Flying Kiwis – January 19
Chris Wood - Newcastle United (English Premier League)
Newcastle United didn’t rush through that Chris Wood signing merely to ease him into the team. No way, they got that thing done under urgency, specifically thinking of the game against Watford on the weekend. The team directly above them on the ladder, the only team outside the relegation zone that they’re currently within any feasible range of catching. We’re only midway through the season but this was a relegation six-pointer. Points for keeps. No backsees.
The Woodsman started up front in a 4-3-3. Allan Saint-Maximin on one side of him and Ryan Fraser on the other. Best get used to some of these names because these are the new bros. Although just know that after signing Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood, the next target appears to be a central defender and perhaps a goalkeeper too...
Since Eddie Howe took over, Newcastle have tried to be a team that plays out from the back more and controls things in the midfield. You can see that progression in how they’re playing but gotta be honest it’s slow progress (there’s a reason clubs often go with manager with simplistic styles when caught in the short-term vortex of a relegation battle). Chris Wood offers them an outlet to play more direct though they didn’t suddenly come out and start hurling long balls in his direction. Not that he’ll mind that. It’s a pleasant change from Burnley’s approach which allows him to do a little more lurking in the box.
Wood’s first chance came about in the 19th minute when he picked off a loose back pass, not quite realising that Craig Cathcart was on his heels as he tried to cut back onto his right foot to shoot and instead had to settle for a corner kick. There was a flicked header from a Fraser cross soon after which may have technically caught more of his back than his head as it looped up and over and onto the roof of the goal. Then a Jamaal Lascelles header from a corner was directed at Wood for the seconds but it was a tad too high and he couldn’t steer it on target.
And... that was about it. Newcastle with a lot of the ball but lacking much penetration whereas Watford were happy to sit in and attack on the break. It wasn’t until first half stoppage time that either side had a shot on target – a tame attempt from Watford straight at Martin Dubravska in goal for Newcastle. However Newcastle did have the two best chances of the half, both falling to Joelinton. First the Brazilian turned a low cross from Fraser onto the crossbar after Wood had dragged two defenders away with his movement. Then he flicked one wide coming in from the other side.
All goods because four minutes into the second half, Allan Saint-Maximin nicked the ball of off Jeremy Ngakia and beat a couple more defenders on the run before smashing in a near-post finish for the lead. Magnificently done... the home crowd of 52000 were absolutely loving it. Hell of an atmosphere for The Woodsman to be debuting in. Granted it was pretty clear on several occasions that some of his combinations with his new buddies are going to take a lot longer than one training session to work out. Seemed to be on a different page at times, especially in a quieter second half as Watford began to come more into the game.
Newcastle United had only won one of seventeen matches to date this PL season despite holding a lead nine of them – make that 10/18 now. Often teams take confidence from scoring but the Magpies seemed to go the other way. After they took the lead they got timid and nervous. Watford threw more and more at them. Newcastle old boy Moussa Sissoko missed a great chance as errors crept in at the back. Finally João Pedro gave Watford a deserved point with an 87th minute equaliser after Kiko Femenía’s untracked overlapping run led to a gorgeous cross which was met by an equally effective header from JP.
Eddie Howe gave his water bottle a punt. Not a happy chap as Newcastle had to settle for a 1-1 draw... causing them drop a place on the ladder to 19th as Norwich grabbed a surprise 2-1 win over Everton. The only team below them on the ladder now is... drum roll... Burnley Football Club. Who now have three games in hand after yet another covid postponement at the request of an opponent. Leicester City this time. That Newcastle debut offering a bit of a reality check after a whirlwind few days for Chris Wood.
Eddie Howe’s verdict on Wood’s debut: “Chris Wood did well. He competed and gave us a different dynamic. I thought he was a little bit isolated towards the end of the game, so we need to look at that.”
Sean Dyche on Wood’s departure: “He has been performing for a long time and sometimes players do hit a quiet spell. It certainly wasn't us allowing him to sit in his comfort zone. I understand him slightly, maybe he feels he needs a freshness and a difference. I found him an honest fella who knows when he is not doing as well as he can do. He knew he was quieter than what we expected from himself and from us”
“There is no angle on Chris at all. He is a professional footballer, has done very well for the football club and an opportunity arose and he thought it through and decided it was right for him. That is football and being an individual footballer. There is absolutely no question marks in my mind at all, for what he has done here, the goals he scored, the way he performed, the way he has conducted himself and the way he has attempted to be successful here. He has been quieter this season than previous but generally he has done a very, very good job here. These are the things that happen in football, a contract situation opens up and in this case he has decided to go to that football club.”
Up Next: Leeds vs Newcastle, Sunday at 4am (NZT)
Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur / Anna Leat – West Ham United (English Super League)
Anna Leat has played a few times for West Ham already, getting three Conti Cup starts and keeping a clean sheet in each of them, but as far as the WSL footy goes she’s had to sit patiently watching Aussie international Mackenzie Arnold do her thing. But the Matildas are in camp for the Asia Cup at the moment which meant that after nine straight matches as an unused sub in this competition it was tenth time luck for Anna Leat as she was named to make her Women’s Super League debut – the fourteenth kiwi to feature in this competition.
And the first to play for a kiwi manager too, shout out to the impeccably dressed Olli Harder. Plus her debut came against Ria Percival and Tottenham. The newest NZer in the WSL crew against the one with by far the most appearances (57 of the suckers). Percival of course made her WSL debut for West Ham as well.
This was a big game for Spurs who would go second with a win thanks to Chelsea’s postponement (granted Chelsea would have two games in hand). At the very least a win would keep them clear of the two Manchester clubs. West Ham are happily mid-table and a win away from surpassing last time’s points total and they beat Spurs the last time these two teams met. No room for sentimentality.
Spurs were quickly on the attack, Percival carrying on a run from midfield all the way to the corner flag to win a throw, a move which ended in a goal kick to allow Leat a nice early touch of the footy. Her skill with the ball at feet was tested several times against the Tottenham press but she passed those tests nicely with some silky passing and the odd pumping clearance. Then she was called upon for her first bit of proper keeping as a nice move between Rosella Ayane, Tang Jiali, and Ria Percival saw Ayane get in behind and if it weren’t for Grace Fisk getting in the way then Percival would’ve had a tap-in from the square ball.
Without a doubt it was Spurs who took the ascendency in this match but similarly potent chances were rare. West Ham were keen on a physical battle against their London comrades and the early spells were adorned with free kicks, mostly in Spurs’ favour. Percival got clattered for one of them. Ayane’s pace did get her in behind the WHU defence on quarter of an hour but she shot too early and Leat made a simple save. Very soon afterwards Percival refused to give up on a loose ball in the area and almost nicked it away from Leat as she rushed out, leading to this legendary Flying Kiwis image...
Abbey-Leigh Stringer was booked for a late challenge on Percival. Someone was gonna go into the book eventually, that was inevitable. Hawa Cissoko also picked up a yellow around the half hour. Meanwhile Spurs kept trying to force the issue but Anna Leat showed a safe pair of hands to a couple crosses and was alert in rushing out to close down another speedy Ayane run. Also Ashleigh Neville volleyed wide. Plus there were a few other moments where a bit more accuracy from Tottenham might have led to a goal but it wasn’t there. Having said that, West Ham did get more of a foothold as the half went on and might easily have scored as Kate Longhurst’s header back across from a corner was volleyed over the top by Fisk from six yards (albeit off balance). 0-0 at the break.
Spurs made a change at the half, bringing off their defensive midfielder Maeva Clemaron and throwing on attacker Rachel Williams. A move brought about to turn their possession into better chances (Clemaron was also on a yellow tbf) and as a result Ria Percival sat a little deeper in the second half – but only a little, Josie Green did most of the CDM stuff.
Anyway, this game took a massive swing after 52 minutes as a Percival pass into the area saw Tang barged over by Cissoko and while Cissoko avoided a second yellow she couldn’t avoid the penalty that was awarded to Tottenham. Anna Leat facing up to the 12-yard duel on WSL debut... and she so nearly saved it. Dove the correct way but there was no stopping Rosella Ayane’s perfectly dispatched shot into the bottom corner.
As if that wasn’t enough of a blow for the Hammers, less than a minute after they got back into it Hawa Cissoko, still visibly fuming, shoved over Jessica Naz and this time there was no dodging that yellow card. Silly stuff, really. West Ham down a goal and down to ten women in the 55th minute.
And yet a funny thing happened: nothing. The Hammers didn’t seem to play any different with ten than they had eleven, in fact they might have even been a little more ambitious in attack. It always felt like Spurs would have it in them to close it out, especially with their defence, but what they really wanted was a second goal and WHU kept frustrating them. Leat made a great stop closing down Tang after Percy had picked her out in the area with a clever pass. She was also in the right place to grab Angela Addison’s effort from distance. Percival earlier had a shot deflected wide. There was some clutch defending.
Then in stoppage time, this...
Katie Longhurst with the inch perfect header in the knick of time. West Ham snatch a point after all. 1-1 the final score... not sure whether to be fizzed for the Hammers or bummed for Spurs. Bit of both, probably.
By the way, that Asian Cup runs through until at least the end of the month for Australia and potentially another week after that if they go all the way. West Ham have signed a short-term backup keeper in case of emergency but for at least the next four games those gloves will be Anna Leat’s alone. Didn’t have too many saves to make here but the impressive thing was how assured she looked. Composed in possession, really solid with the ball at her feet, pretty good with her timing and judgement, and absolutely flawless against the ball in the air. Turns out she’s a rather handy goalie, aye?
Well, apart from this one hilarious moment, at least…
Up Next: Big week for Spurs with their Conti Cup quarter against Liverpool on Thursday at 8.30am and then they’re away to Manchester United on Monday at 1am... whereas West Ham are also in the Conti Cup and will host Chelsea at the same time on Thursday and then they host Everton in the WSL at 4am on Monday (NZT)
Sarpreet Singh - SSV Jahn Regensburg (German 2. Liga)
The top ranked winger in the 2.Liga strikes again. Regensburg had a great start to the season but limped into the winter break with four losses out of five, though the break seems to have done them well. A tidy refresher and a chance to refocus... and ten minutes into their game away to Sandhausen, Sarpreet Singh swung in a delicious corner kick delivery which was headed in by Steve Breitkreuz for the lead. His eighth assist of the season. Second equal across the league and closing in.
Playing with the lead, SSV Jahn looked comfortable throughout this match. They pressed high and were able to keep Sandhausen in trouble in their own half – although Singh did pick up a yellow card after twenty mins which means he’ll miss their next match due to accumulation, bugger – and then in the 33rd minute they finally gave that lead some buffering as Leon Guwara smashed in a second goal. No assist for Singh on this occasion but it was his pinpoint accurate switch of play that created the move. Another crucial contribution...
Carlo Boukhalfa added a third early in the second half to make the points secure (53’). Not an abundance of shots for Regensburg, only nine in total, but they made them count and were in firm control throughout that second half in particular. Singh was replaced with quarter of an hour to go. On a yellow with the damage already done. First man subbed. A job well done. 3-0 the final score.
Prior to this 2.Liga season, it was touted as the strongest in history thanks to a spate of German glamour clubs of the past being relegated in recent years. At the halfway stage now it’s being touted as the tightest promotion battle the division has ever seen. Living up to the hype. SSV Jahn are not one of those glamour clubs, they’re not a Werder Bremen or Schalke, but for long stretches of the 2021 portion of the season they were right up there leading the way. Their crap December form saw them slip down the ladder but after the win here they’re only six points off top (St Pauli) and two points off the third. Top two places get automatic promotion, third goes into a playoff.
Not sure what that means for a loan player like Sarpreet Singh but hey the better Regensburg are trucking the better his reputation will be. He already made the Bundesliga’s official 2.Liga Team of the Half-Season so repeat the down the back nine and there’ll be plenty more highlight clips to follow.
Bundesliga.com: “On-loan from Bayern Munich, New Zealand international Singh has been tormenting Bundesliga 2 defences thus far in 2021/22. The 22-year-old has started every game for Regensburg, contributing five goals and seven assists to his side's promotion push. He has also covered more ground (118 miles/ 190.4 kilometres) than any Regensburg player and just Jan-Niklas Beste (453) can be found sprinting more than Singh (449) in red and white.”
Up Next: Jahn Regensburg vs Holstein Kiel, Monday at 1.30am (NZT)
Dalton Wilkins - Kolding IF (Danish Division 2)
New signing alert: Dalton Wilkins has turned his Kolding loan into a permanent deal. Signing a contract that’ll take him up to 2024. It means dropping a division from FC Helsingør but in return he’s gonna get much more regular footy so can’t argue with that.
Dalton Wilkins: “I am really looking forward to continuing here. I love being at a club where I feel wanted and respected and where I can contribute towards the team to win matches. The first ambition is to get into the promotion rounds. I hate to lose - and to get into the promotion rounds, matches have to be won. The potential here in the club is huge and I can easily see that all culminating soon! I want to do my part by working hard, fulfilling my potential, and having fun. I've travelled all over the world and have the coolest job in the world. How much better can it get?”
Love the perspective there. As far as the footballing activities go... to be honest, he probably wasn’t going to waltz back into the Helsingør squad while they’re tracking so well. Nando Pijnaker wasn’t getting a game in that backline either. And if they go on to be promoted as is looking likely then that might’ve seen Wilkins left behind. A shame because he was going good with them before his injury... but obviously he’s found a club in Kolding who have made him feel valued so that’s cool. Kolding are currently third to last in the Danish Division 2 yet they’re also only four points off the top half of the table (and those promotion rounds) with five games to go before the cut-off.
Up Next: Saturday at 11pm, returning from the winter break with a home game against Middelfart (NZT)
Liberato Cacace – Sint-Truiden (Belgian Pro League)
There was some doubt as to whether Libby Cacace would even still be at this club after their winter break but STVV have been quiet in the transfer window, selling Yuma Suzuki back to Kashima Antlers in Japan at his request and bringing in Japanese legend Shinji Kagawa (as well as making Daiki Hashioka’s loan permanent) and nothing else. Still two weeks to go in the window but for now Cacace is still with Sint-Truiden and what’s more is that he walked out for the game away to Club Brugge. Four consecutive starts for LB13. Back in the starting eleven now, no dramas.
Club Brugge may have been coming in with a new manager as they try to get back into the title race but regardless STVV knew they were in for another of those games without a heap of possession. For the bulk of the first half they were able to keep things nice and quiet... until, on 29’, a terrible pass across the backline was intercepted and they missed a subsequent chance to clear it before Charles De Ketelaere finally pumped in the opener. Horrid goal to concede in a game like this.
Shots were limited for STVV but Cacace did nearly spark something in the 53rd as he dashed up the left flank onto a long ball in behind the defence. Libby shaped up his man before dropping a shoulder and heading infield for the shot... but it was easily saved at the near post. Ten minutes later he thought he’d been fouled in attack but didn’t get the call and his team were swiftly caught out by a quick ball over the top towards Bas Dost who had the keeper out of position and backtracking as he bore down upon him so he simply lifted the ball over the goalie to score.
Sint-Truiden never much looked like scoring and their keeper had to make a couple sharp stops after Brugge were able to play through their back three frustratingly easily on occasion. The better team won for sure – Cacace’s shot was one of only two on target all night for STVV (and only five overall) and they had a mere 27% of possession. Nevertheless, to go down 2-0 when those were the two goals you conceded? Gotta be frustrated with that. Huge game coming up next against RFC Seraing who are only five points behind them in the relegation playoff spot.
Liberato Cacace: “We gave little away against Club Brugge. Unfortunately we made a mistake on the half hour and Club Brugge punished that mercilessly. At the beginning of the second half we created a few chances. The equalizer didn't come and moments later they punished us for another mistake. That match against Seraing is important, but so was this match.”
Up Next: STVV vs Seraing, Sunday at 6.30am (NZT)
Olivia Chance - Celtic FC (Scottish Premier League)
Last minute levellers seem to be a little too common this week. Liv Chance’s Celtic were in a tough one against Hibernian, a team they’d beaten twice this season (once in the league, once in the league cup semi-final) but by nail-biting 2-1 margins on both occasions. Here they were up 1-0 at the half thanks to a Charlie Wellings goal running onto a Jacynta pass in behind in the 43rd minute but to be honest they should have been up more. Most notably captain Chloe Craig had seen a penalty kick saved half an hour in.
Still, the goal just before the half did give them a boost coming back out. Tegan Bowie and Wellings had further chances. Shen Mengyu had a great one on one late on which she couldn’t convert. There was a deflected free kick that caused some havoc. But no second goal and Hibernian, who had chipped away with chances themselves for most of the match, popped up via Ellis Notley for a 91st minute equaliser after a corner kick. Full game for Liv Chance in midfield though not a heap of attacking influence from her in this one to speak of.
Not what the doctor ordered for the Ghirls. Two more dropped points leaves them seven off Rangers in first place and five behind Glasgow City in second. Gotta get top two for Champions League footy. At least they do also have the cup to think about – the third round of that one coming up midweek as the Hoops seek to add to the SWPL League Cup title they won earlier in the campaign.
Up Next: Away to Edinburgh City in the Scottish Cup third round on Thursday at 8.30am and then away to Partick Thistle in the SWPL on Monday at 3am (NZT)
Nik Tzanev – AFC Wimbledon (English League One)
A clean sheet is always the plan for a goalkeeper. Nik Tzanev hasn’t had too many of them lately, in fact in League One action he’d only had one all season prior to this game. So to keep one in a crucial relegation battle against Morecambe was a big deal. Now, he did get lucky early on when he threw the ball straight out to a Morecambe attacker... but Jonah Ayunga’s shot was easily saved, phew. That proved to be the only shot on target that he would face, granted Tzanev did have to be on his toes as one was blasted into the side-netting a big later and his defence came to his aid a couple times. Plus some shots off target.
The problem was that Dons didn’t bring their best shooting boots either. First half they didn’t do a whole lot but second half they got a few things going and Ollie Palmer thought he’d scored with a dropping header from a corner kick which was magnificently saved. Later on Ayoub Assal struck one off the crossbar from a frisky angle. Then right at the very end Morecambe missed a powerful header off a corner kick and yeah if you haven’t already guessed it ended 0-0. Nik Tzanev’s second clean sheet of the season keeps the Dons one spot out of the relegation zone and two points clear of Morecambe with a pair of games in hand. Getting very sweaty for them though.
Up Next: Weds at 8.45am vs Portsmouth, then Sun at 4am away to Burton (NZT)
Meikayla Moore – Liverpool (English Championship)
Another game in which Meikayla Moore was an unused sub. Less than ideal... although she has been getting good opportunities in the Conti Cup and their quarter-final is on this midweek: against Ria Percival and Tottenham Hotspur so fingers crossed for that. It worked with Anna Leat. Freshly signed American striker Katie Stengel scored the winner as the Reds won 1-0 against Watford; a result that puts them seven points clear at the top of the Championship. Durham have hit a rough spot and tumbled down to fourth after losing to Crystal Palace this weekend and Liverpool have dutifully pounced. Would be better if Moore was playing more but at least she’s on track for promotion to the WSL.
Interestingly, Katie Stengel has a habit of following kiwis around. She was a teammate of Rosie White’s at Boston Breakers (under manager Matt Beard who is now the Liverpool boss). Then when that team folded she was picked up by the Utah Royals where she played with Katie Bowen. And last year she scored 4 goals for Vålerenga playing alongside CJ Bott. Now she’s a newly-minted teammate of Meikayla Moore.
Elsewhere, Katie Rood’s Southampton played their first game for a month beating MK Dons 1-0 with Ella Pusey scoring the only goal in the 68th minute. MK Dons didn’t offer too much bite in attack but they proved tough to break down in defence and any game with only one goal between the teams is a slippery game. Rood replaced Pusey off the bench in the 83rd minute and almost put it beyond doubt getting a shot off just before colliding with the keeper... but it hit the crossbar. Still, a good win despite a late change of venue...
Speaking of stadiums, Southampton have an FA Cup tie against one of Roodie’s old clubs: Bristol City. That’s coming up on the weekend after next and is scheduled to be held at St James Park where the Southampton fellas play. Right on.
No Grace Neville in the squad for London City Lionesses as they played their first game of 2022 after a few postponements (a 3-1 win over Sunderland). Laura Merrin was also missing for Fylde after going off injured last week. They beat Middlesbrough 6-1 to go top of the National League Northern Premier on goal difference ahead of Derby (who have a game in hand). Ashleigh Ward’s Actonians were on the wrong end of a shock 2-1 loss to Kent (Kent’s first win of the season), conceding the winner in the 90th minute. And Rosie Missen got ninety mins as Newcastle United won 3-0 away to Barnsley to move to within two points of the top of their conference.
Up Next: Thursday at 8.30am, Conti Cup quarters, Tottenham vs Liverpool (NZT)
Marko Stamenic – FC Kobenhavn (Danish Superliga)
Marko’s back with the parent club for the winter break, in case you missed it. His loan at HB Køge in the second tier over the first half of the season went pretty great - he was immediately a key player for them in the midfield - but there’s a reason his loan was only until the end of December. The Danish Superliga doesn’t start back up again for another month so clubs tend to use this time to crack into training camps and play some friendlies. Obviously they’d rather as many players as possible partake in that. Stamenic featured prominently for FCK on their preseason tour and this oughta be more of the same.
Sure enough he was out there in the first match of the camps, a 45-minute intrasquad game in which Stamenic seems to have played in central defence. A few of the team’s top players aren’t currently in training which may be why they mixed things up like that. Stamenic played for the ‘away kit’ team though both teams had a combination of first team regulars and depth dudes. The ‘home kit’ team won 1-0 thanks to a Lukas Lerager goal.
Up Next: More where this came from, hopefully
Stefan Marinovic - Hapoel Nof HaGalil (Israeli Premier League)
A 98th minute equaliser conceded when it looked like Nof HaGalil were on the brink of beating fourth-placed Hapoel Tel Aviv? Having been 2-0 up on 50 minutes? With a red card in the 87th minute? Condemning Nof HaGalil to their tenth straight game without a victory? Just another outrageous day at the office for Big Stef.
Doron Leidner had been on the park three minutes before his hard foul led to a straight red card just as Nof HaGalil were starting to get within sight of the finish line. Hit him so hard with the sprigs up that the fella’s shin pad flew out of his sock. Marinovic himself had been booked with about twenty to go, not sure what for but gotta imagine time wasting may have been a possibility. Then in the eighth minute of stoppage time, Tel Aviv with everybody forward for a corner kick, somehow Yoav Tomer was left open to blast in the leveller.
First goal they conceded (soon after missing a chance to go up 3-0) was a heavy deflection which Marinovic saw bounce back off his near post, recovering to then save the follow up but the third attempt, at the far post this time, squeezed under him for 2-1 on 57 mins. Then the second goal was just a mess of frenetic defending. They had their chances to clear the ball yet couldn’t get it done and blokes were running around and leaving players unmarked in the box when they had no need to be rushing up like that. Not good. Ah well.
Up Next: Sunday at 2am against Hapoel Haifa (NZT)
Joey Champness - GZT Giresunspor (Turkish Süper Lig)
Another substitute cameo for Joey Champness who at this point is beginning to feature in a whole lot more games than not. This was his tenth league appearance for the club with eight of those ten coming since late November. Unfortunately they lost 2-0 to Kasımpaşa.
Up Next: Thursday at 6am away to Trabzonspor, then Monday at 2am vs Alanyaspor (NZT)
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