Marko Stamenic – FC København (Danish Superliga)

Make that two trophies in two weeks because Marko Stamenic has completed a league and cup double with FC København. He’ll be departing with a couple extra winners’ medals in his luggage. Great way to finish a season in which he also broke a 15-year drought for kiwi blokes in the Champions League... yet strangely in between those achievements was a six month period in which he barely kicked a ball after he was pushed out of the usual rotation following his announcement that he’d be signing with Serbian champs Red Star Belgrade on a free transfer after the season.

But you know what? The bro stayed ready and when the team needed him again, amidst injuries and some season-defining fixtures, he’s come back into prominence which has allowed him to say farewell to the club that gave him his break in a beautiful fashion. Plus in another example of some supreme character, Stamenic celebrated both titles as passionately as anyone despite the fact that he’s leaving.

FCK were one point clear of Nordsjælland heading into the penultimate round of the Superliga campaign. It was Copenhagen whose game kicked off first. Away against Viborg, they blitzed it in the first half to lead 2-0 after goals from Jordan Larsson (15’) and Diogo Goncalves (33’), the latter following up on his own missed penalty. Sweet as. One further step towards defending their championship... but the second half got frisky. A handball in the area, not too dissimilar to the penalty that went their way earlier on, gave Viborg a spot kick which Jacob Bonde converted on 62’ and suddenly FCK were one mistake away from giving control of the race back to FCN. So what did they do? They did this...

As you would. Marko Stamenic on as part of a double sub with 25 mins remaining to hang onto that lead. Jumped on as a defensive midfielder and immediately did defensive midfielder things. Concurrently there were injury stoppages and substitutions constantly slowing the game down, all in Copenhagen’s favour. Then Viborg got a red card which aided the cause.

Eventually the 2-1 full-time result went in the books and everyone could gather around a screen to watch Brøndby smoke Nordsjælland 5-1. Joe Bell didn’t play so who cares about that game. Very annoying to see him serve unused sub duty again... but the FCN loss was more consequential because that result confirmed FC København as Danish league champions for the second season in a row. Wouldn’t have picked it given how poorly they started but here we are. Marko Stamenic, live it up.

How significant is this achievement? Well Wynton Rufer and Sarpreet Singh won the Bundesliga in Germany so those probably top this one (Wynton’s certainly does given how much of a key player he was for Werder Bremen) but after that... this might be the next on the list. Chris Killen won the Scottish Prem with Celtic but Denmark is higher on the UEFA coefficients. Kiwi blokes winning top tier league titles in Europe does not happen very often. Shout out to Marko Stamenic... who’ll hopefully add a Serbian title to the tally next year.

Up Next: One last farewell to Denmark with a Monday 3am game against Randers (NZT)

Olivia Chance - Celtic FC / Vic Esson - Rangers FC (Scottish Premier League)

The SWPL has been a great one to follow all season with the top four clubs each with a New Zealander on their books. Of course, it would’ve been even more superior had that quartet been able to avoid injuries throughout the campaign with only a rarity of weeks seeing all four involved but there were glorious moments throughout. And it was destined to end with one last bit of silverware as Liv Chance’s Celtic played Vic Esson’s Rangers in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park.

Chance is out injured with that knee complaint picked up on the last Ferns duty. Hasn’t played since... though was still there in support of the team (surely a good sign). Meanwhile Vic Esson had to watch from the bench last week as Rangers lost their final league game to not only miss out on the championship but also on Champions League qualification. However her turn came in the big cup final, named to start at the national stadium in front of an excited crowd.

Esson had her work cut out dealing with those notorious Celtic corner kick deliveries and then from open play she had to stretch to be sure she wasn’t beaten for an own goal. Chuck in a Shen Mengyu shot fired past her post and Celtic were all over Rangers in the initial phases. Rangers didn’t get much going in attack but they did hang on until half-time. However the pace of those Celtic forwards was proving a menace.

Eventually the Hoops got their reward as Esson’s punch through a crowded six yard box, another one of them corners, didn’t get much distance. The follow-up shot was nothing worrisome until it was diverted in by Natasha Flint reacting quickest. Claire O’Riordan then flipped a perfectly looped header from near post to far post for a second from another corner three minutes later.

That was the winning of the cup right there. Rangers still had twenty minutes to have a punt and they thought they’d hauled one back late via one of their subs but the VAR overruled it for offside. Marginal. Anyway, Celtic claimed the title 3-0 and Liv Chance got amongst the cellies...

Extra credit for donning the proper shirt and shorts so that all the photos look proper... but restricting it to sneakers without game socks so as not to look like a muppet (a la John Terry back in the day).

Cool story: Rangers won the League Cup, Glasgow City won the SWPL, and Celtic won the Cup. Meaning that Vic Esson, Meikayla Moore, and Liv Chance all won trophies this season in Scotland.

Not so cool story: none of them actually played in any of the decisive games. Moore and Chance were injured while Esson was an unused sub back in December for the League Cup final, then started the one that they lost at the end of the term. By the way, Celtic won both cups last year so this is Chance’s third trophy in two years with the club.

Up Next: World Cup stuff, clearly... but keep an eye out for re-signing news too

Marco Rojas – Colo-Colo (Chilean Primera División)

Special things right here...

The late equaliser that helped keep Colo-Colo’s Copa Libertadores campaign going, sure, but more importantly a competition debut for Marco Rojas. He’d been an unused sub in each of the previous three group stage fixtures but this time, with the Eternal Champs trailing 1-0 to a flicked header from a corner midway through the second half away to Monagas of Venezuela... he finally was summoned.

This makes Marco Rojas the first New Zealander to play in South America’s top continental club competition. It also means that there has now been a New Zealander in the Champions League equivalents of all six confederations (making Aotearoa the 17th nation to be able to make such a claim). And Rojas, the legend, has played in two of them: Asia & South America. There’s a bit more where that came from in our Substack newsletter from last Friday.

He was also the bloke who made the cut-back that sparked the equaliser. Nobody picked up his pass but the ball wasn’t cleared and soon Marcos Bolados was slamming that thing home. Despite a late red card, Colo-Colo got out of there with a 1-1 draw. They now have 5 points with a couple of matches left, sitting third in the group behind Boca Juniors (Argentina) and Deportivo Pereira (Colombia).

There have been rumours for a while now that Rojas was angling for an early release from his contract. Struggles to adapt to the lifestyle coupled with a shrink in his playing opportunities this year. It’s now understood by Chilean sources that he’ll be granted that release... potentially as soon as the very next game. That game is away to Boca Juniors and CC absolutely cannot afford to lose. Would be one heck of a way to say farewell to pop up with a crucial goal there.

As it stands, Rojas has played 19 times with 1 goal and 5 assists across all comps. Most of those appearances as a substitute which makes the strike rate pretty decent... there just hasn’t been enough room for him there lately. But no matter what happens, he’ll always be the first kiwi to play Copa Libertadores futbol.

Up Next: Boca Juniors vs Colo-Colo, Wednesday 7 June at midday (NZT)

Rebekah Stott - Brighton & Hove Albion / CJ Bott - Leicester City (English Super League)

Last game of the season, the WSL at a conclusion. Brighton had nothing to play for having already avoided relegation and perhaps that was the healthy impetus to give Rebekah Stott another start in central defence (right side of a three). Leicester City, on the other hand, still needed something to go their way in order to remain in the top flight. That something was probably going to be Chelsea beating Reading in another game but always better to take care of it yourself. Hence CJ Bott was out there at right back as she always is when the full strength unit is deployed.

Bott was involved plenty in the initial moments, with a couple of scrappy attacks up her flank followed by a sneaky goal-line clearance ghosting inside the post to keep things level. There was also one getting over to cut off a square ball across the six yard box. LCFC also had a couple of instances getting in behind (one from a CJB long ball) but shots went wide with the keeper to beat. Carrie Jones wasted a huge chance wide open from eight yards going for power over precision and completely miss-hitting it.

Since it wouldn’t have been right to end the term without another Bott yellow card, she got that one out of the way in the 28th minute with a late step in on Lee Geum-min. That was all part of the pattern as heaps of fouls broke up the rhythm of the game... although one that didn’t get called was an apparent trip on Aileen Whelan in the box for LCFC. Feisty contest. Stotty blocked a shot that was aimed on target seconds before the whistle blew. Half-time, still nil-all... at which point news would have surely filtered through of a second goal for Chelsea against Reading, making Leicester’s survival all but a given (Chelsea went on to win 3-0 and claim their fourth successive WSL title).

Nevertheless, might as well make sure of it. Thus Leicester City got the second half going with a roar, making particular inroads up the right edge with CJ Bott getting nice and advanced. She swung in one delicious cross that nobody got a head to it in the middle. As things went on they found a few other points of attack too... only drama was whether they had the cutting edge to score from any of them. Stott with a few timely clearances in there.

Finally, after 72 minutes, LCFC were able to bundle one home from a corner kick scramble. Ava Baker with the decisive touch. Immediately Brighton subbed off Rebekah Stott – although not for an extra attacking push, seemingly more to give club stalwart Victoria Williams a farewell run before her contract expires. Five mins later Bott was also subbed off as Leicester City mixed it up for the last quarter hour of the campaign. This one was due to end without a kiwi on the pitch but that’s okay as it was also the only WSL game all season to feature two NZers in the starting line-ups. Stott did meet Percival on Ria’s return but Percy came off the bench and they only overlapped for about thirty seconds. Better late than never...

It ended 1-0 to Leicester, that Baker goal the only separator, which actually means that Leicester finished ahead of Brighton on the table thanks to goal difference. But the most important thing is that both ended up five points clear of relegated Reading. Especially for LCFC, who lost their first nine games before a superb midseason turnaround (that CJB was a large part of). Happy days when no New Zealanders get relegated.

Up Next: Enjoy that continued top flight status... then quickly into Football Ferns focus

Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur (English Super League)

Elsewhere in the WSL there was a dead-rubber game between West Ham and Tottenham which ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw. These are the two teams that Ria Percival has played WSL footy for and there was a hope that she might get the start with nothing on the line... but she might not quite be ready for that yet. At any rate it’s best to stay careful with the World Cup on the horizon.

So Percy was on the bench as Beth England scored a double for Spurs. The first was a sharp header from a lobbed cross after twenty minutes, yet before she could hit ‘em again Spurs had conceded twice themselves. A few instances not being able to progress the ball from the back eventually caught them out as Emma Snerle curled in a sharp finish on 38’, then just before the break Kit Graham nodded a free kick into her own net. Luckily England was straight on the case, levelling things up on 48’ with a striker’s finish at the near post from a lovely sweeping attack. West Ham went closest to a winner but didn’t get one.

It wasn’t until the 86th minute that we got a Percival introduction – Spurs’ fifth and final change. Granted she did have a sneakily useful cameo getting on the ball as an extra midfielder and steadying things for her team. In fact the game (and thus the season) ended with the ball at her feet.

Interesting sidenote to this is that West Ham boss Paul Konchesky was fired the day after the game, having failed to kick on with this team after kiwi coach Olli Harder left. Harder’s departure seemed to have a lot to do with the club failing to invest properly in its women’s team – WHU were the only Super League club this season who didn’t play a single game at their club’s main stadium (aka where the Premier League/equivalent men’s team plays). A number of players, including Anna Leat, also left at the same time.

Having said that, they might be able to get Harder back now because he got sacked by SK Brann a couple weeks ago. Harder had returned to Norway, where he previously had success coaching Klepp (including while Kirsty Yallop was there – Harder has also worked with Yallop’s wife Tameka at Klepp, West Ham & Brann), initially to be the sporting director for SK Brann. But when they sacked their coach a few months later he moved into that role instead.

Despite winning the league and cup double in 2022, a slow start to the new season saw Harder removed from his post after only seven games following discussions with the board, the new sporting director, and some senior players. There’s chat he might stay on in an academy role although his impressive time at West Ham and, this season aside, in Norway should mean he gets offers if he’s open to them.

Speaking of Anna Leat, it was another bench role as Aston Villa beat Arsenal 2-0. Rachel Daly scored again for her 22nd goal in 22 games to clinch the Golden Boot. Also a fifth clean sheet for Hannah Hampton. Hampton played 15 games while Leat got seven. Leat’s save percentage and rate of concession are better and she’s also much a much better distributor but Hampton was the incumbent and her late season form was superb (might even get her a trip to the World Cup as a backup for England, we shall see).

CJ Bott played 19 games out of the 22 game season, often off the bench in the early struggles and then as a key regular when Leicester City were thriving. Anna Leat was next with 7 appearances for Villa, three up on her first season in the WSL. Rebekah Stott’s injuries kept her to 5 games for Brighton while Ria Percival came off the bench in each of the final 4 matches for Spurs. Not sure about Bott’s status but the other three are definitely contracted for next season and LCFC will surely want Bott back too.

Up Next: You know the drill... Footy Ferns camp

Liberato Cacace – Empoli (Italian Serie A)

All throughout this season, Libby Cacace has had to serve backup duties behind the breakthrough talent of Fabiano Parisi. But Parisi is going to leave in the summer, his agent has basically confirmed it, while Empoli coach Paolo Zanetti has constantly reiterated that Cacace is very much a player in his future plans. It therefore stood to reason that once they’d finally gone and officially dodged relegated, Cacace should get a bit more of a chance as preparations begin for next season... right?

Right. Some dodgy form meant it took them a lot longer to achieve that than they’d have liked but they turned it around with a few hefty performances over the past month – including a 4-1 win over Juventus a week ago. With that in the bag their Serie A survival was an absolute guarantee and what do ya know the very next game, away to Verona, came with the name Liberato Cacace in the starting line-up (amongst several other similar changes).

Cacace’s still had sprinklings of appearances across the season so nothing was new here. Not even the trend of his central defenders looking long or central and missing him wide open out wide. Although be careful what you wish for there because there was one hospital pass sent his way which Cacace got to before it went out but then slipped over on the off-pitch tarpaulins and stayed down for a few seconds.

Ah but when it was his turn to lump a long ball, it almost led to a goal as he drew the keeper out of his area. That attack kept going and soon enough Cacace was skipping onto a through ball with an angled run and shooting on target back across goal... where the keeper hacked it away for a corner. Positive areas.

This was a strange game because Verona were battling to get out of the relegation zone, looking low on confidence but high on desperation, while Empoli were feeling good but their rotated team lacked a bit of purpose, especially in the attacking third. So there were chances at both ends and although Verona had more of them it was Cacace’s shot that came closest to a goal in this scoreless first half. LC also had a shot blocked after a free kick was half cleared.

Worth a note that Cacace stood over the dead ball several times in the first half, each time providing the dummy take rather than the actual free kick delivery. But those were from fouls around the penalty area. In the second half, with Verona quick to foul whenever Empoli got on the break, there were several free kicks won down the left edge in deeper positions and each time Cacace stepped up to swing them into the penalty area. The third of those probably should’ve led to a goal, a beauty of a cross...

Empoli paid the price for missing that one when Adolfo Gaich followed up a long shot to put Verona into a 61st minute lead. There had been a handball not spotted earlier in the play, prior to which Empoli had twice turned it over in their own half. Then after the keeper didn’t parry the ball far enough from his goal Gaich held off Cacace on his inside to get to the seconds. Lots of little imprecisions.

The handy thing about resting dudes is that you tend to have a strong bench as a consequence. So once Empoli went to their subs it was a different story. Petar Stojanović in particular really sparked things up for them as they spent the last fifteen minutes (plus six of stoppage time) in full dominant mode... and most of their attack was coming down Cacace’s wing – including one super low cross that nobody got on the end of.

Cacace’s tireless overlapping sprints late in the game had to have impressed his boss however the equaliser, when it did come, happened from a rare foray down the other side. Stojanović with a strike that was deflected into his own net but a defender. Fifth minute added on. 1-1 the final score, a brutal way for Verona to miss out of climbing out of the drop zone. Also probably Cacace’s best ever Serie A game from an attacking perspective (didn’t have too much defending to do tbf). Plenty more where this came from next season, fingers crossed.

Say, would you look at this...

Up Next: Empoli vs Lazio on Monday, last game of the season, kickoff time still TBD (NZT)

Matthew Garbett - NAC Breda (Dutch Eerste Divisie)

Here it was: promotion playoff time. NAC Breda vs MVV in the first of the three rounds and there was a blow as soon as the first leg teamsheet was revealed with top striker Elias Mar Omarsson watching from the stand with an injury. Not what you want for a game of this magnitude... maybe he’d have done better with the early cutback move that Matt Garbett helped instigate which went to waste.

Garbs also had a claim for a penalty as he tried to square a chipped switch of play. Deffo hit the arm of his marker but it was tucked in so no dramas. Very bright start from NAC in front of their home fans. Garbett heavily involved. They were getting the ball into the area, just had to keep knocking at the door. Eventually they did get some reward when Garbett played a ball across the top of the box to Odysseus Velanas, who was tripped and then scored the resulting penalty himself. 1-0 after 40 mins – at this stage MVV hadn’t even attempted a shot.

Onwards we went with the same story. NAC were moving the ball well but the cutting edge was missing. Bossing the home leg as they were, that was natural concern knowing that MVV would surely be stronger in their own stadium. A long VAR check for a disallowed offside goal after an hour didn’t help. Garbett put in a cross that was headed off target. Another glanced wide after a free kick. These weren’t overt chances but they were enough that something might’ve broken for them. Garbett drifted across the defensive line at pace on 85’ but his shot was stabbed just wide. So it was that they had to settled for a 1-0 victory. A good win, a dominant win, a comfortable clean sheet... but was it to be enough?

Yeah mate don’t even worry about it. The away leg on Sunday morning NZT came with the welcome return of Omarsson and twenty minutes into an open and entertaining footy game that bloke ran onto a lobbed ball over the top and caught the keeper in no-man’s-land. Omarsson chipped it over him for 1-0. Soon after he squared a ball across goal for Sabir Agougil to curl home with his left foot. 2-0 after half an hour. Then a bit later Matt Garbett rushed a dude in midfield and caused the ball to come loose, another fella then fed it forward and Ezechiel Banzuzi made it 3-0.

It was enough that the Breda fans got carried away in their corner and the game had to be postponed for a spell. Any time that stuff gets thrown onto the pitch in the Netherlands now the ref takes the players off and yet somehow it keeps happening. Anyway, they returned ten mins later to see out the first half. NAC were now 4-0 up on aggregate so ten mins into the second spell they subbed off Omarsson to protect him. Ten minutes after that it was Matt Garbett’s turn to take a rest. A quiet game from Garbs although he did contribute to that third goal. He also smacked an early shot past the post and had another blocked. Naturally they conceded as soon as he went off... but they later added another one for the 5-1 aggregate victory.

No dramas whatsoever. Well, apart from their keeper getting needlessly sent off in the 83rd minute rushing off his line and out of his box and slide tackling a fella with the sprigs showing. They’d already used their three sub windows too so forward Jort van der Sande had to put the gloves on. Could be a worry next round with an inexperienced backup having to fill in. For now though it’s job done and through to the semis where they’ll face the 16th placed team from the Eredivisie.

Up Next: NAC vs Emmen on Thursday at 4.45am, then the away leg is on Sunday at 6am (NZT)

Jacqui Hand - Åland United (Finnish Kansallinen Liiga)

Toughest game of the season so far up against KuPS but this game was also on the back of some outstanding form from both the club overall and more specifically from their kiwi forward. KuPS had only lost their first game a week earlier against leaders HJK. After four consecutive wins-to-nil this was the real test for Åland... and they wasted little time in getting going, soon enough taking the lead on 22 mins. Dana Leskinen from the penalty spot after an inadvertent handball. Then Leskinen added a second ten mins later and how good was this going?

Hmm, but KuPS pulled one back with a header from a corner straight after for the first goal that AU have conceded in over a month. That score held into the break despite both teams having big chances. Next strike was gonna be huge... and it was Aada Törrönen with an individual stunner on 56’ for AU (could’ve passed to Hand on her left but okay, no dramas).

KuPS again responded strong and this time they really went for it. Two goals in ten minutes had us all tied up going into the last ten mins. A draw probably would’ve been an acceptable result for both teams. Instead, AU broke away in the 86th and Tilda Ratts nudged in a counter attacking winner for a 4-3 Åland United win. No Jacqui Hand goal contributions for once but she did get a late yellow card as her team held on for a great win, a result which lifts them up above their opponents on goal difference and into second place. They’re three points behind HJK. Yeah, this lot are cooking.

Up Next: Away to TPS on Saturday at 2am (NZT)

Max Mata & Nando Pijnaker – Sligo Rovers (League of Ireland Premier Division)

The lads...

Mata and Pijnaker made their All Whites debuts in the same game. They were teammates at U20 level. They were teammates at GC Zurich. Now they’re teammates at Sligo Rovers and not only that but this season each have elevated into being really key players for the Irish club. Mata, of course, is leading the Golden Boot standings across the LOI and that’s still the case after he missed a couple games with a muscle injury. Games which Sligo lost both of, if you were wondering.

Max Mata was back for the clash with top of the table Derry City and just in time to help halt a three-game skid against the in-form team in the lands. He didn’t score. But his hold-up play was superb throughout showing just how deep his influence is for this team beyond the goals that he scores. The deflected goal that Will Fitzgerald scored for Sligo after three minutes only happened because Mata drew in two defenders challenging for the header off the initial cross. Then bang went Fitzy and Sligo Rovers were ahead.

They had the ball in the net again when Pijnaker lifted a long one over the top to Kailin Barlow but the offside flag soon followed. Pijnaker then picked up a knock after half an hour and wasn’t able to continue. His substitution 32 minutes into game #18 of the campaign ended his streak as the last remaining outfielder at the club to have played every minute this season. Goalkeeper Luke McNicholas is still hanging in with the everpresent club though.

Derry City were surprisingly off their game in the first half. Didn’t really create much even after Pijnaker went off. Second half was different as they turned up the heat yet it still kinda felt like Sligo were more likely to add a second, especially on the break. They almost did on 74’ but the ref called things back for a foul on halfway... committed by a Sligo player off the ball, leading to John Mahon’s second yellow. One centre-back off injured, the other sent off. From there it was a matter of clinging to what they had. Mata took the ball to the corner a few times. Derry went close with some cracks from distance. Sligo Rovers won it 1-0. As soon as Max Mata returned, their form returned. Funny that.

Up Next: Away to Bohemians at 6.45am Saturday (NZT)

Callum McCowatt - FC Helsingør (Danish Division 1)

Another game, another McCowatt goal. He’d gone a couple without one so he was due. This was in a 1-1 draw against Vejle, who have already been promoted, while FCH have already missed out on promotion. A solid point in an otherwise meaningless game in which Vejle gave debuts to three youth players. McCowatt’s goal came after a corner kick was whipped back to him on the edge of the area, CMC then picking out a lovely corner finish as he tends to do – his ninth of the season to go with five assists. Note that he was back in midfield for this match... which Vejle later levelled up. By all accounts it was a game played with the spirit of a preseason friendly.

Pity there doesn’t seem to be any available video of the goal. Helsingør were the home team which usually means highlights showing up on their website but they seem to have given up on media for this season since they missed out on promotion. It’s all about next year and youth players and whatever now. Whether McCowatt is a part of that next year or not remains to be seen... he has one year left on his contract and a bit of market value after his strong season.

Up Next: Last game of the season away to SønderjyskE at 11pm on Sunday (NZT)

Ally Green - AGF (Danish Kvindeliga)

Ninety minutes, an assist, and a 4-1 victory. Can’t argue with any of that for Ally Green. That’s a fourth straight win for AGF after beating Næstved which has them four points clear at the top of the relegation playoffs. With two more games left, they aren’t mathematically safe yet (top two out of six stay up) but they should take care of the rest in due course. One more win will do it. Ideally they wouldn’t have had to do the playoff thing but since they did they might as well dominate it.

Meanwhile there was no Daisy Cleverley for HB Køge this week but they did beat Kolding 4-0 to stay top of the championship ladder with two games to go. Four more points will clinch it from here, HBK seeking a third league title in a row. They play second-placed Brøndby in the last game of the season though could secure the title next week if they win and BIF don’t. Most likely it’ll come down to that final match... granted HBK did only draw against their next opponents Fortuna Hjørring last time they met (and previously lost to BIF for that matter) so they’re a long way from comfortable with it.

Up Next: AGF vs B93 at 11pm on Saturday; FH vs HBK at 3am on Sunday (NZT)

Elijah Just - AC Horsens (Danish Superliga)

It’s not looking good, bruh. Callum McCowatt might have some familiar Division 1 company in Denmark after Eli Just’s team lost again this week. Scored first but went down 2-1 away to OB. Just only got the last ten mins off the bench after the goals had all been scored already.

Horsens are now last in the Superliga relegation playoffs... but there is still some flickering hope. They face Lyngby in the final game of the season whom they’re tied on 27 points with. Beat them and then pray that Aalborg drop points against Silkeborg and they’ll remain in the top flight. But if AaB win that game or if Horsens don’t win theirs then it’s a ticket on the relegation train, unfortunately. Can’t blame anyone but themselves when they’ve only taken four points from nine games since the relegation round began, only winning one of their last fifteen games overall.

Up Next: The relegation decider against Lyngby at midnight on Saturday/Sunday (NZT)

Abby Erceg – Racing Louisville (American National Women’s Soccer League)

Erceg: “In North Carolina, winning became an expectation, and you kind of lose the excitement with it. You just expect it to happen, and it happens. I think I missed that feeling of like, 'I want to really work hard for it' and that feeling of, 'We really deserve this, and nobody expected that from us.'”

Abby Erceg hadn’t particularly wanted to be traded from North Carolina but once it happened there’s no doubt that she’s embraced the task at Racing Louisville. That task hasn’t always been easy as a their first win of the year proved extremely elusive. But with that monkey off their back they quickly won a second to head into the Erceg/Pickett Derby against NC Courage in the right space to make a statement.

Sadly that didn’t happen. They lost 2-1. Failed to take advantage of a couple of good chances while the scores were still even then conceded twice in seven minutes between 53-60. The second being a superb hit from Kerolin, one of Erceg’s ex-teammates from last year. Louisville did get a goal back towards the end thanks to Jordan DiBasi but too late to change the course. Stink buzz... forget the personal narratives because the most consequential thing here is dropped points against a team that’ll likely be in the same quest for the fringe spots in the top six come the end of the season.

Speaking of, Angel City aren’t looking too flash at the moment. They got battered 4-1 by OL Reign and now only have one win from their last seven NWSL fixtures. Claire Emslie had given them the lead directly from a corner kick but a hat-trick of Megan Rapinoe assists turned that one around. Ali Riley was left on the bench to start with as Jun Endo was surprisingly picked at left back... maybe a specific tactical idea? Whatever it was, it didn’t work because she had to be subbed off injured and left the ground on crutches. Riley came on in her place after 53 minutes.

Long story short... not a good week for kiwis in the NWSL.

Up Next: Louisville have a Challenge Cup game vs Chicago at midday Thursday, then are away to Washington in the NWSL midday Sunday; Angel City are also in CC action away to Portland at 2.30pm Thursday then wait until 2pm Tuesday to host Chicago in the league (NZT)

Bill Tuiloma – Charlotte FC (American Major League Soccer)

Noice.

Also noice to see Charlotte FC winning a game with Bill Tuiloma in the line-up. Starting CB again with LA Galaxy on the agenda, meaning a meeting against his old All Whites teammate Tyler Boyd, and luckily the Galaxy are a mess at the moment. Thus Charlotte hung around long enough to eventually bag a Karol Swiderski goal on 73’ to go with a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory. Boyd got ninety on the right wing same as Tui did in the opposite defence. Chicharito was sent off late for LAG.

Boyd should’ve probably set up Chicharito for a first half goal but he lifted his driven square cross when he didn’t need to and made it too hard for his striker. Disappointing also to see CFC attacking free kicks being taken by players without the name Tuiloma on their jerseys. The winning goal came from a corner kick, pushed in by KS at the back stick after it’d gone over Tuiloma’s head at the near one. Solid three points for that lot.

Particularly after they were knocked out of the US Open Cup midweek. Beaten 1-0 by lower tier Birmingham Legion in a game where Tuiloma was initially left on the bench, rested having just come back from injury, only to have to play most of the second half after Adilson Malanda was sent off. Minnesota United were also eliminated in the round of sixteen getting whupped 4-0 by Houston Dynamo also with a red card against them. The Loons responded with a 1-1 draw against Real Salt Lake. Michael Boxall played all of both matches. Not their most memorable week though...

Up Next: Philadelphia Union vs Charlotte FC, Thursday at 11.30am; Columbus Crew vs Charlotte FC, Sunday at 11.30am (NZT)

Matt Dibley-Dias - Fulham (English Premier League)

He didn’t get on for that debut but Matt Dibley-Dias did make the bench for Fulham’s last match of the season: away to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Fulham lost 2-1, keeping it close which perhaps didn’t help MDD’s chances of featuring... still, that’s twice in the last month that Dibley-Dias has made a Premier League matchday squad. Pretty good odds that he’ll see some preseason opportunities when the team reconvenes in a month or two. Then maybe, just maybe, we might see him at the 2024 Olympics with a silver fern on his chest. No pressure.

Up Next: Season in the books, ‘til next time

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