserien as things stand. But them results, mate. This stretch was as daunting as it gets but it could also be the catalyst for a really fantastic campaign because they only lost once (to Bodø/Glimt) in all of them.

That includes this one against Molde despite being the second best team for long stretches. Viking only had a handful of good attacking moments in the first half (and the best of them was a dude trying to chip the keeper from 40 yards out) and they trailed at the break thanks to Eirik Ulland Andersen’s 34th minute goal, a bit of a soft one to concede as a looping header was met by another header at the back post. Viking twice beaten in individual aerial battles with the keeper not exactly covering himself in glory there either. Stensness was the guy who got popped for the first header.

But in fairness Stensness had a quality outing at centre-back otherwise and although there was more than a little luck involved at times they were able to keep it at 0-1 until the game went ballistic between minutes 70-72. First was the equaliser. Joe Bell dishing for Samuel Kari Fridjonsson whose run beat the offside trap and Viking were on the board. Bell’s sixth assist of the term...

Notice how he gets them all in a huddle afterwards, laying down the law? No doubt with the old favourite “stay focussed, don’t get carried away” yarns. Well it didn’t work because they were behind again about a minute later. The claim was that there had been a foul on the other VFK centre-back but it wasn’t called and Ohi Kwoeme Omoijuanfo put Molde back up 2-1... for about a minute before as Shayne Pattynama finished off a low cross from Kevin Kabran after a great run in behind. Three goals in three minutes. 2-2 was the final score as Viking yet again took something away from a title contender.

It’s maybe a stretch to call them title contenders considering as they’re nine points off Bodø/Glimt, but the fixtures are about to get a whole lot easier for Viking from here on out so you never know. Six of their last ten matches are against bottom half teams and the only games left against those above them are Lillestrøm and Kristiansund who are the two teams directly above them thus two teams they specifically want to play and beat. Top three get European entry next season. Similar to the Norwegian Cup, dunno if Joe Bell will still be there for that reward but he’ll definitely be there for the last ten games of the year to try and get them there.

Up Next: Sunday at 5am vs Sandefjord (NZT)

Ryan Thomas – PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie)

There’s nothing like a bit of midweek action to get the depth guys some games. With an away game against Go Ahead Eagles on the calendar, Ryan Thomas was handed his first start of the season as PSV sought to hit back after their shocking 4-0 loss to Feyenoord three days earlier. Thommo named in central midfield alongside Marco Van Ginkel with Japanese international Ritsu Doan also given a rare start. Otherwise they were at full strength though and took the lead after 14 mins thanks to old mate Cody Gakpo. Good ball forward from Van Ginkel and then some interplay between Doan and Madueke with Gakpo lasering an excellent finish for the goal.

But it was far from a vintage performance from the Eindhoven team. They continually found themselves getting stretched at the back and some of the blame for that clearly has to go to the Thomas/MVG midfield pivots, although they were both very good in possession to be fair. Then chuck in PSV’s tendency to make things harder than they need to be in front of goal and they left themselves vulnerable. 55th minute and Iñigo Córdoba got too much space down the left wing and he thumped in an equaliser off the frame of the goal from a miniscule angle.

That led to Thomas being replaced ten minutes later (PSV having already made two subs at the half). Fritz Schmidt has made 34 substitutions in seven Eredivisie games. He almost always uses the full five allowed to him and at this stage it’s safe to say that it’s causing some disjointment. But anyway, an okay 65 minutes from Thomas. Completed his passes at a shade under 80% but also didn’t really assert himself on the game, you got the impression he was trying to find his rhythm and was maybe playing it safe. Remember he’s only played about 200 competitive minutes since March. Also the whole team played rattled after the Eagles scored. They were bloody lucky not to be behind when Thommo was replaced by Davy Pröpper.

PSV got through that troublesome passage and then huffed and puffed and appeared to be on the way to a disappointing draw. That was when Marco Van Ginkel popped up with an 86th minute winner, a strong header from a corner kick. Enough for a 2-1 win and a huge sigh of relief. Phew.

And then, curiously, Ryan Thomas wasn’t even in the squad for the game away to Willem II. Ibrahim Sangare returned from injury in midfield but still to go from starting to not even on the bench is a stink one... unless there was an unreported injury to blame, which is always a possibility.

That game was a mess anyway. PSV once again produced the bulk of the shooting moments but fell to a 2-1 defeat. Eran Zahavi managed to score at both ends in the first half. Headed into his own net from a defensive free kick (20’) but ten minutes later he headed one bravely in the right net, taking a heavy knock as he did. Yet they never scored again despite an abundance of chances and in the 76th minute keeper Joel Drommel missed a shot through his hands and Willem II won 2-1. PSV stumbling into a bit of a crisis at the moment. The ebbs and flows of a season.

Up Next: Europa League away to Sturm Graz on Friday at 5.45am, then PSV vs Sparta Rotterdam at 7am on Monday (NZT)

Abby Erceg – North Carolina Courage (American National Women’s Soccer League)

The North Carolina Courage still aren’t quite clicking. A 3-1 loss to Gotham FC was further evidence of that reality. Defensively they’ve been pretty great, even as they dealt with the absence of Abby Erceg during the Olympics and long-term CB Abby Dahlkemper having left the club. But the goals have not been flowing. Maybe a little too defensively skewed with the new personnel back there? Also they’re massively missing injured midfielder Sam Mewis, that’s for sure.

They took the lead against Gotham after a superb effort from just outside the box from Angharad James in the 20th minute but then Margaret Purce was taken down by Diane Caldwell and Carli Lloyd scored from the penalty spot to tie it up after 28 mins. Then in the 36th some great work from Ifeoma Onumonu running down the channel and cutting it back into space allowed Purce to stroke Gotham into the lead. It wasn’t until the 82nd min that Paige Monaghan broke away and clinched it with a deflected finish but Gotham had looked more likely to score a third than NCC had been to get a second for most of the second half. A dud performance for the Courage. They’re still third so best not to dwell on it.

Up Next: Midday Saturday against Washington Spirit (NZT)

Ali Riley - Orlando Pride (American National Women’s Soccer League)

Nobody has more fun than Ali Riley. TikTok Queen of kiwi football. Except, that is, for when they played the in-form OL Reign over the weekend and kinda got pumped. Went down 3-0 with French star Eugenie Le Sommer dominating the game with a pair of goals after Bethany Balcer had gotten things started in only the third minute. In fact the scoring was all done after 32. The Pride blown out in the first half. Riley played 78 mins at right back before being replaced soon after picking up a yellow card for a foul.

Clearly ‘twas not a good week for the NZers in the NWSL. Katie Bowen was an unused sub as Kansas City lost lost 2-1 to Washington. Not sure what’s going on with that because both their wins came with Bowen playing central midfield and then they stopped picking her there. Meanwhile Rosie White is still out with illness for the Reign.

Up Next: Orlando Pride vs Chicago Red Stars on Sunday at 12.30pm (NZT)

Callum McCowatt, Elijah Just & Nando Pijnaker - FC Helsingør (Danish Division 1)

The way that Helsingør are going, promotion to the top flight is a legitimate target right now. Should they get there then things’ll ramp up pretty substantially for the lads and in the third round of the Danish Cup they got a sneaky taster of what that level might be like as they faced Odense Boldklub who currently sit mid-table in the top flight.

And... it wasn’t pretty. OB scored three times in the opening 15 minutes and effectively ended the match as a contest then and there. FCH had a few good chances in the second half but the comeback was never very likely. Half a game each for Eli Just and Callum McCowatt who swapped for each other at the break (Just playing the first half, McCowatt the second). Nando Pijnaker was an unused sub for the second game in a row as he continues to await his debut.

There actually wasn’t much to say about the weekend’s game either as neither McCowatt nor Just was in the midst of the action to the level we’ve gotten used to lately and Pijnaker wasn’t in the squad. FCH conceded in the first minute of the game against Hobro but goals for Nikolah Hansen (18’) and Tonni Adamsen (25’) had them leading at the half. Only for Hobro to score in the 52nd. Just was replaced ten minutes later, McCowatt another ten after that. After the equaliser Hobro were more keen to sit back and soak up the pressure, trying to get out on the break, and Helsingør were able to rip off a fair few shots but nothing goal-bound. 2-2 the final score. FCH remain undefeated at the top of the table so that’s cool.

Up Next: Monday at 2am away to Nykøbing (NZT)

Liberato Cacace – Sint-Truiden (Belgian Pro League)

After throwing away a great chance to take points off Genk last week, STVV found themselves in the opposite role this time. Standard Liége were the home team. Pretty close first half, chances were limited. Not a lot to split the two... until just before the break when Standard had a free kick right on the edge of shooting range. First bloke ran the ball under his foot to the second guy, Nicholas Gavory, who slammed it home to score. Probably should have been saved but the STVV keeper lost sight of it through the crowd.

It was a game-breaking moment from almost out of nowhere but STVV must have needed the wake-up call because after that they were brilliant. A fantastic second half from the Canaries. Eight minutes into it they were level as Mory Konaté angled in from the left, using Libby Cacace’s wide run as a decoy to get back onto his right foot with a sharp turn and then he thumped it inside the near post to make it 1-1.

Then it was all a matter of whether they could find a second. They were doing some nice stuff, Yuma Suzuki was getting involved, but Sint Truiden were a little wasteful. Also a little eager which was leaving them exposed to the counter attack which was about the only way that Standard were gonna get back at them. A few frisky moments there. But other than that it was all STVV. Rocco Reitz had a volley that was brilliantly saved. Libby Cacace was tirelessly getting up and down that sideline. Finally they found a winner in the 89th minute. Cacace with the long ball down the left wing channel towards Christian Brüls who just managed to keep it in and whipped it across to Reitz who side-footed a low volley into the bottom corner, get in there.

2-1 win for STVV which puts them into the top half of the table. Really fine game from Cacace too, with a lot of Sint Truiden’s attack stemming from his side of the field. Nobody touched the ball more for STVV. Nobody attempted more crosses. Plus he got a couple shots off: one blocked in the first half, one late on which he managed to find an angle for but drove it straight at the keeper. Not to mention all the defensive yarns. Potentially the best performance he’s had since the Olympics.

Also, this was nasty...

Up Next: STVV vs Oostende, Sunday at 5.30am (NZT)

Marko Stamenic - HB Køge (Danish Division 1)

The loan’s going alright then. Stamenic had already played a couple games for HB Køge before this week, getting ninety minutes in a 4-3 loss to Jammerbugt and a 1-1 draw with Lyngby, but it was third time the charm as he damn near ran the show in a 3-0 win over Fredericia. This being a Fredericia team who had entered the round in second place so this result did a hefty favour to Stamenic’s Ole Academy buds over at FC Helsingør too.

This was HBK’s second win of the season and by far their best performance. After avoiding some early trouble thanks to a bad Fredericia miss and a very good save (separate incidents), they took the lead on 19’ when Emiliano Simonsen walloped a volley after taking it down on his chest. Stamenic was calling for the knock back but instead Simonsen put it into the top corner. From there they suddenly seemed to be bursting with confidence. Fredericia ensured it remained a closely fought contest but then Joachim Rothmann headed in from a chipped cross after a quick free kick down the right wing on 57’ and HBK had some breathing room.

Which they needed, because Fredericia could not have come closer to scoring. They had a pair of headers that looked like they were on their way in but one was clawed away from the bins by the goalie and the other came back off the post. There was also a shot deflected just wide. Then Marius Elvius drove in a third on 89’ and HB Køge had themselves a 3-0 win against the odds. With a prime Marko Stamenic performance in there to keep manager Daniel Agger nice and happy.

Up Next: Away to Esbjerg on Tuesday at 6am (NZT)

Emma Rolston - Arna-Bjørnar (Norwegian Toppserien)

This was one of them games where neither team will have been too sure how they hadn’t already scored as things ticked deep into the first half. Emma Rolston had a couple chances, working a one-two to create a shooting chance from about ten yards out but her low shot was straight at the goalie. Then not too long after she ran in behind off a long ball but sliced her shot into the side-netting. Far from the only one who’d let a chance slip by... so when the opening goal finally game it was nothing expected. Klepp taking the lead via Ingeborg Lye Skretting who chipped the keeper from about 35 metres out, a crazy goal. 40 minutes gone. Klepp up 1-0 at HT.

Arna-Bjørnar got back level within ten minutes of the start of the second half. Again it was Rollo making a clever run off the shoulder of the last defender and as the keeper rushed out she dropped a hesitation move to go around her. Open goal in Rollo’s wake... but the ball had crept away as she beat the goalie and she shanked it off the near post. Which was a shocker of a miss until it rebounded in off the nearest defender for an own goal. Should have been a Rolston banger but she still gets to claim an assist and it went on the scoresheet regardless.

In the 62nd minute, Linnéa Solvoll Laupstad headed in a deep corner kick and Arna-Bjørnar were into the lead. Then with five to play Julie Madsen worked her way into space in the box with a funky roll of the ball under her boot and she picked out the bottom corner to make sure of the points. Even still, Rollo had one more chance to get that goal she’d been battling for. Collecting the ball deep, she managed to squeeze through a couple challenges to get into the area but this time her shot came back off the crossbar. So, to conclude, she completed the unfortunate post/crossbar/sidenetting triumvirate. As well as having a shot saved. On another day she’d have scored all four. Still, a 3-1 win to Arna-Bjørnar should effectively bury any lingering worries about relegation.

Up Next: Rosenborg vs Arna-Bjørnar, Sunday 10 October at 1am (NZT)

CJ Bott - Vålerenga (Norwegian Toppserien)

Vålerenga can’t afford to drop any more points if they’re to have even a flickering hope of getting back into the Champions League. Up against LSK Kvinner, the club directly ahead of them in third place, that meant finding a way to win no matter what. CJ Bott was picked to start and would play the full contest. Oh and it just so happens that these two clubs are fierce rivals too. High stakes, mate.

The early stages were quite cautious from both teams but LSK began to open things up after quarter of an hour. Three times they went close. Once from the right side, once from the left, and once from in close. All three of those attempts were hit straight at the keeper. Then Vålerenga picked one off in midfield and broke away and Marie Dølvik Markussen dinked a lovely finish past the goalie to open the scoring.

Chances flowed for both teams. It was a high quality game. VIF with a couple good looks to extend that lead that were denied by an outstretched goalie’s leg... then in the 77th LSK drew level in the strangest way. It was a determined run along the byline from the left that started it, Emilie Haavi managing to somehow both evade challenges and keep the ball in play. She tried to pull it back for Mimmi Löfwenius... and the ball more hit Löfwenius than Löfwenius hitting it, ballooning off her thigh and over the line. CJ Bott was the closest defender coming across to cover from left back and she had no chance. A truly odd goal and this game was now headed for a draw.

Ah but not so fast. Because in the 87th minute Agnete Nielsen rushed a defender trying to play the ball out from deep in her own area, won the tackle, and whacked the ball into an empty net for a massive goal in the course of Vålerenga’s season. VIF won it 2-1. They’re still two points behind LSK on the ladder, with the latter also holding a game in hand, but this keeps the flame burning for another week. Plus there’s still one trophy they might be able to defend even if the league has slipped away...

Up Next: Norwegian Cup semi-final, Vålerenga vs Rosenborg on Sunday at 2am (NZT)

Vic Esson – Avaldsnes IL (Norwegian Toppserien)

So close. Avaldsnes were playing title contenders Rosenborg and very nearly rocked them by holding out for a scoreless draw. Not a game with a heap of funkiness but Avaldsnes were clinging on with Vic Esson making all the saves she needed to make... until the 87th minute when Sara Fornes was able to pick up the ball in the box and turn and shoot and there was no saving that one. Rosenborg stealing away with a 1-0 win to ensure there’s still a title race. Avaldsnes need a win or two more to secure top flight status for another season.

Up Next: Week off for the cup semis and then they’ve got LSK away on Sunday 10 October at 2am (NZT)

Logan Rogerson - FC Haka / Nikko Boxall – SJK (Finnish Veikkausliiga)

Rogerson and Boxall going head to head for the second (and final) time this season. Last time Boxall’s SJK took the biscuits with a 4-0 win... this time it went dramatically in the other direction as Haka won 4-0. Crazy swing. Annoyingly Rogerson played off the bench and only came on in the 72nd minute.

It was a closer game than it sounds. SJK were really gunning for a leveller late first half and Nikko nearly got it himself with a close range shot on the rebound which was well saved. But then Haka scored again soon afterwards. Not only that but about a minute after the goal, the Haka lads were begging for a red card for Boxall as he apparently elbowed a guy off the ball. Replays showed it was a body check at worst but one of the Haka fellas got right up in his face and gave him a shove in the chest amongst the arguing. He was booked. As was Nikko. Game carried on.

SJK continued to threaten to get back into it and may have done exactly that after being awarded a 69th minute penalty. But Ariel Nguekam’s attempt was saved. Then Rogerson came on and started running at dudes. It was his low ball across goal that set up Maximus Tainio for the third goal in the 77th and Haka would add another late on after Boxall had been subbed (on a yellow remember) as they threw on an extra attacker... but were picked off at the back instead. 4-0 final score.

Rogerson was on the bench again for the trip to Oulu where a 14th minute goal from Luiyi de Lucas earned a 1-0 win. Once more he came on for the last quarter of an hour or so. Two timely wins for FCH but not enough to get them anywhere near to the top half of the table with the competition due to split into championship and relegation rounds next week. Haka do have one more game to play before that happens.

As for SJK, they bounced back in the ideal manner as they comprehensively took down FC Lahti 4-1. They scored three times in the opening half hour and controlled it from there. That win guaranteed their place in the championship rounds, where a top two finish is surely out of the question but third place is there for the taking if they can keep grinding out wins. Hey and look who scored the third goal...

Up Next: TBD

Tommy Smith – Colchester United (English League Two)

Not much going on here, Colchester went away to Swindon Town and left with a 0-0 draw. Solid point and a clean sheet in the bag with a full game for captain Tommy Smith. Swindon were the most likely team but The U’s managed to frustrate them with goalie Shamal George having a fine day. A few sloppy final passes or finishes also holding the hosts back. All goods. Every point is a good point for Colchester whose first target is to ensure they stay well clear of the drop zone unlike last season.

Up Next: West Ham U21s in the EFL Trophy group stage on Weds at 7.30am, not sure if Smith will play that one, but he’ll surely partake in some Colchester vs Salford on Sunday at 3am (NZT)

Meikayla Moore – Liverpool (English Championship)

First start of the season for Meikayla Moore who was eased in after the Olympics, potentially with a pesky knock or something involved there. Dunno. Moore was not in the squad for game one, was an unused sub in game two, and an injury time introduction in game three... but after the international break she was back in full capacity. She played ninety minutes against Crystal Palace as the Red came away with a 2-1 victory.

All three goals were scored in the first half with Taylor Hinds putting Liverpool up inside two minutes. Smooth finish after collecting the ball from Melissa Lawley who’d managed to dribble around the edge of the defence, an ideal beginning. Moore was part of a back three which is a different system to how coach Matt Beard usually sets them up but one prompted by the suspension of CB and captain Niamh Fahey. And other than when Hinds put a shocker of a back-pass in that defence looked pretty comfortable... meanwhile they’d managed to hit the crossbar up the other end.

Palace found an answer in the 33rd min via an accident as Siobhan Wilson’s cross whipped into the top corner... but four mins later Ashley Hodson put the Reds back in front with a driven low shot. Then not sure what happened in the second half but apparently it wasn’t much. Liverpool mostly ensuring they didn’t concede again, which they didn’t, and ultimately enjoying the 2-1 result. Highlights here.

Also worth throwing one up for Olivia Chance here who was rewarded for her draw-earning double against Glasgow City before the international break with the start away to Hibernian, and was nice and influential throughout the ninety mins. Almost set up the opener early second half with a great ball through. In the end Celtic needed a super strike from Charlie Wellings right at the end for a 2-1 win. Four points from two tricky games against Glasgow and Hibs sets them up well in the league title race. Elsewhere Katie Rood wasn’t in the squad as Southampton won 5-0 vs London Bees to keep their multi-year unbeaten streak going, though she is back in training now after a wee injury.

Up Next: Monday at 2am, Coventry vs Liverpool (NZT)

Michael Boxall – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)

Big week... and it started perfectly. A win with a clean sheet against Houston Dynamo, continuing on from the 3-0 win against LA Galaxy the week prior after getting their two best attackers back. Emanuel Reynoso was the star man that day with an early double. This time Robin Lod got his turn scoring literally in the first minute of the match. 51 seconds were on the clock as Lod lifted the ball ever so slightly over the keeper after running in behind onto Franco Frangipane’s through ball.

Then they scored again. The in-form Ethan Finlay in the 17th minute barely squeezing one over the line after a defensive error and a deflection and a flapping goalkeeper hand. The ball had just crossed the line before it was hacked away. The Loons 2-0 up already. After which... well, it got a bit boring. Boxall did have a header from a corner that might have been dropping in under the bar but an easy save regardless. Then he nearly scored a screamer of an own goal sliding onto an early delivery and accidentally sending it to where his keeper Tyler Miller needed to launch himself to tip it over.

Other than that they controlled the game but they did waste several chances to put it beyond doubt. Frustration set in from some of that. Far from a finely tuned performance which caused some panic in the last ten minutes as Houston went all out. But they held in there for a 2-0 win and three important points as they seek to secure their current playoff status down the stretch. The Loons have nine regular season games remaining.

Also apparently the keeper buys his defence doughnuts on a Monday after a clean sheet so that’s cool.

And now comes a Wholesome Content alert...

Up Next: Away to DC United on Thursday at 12.30pm and then away to FC Dallas on Sunday at 1pm (NZT)

Bill Tuiloma – Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)

With his suspension served, Bill Tuiloma was back in the side for Portland’s game against Real Salt Lake and in merely the second minute he came inches from the ideal return as his diving header, somehow dodging his marker in the process, went pinging off the corner of bar and post. Excellent effort to even get contact on the ball let alone to nearly score.

Anyway, they wouldn’t need that goal. Felipe Mora was set up by Seb Blanco on the counter in the 27th min for the lead and Dairon Asprilla headed in a second eight mins later. RSL did pull one back before the half was out as Tuiloma’s defensive header went dropped in a dangerous area and the keeper couldn’t hold it, allowing Damir Kreilach to score. But then the Chara brothers ran riot in the second half. Yimmi Chara scored on 48’ then Diego Chara on 68’. Those two were involved in everything as the Timbers pulled away and eventually Jaroslaw Niezgoda and Cristhian Paredes both scored late to make it a 6-1 slapping. Ninety mins for Tuiloma at CB. Portland up to fourth in the Western Conference after five wins and a draw from their last six... the only game they didn’t win being the one in which Tuiloma got sent off.

Up Next: Away to LAFC on Thursday at 3.30pm and then home to Inter Miami on Monday at 10.30am (NZT)

Matt Dibley-Dias - Fulham (English Championship)

Sneaky one here to finish, 17 year old forward Matt Dibley-Dias has signed pro terms with Fulham. Sounds like a random one but this kid was born in New Zealand and is therefore eligible to play for the All Whites. He’s also eligible for England, Portugal, and Brazil so one of those things is not like the other. He’s on record as saying that Brazil would be the dream. Don’t bank on it happening but it’s always fun to know when these NZ-eligible fellas are out there.

Up Next: Danny Hay, get on the phone bruv

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