Flying Kiwis – November 20
Kiara Bercelli - Sampdoria / Katie Bowen - Inter Milan (Italian Serie A)
Ten days after making her club debut at Sampdoria off the bench in a Coppa Italia match, Kiara Bercelli got to add a league debut to her list of milestones. And not only did she get her league debut, she got it as a starter. But wait there’s more because she started on Serie A debut... against an Inter Milan team featuring kiwi legend Katie Bowen, arguably Aotearoa’s top performing female footballer right now.
Bercelli lined up as the right-winger in what was effectively a 4-5-1 formation. Keep in mind that Sampdoria had sacked their coach after the previous league game following a winless start through nine games. They’d promoted the U19s coach as interim, though he wasn’t the same Primavera boss that Bercelli played for in her first season in Italy (due to her spending last season out on loan in the second tier). Still, the change in thinking is probably what snuck her into the starting team having gotten used to being an unused sub up until this point. She’d been in every Serie A squad but hadn’t been subbed on. Suddenly she was starting.
Bercelli’s first involvement was to fake a lefty free kick, running over the ball so that a right-footer could swing it in with some surprise instead. She proceeded to do that pretty much every time Sampdoria had a set piece. But her first actual touch? That was an angled run directed towards Bowen... until Bercelli thought better of taking on one of Aotearoa’s best and instead turned and passed backwards. Other than that they barely crossed paths, what with Bowen being stationed as a very wide right-sided CB in their back three. That’s the normal role for Bowen, one which allows her the freedom to overlap when she sees fit.
Inter Milan were supposed to win this game handily so no surprises that they took the lead after only 15 mins when Tess Wullaert finished off a slick team move with a tidy finish. They didn’t exactly run away with it from there though. Bercelli was one of the main instigators in a pretty effective Sampdoria press and although Internazionale had nearly two-thirds of possession there were still a few instances of Bercelli being able to get on the ball in the attacking third and showing off her tenacious running. The 19yo completed 11/15 passes... believe it or not that was a slightly higher percentage than Bowen’s 45/63 passes. Admittedly Bowen was a lot more involved in trying to instigate attacks so not exactly a proper equivalency.
Inter Milan did eventually score a second through Wullaert in the 59th minute. Lina Magull then banged in a third after 73 mins and that was the cue for Bercelli to take her rest after a very solid debut. It was also the cue for Katie Bowen to get yellow carded. The goal came from a cross that drifted through everyone and inside the far post and it looked like Bowen, for some reason, had a harsh word or two for the defender on the post. The goalie for Sampdoria got in her face in retaliation with said keeper also getting a yellow.
Dunno what that was about but all good. Inter Milan won 3-0. Katie Bowen played ninety minutes and was part of another clean sheet effort. Thanks to this result, Inter gain a bit of ground on Juventus and Sampdoria, who each drew this week. Those are the only two teams above them right now. Sampdoria remain last with three points from 10 matches but it’s cool because now they’ve discovered the value of having a New Zealander in the team so that’s bound to change soon.
Kiara Bercelli thus joins Katie Bowen and also Katie Rood as having played in Serie A Femminile. It’s not a long list but it just got a little bit longer. One day perhaps we’ll even get a compatriot in Italy whose name doesn’t start with a K. As for the men’s Serie A, that’s an even shorter list with Liberato Cacace forming the entirety of it. Matt Garbett got as close as the bench a few times but never got on the pitch for Torino. Niko Kirwan never made it beyond Serie B.
Up Next: Lazo vs Sampdoria at 12.30am Sunday; Inter vs Napoli at 2.45am Sunday (NZT)
CJ Bott - Leicester City (English Super League)
Got some good news about CJ Bott missing the previous couple starts... turns out she had a calf injury. That makes more sense than her being dropped considering the defensive masterclasses she’d been serving up (granted, the team’s lack of attacking output still would have been a justified reason to switch things up... thankfully it hasn’t come to that yet). Bott did play off the bench against West Ham last time so she only missed one full game. And she was back this week with a ninety minute outing as the Foxes took on Manchester United.
CJ Bott: “I think we've definitely had an up and down start to the season. Amandine [Miquel] has brought in a different style of play for us, but one that we are keen to take under our wing. It's been tough but we've had some great performances and I think we are definitely on the up and we know what we need to work on from game to game. We're feeling stronger at the back and that's a testament to what Amandine has brought in since arriving. It's something we wanted to change from last season and you can see we're a strong backline.
It's been good that we've stayed relatively consistent over the last couple of years and that's been helpful to build those relationships and chemistry. Hopefully we can start transitioning that success to the top of the pitch as well. As footballers, we want to win, that's why we're here, so it's difficult to be struggling at the moment but we all have the long-term goal in mind so we know what we're setting out to achieve and I think what Amandine has brought here is something really positive that everyone is buying into.”
But yeah nah this wasn’t to be the game that busted Leicester City out of their mini-slump. Nor was it the game where they figured out how to score goals. They did defend pretty well through pressure for almost all of the first half, however an Elisabeth Terland header on 45+3’ gave MUFC what they probably deserved. Bott wasn’t able to get close enough to compete for the header as the cross from Geyse curled away.
It might have been a different story had Hannah Cain not dragged one wide from ten yards while it was still scoreless. To be honest though, the shots that LCFC forged for themselves were mostly low-percentage efforts. CJ Bott did assist a couple of those chances but the only shot on target they could muster came in the 85th minute and it was a gently deflected shot from distance. By then they’d conceded a second goal, Celin Ildhusoy on 81’ showing too much pace for CJB stealing onto a bad touch from the kiwi facing her own goal. Let us not talk about that goal ever again.
On the positive side, even after missing a chunk of time, CJ Bott is still high up there on most of the big defensive stats...
Up Next: Away to Brighton in the Conti Cup on Monday at 3am (NZT)
Indiah-Paige Riley - Crystal Palace (English Super League)
Didn’t get a goal this time. Didn’t get a win. They almost got a draw... but that didn’t happen either.
Crystal Palace took the lead after 30 minutes against Aston Villa through My Cato, following the example of Indi Riley in the previous game by scoring her first for the club, but goals for Anna Patten (40’) and Rachel Daly (45+5’) prior to half-time soon had the Villans in front. Indi Riley was used as a right wing-back this time, carrying on with her growing reputation for playing wherever the heck the coach needs her to along that right edge. Several times she got forward into space in the penalty area but the ball didn’t find its way to her (one of which being Cato’s goal). She did swing a few crosses into the mixer and of course there were no complaints about her defensive shifts. Decent enough performance. But with Palace still trailing, she was subbed after 66 minutes.
When Annabel Blanchard whipped in an 86th minute equaliser at the back post it seemed as though Palace actually would get something from this game after all. But then Ebony Salmon scored a remarkable winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time with a rocket shot on the turn from the edge of the box. That was a bit painful. Even more painful was when news came through that Everton had beaten Liverpool 1-0. With both Villa and Everton winning, Crystal Palace have dropped to last place after eight rounds.
Also, no Anna Leat on the bench for Aston Villa yet. Stiiiiill working her way back from that preseason head knock. There’s never been any full clarification on what happened there but it must have been a doozy because she’s not played for more than two months. They said at the start of November that she’d need two weeks of full contact training before considering her for gamedays so we should be reaching that point any day now.
Up Next: Bit of Conti Cup group stage action against Charlton on Monday at 3am (NZT)
Hannah Blake & Michaela Foster – Durham FC / Grace Neville - London City Lionesses (England Championship)
There are a bunch of New Zealanders in the WSL Championship this season... but there were only two games worth watching this week. That’s because the four relevant teams were all playing each other. One of those games was this game: Durham vs London City. Two clubs without high-profile men’s teams... albeit with a heavy contrast in how they go about their business. Durham are a humble overachiever whereas London City recently underwent a huge money takeover that’s allowed them to go signing high-profile internationals and a hugely regarded coach. They also have Grace Neville in their team having been with the club since long before these hallowed financial days... but they left her on the bench to begin with here.
In contrast, Durham picked not one but two kiwi internationals. For the second week in a row both Michaela Foster (CDM) and Hannah Blake (LW) were in the same Championship starting line-up. In fact, it was an unchanged team entirely from the 1-1 draw with Southampton. Unchanged and undaunted as they took a 17th minute lead in this one, Mollie Lambert setting up Carly Johns in the middle after that pair had combined in reverse for the late equalised against the Saints.
The Lionesses did hit back in similar fashion as Isobel Goodwin swept home a near post finish from a square ball, that was in the 44th minute right before half-time. But not so soon before half-time that Durham couldn’t retake the lead when Mickey Foster went bursting forward with a deep run that began inside her own half, getting onto the through ball and then trying to weave between defenders into a shooting position. Not a version of Foz that we saw at the Wellington Phoenix all that often, instead more of a throwback to her Northern Rovers days. But she did it brilliantly and almost scored a fantastic goal. The keeper managed a great save... but Lambert was there to score from the rebound. Bit rude that they don’t consider this an assist but us real ones understand...
Ten mins into the second spell, Durham won a penalty as Lambert burst into the area and got slid. Beth Hepple scored a very good spot kick. Goodwin struck again via an excellent finish with twenty to go to keep the hope alive for LCL and then a handball penalty gave the Lionesses the chance to tie things up after 75 mins. But Goodwin’s attempt was saved by Tatiana Saunders. London City finally brought on Grace Neville with seven minutes plus stoppages to go. That gave us a short period of time with all three Footy Ferns on the pitch at once... a short period of time that lasted roughly 25 seconds because Hannah Blake was subbed off during the same window. Fast-forward some more and Durham survived for a 3-2 victory. That win sends them equal top of the Championship ladder, just in time for a three-week break to focus on cup and international footy. Lovely stuff.
Relatively quiet game from Blake who operated a lot deeper than she usually does due to having to try and deal with opposite number Sofia Jakobsen who set up both goals for LCL. Blake completed 24/25 passes and she had one decent goal-scoring chance midway through the first half, running through the middle on a breakaway, but the cross was too deep and the keeper charged her down at the back post. Foster, meanwhile, missed a few passes but battled well defensively and played the full game. Neville got a few touches as LCL scrapped away for a late goal but didn’t have time to do much else.
Up Next: Durham vs Sheffield United in the Conti Cup on Monday at 1am; while London City Lionesses host West Ham United in the same competition on the same day but at 3am (NZT)
Jacqui Hand - Sheffield United / Katie Kitching - Sunderland (English Championship)
But wait there’s more because this game happened too. Jacqui Hand’s Sheffield United vs Katie Kitching’s Sunderland. Olivia Page was also on the bench for Sheff Utd but she didn’t get on the pitch so we’ll leave her to the side. The other two, though, each got full games: Hand as the central striker for the Blades, Kitching as the number ten for the Black Cats.
This match wasn’t as much fun as the other Championship duel. Mostly because the two kiwis both missed open goals. Kitching’s one came in the 21st minute dashing through into the area onto a bouncing ball which she took around the keeper but then lost her balance trying to shoot into the empty net. To be fair, she took the ball a lot wider than she’d have liked and there were defenders closing in on her. Hand’s chance came five mins before the break when the Blades won the ball on the high press and Maria Farrugia squared beautifully and unselfishly to her hovering around the penalty spot. Keeper out of position. Only one defender between JH and the goal. And... she put it wide. Not gonna call it a missed sitter but it might have been something close.
Anyway, Sunderland went on to win 1-0 thanks to an Eleanor Dale goal in the 85th minute. Four wins in a row for Sunderland who have thoroughly shrugged off their poor start to now sit fifth only three points behind the leaders. In contrast, Sheffield United are second to last with 4 points from 10 games. Halfway through their season and only one win to show for it. At least they’ve got a few weeks off from league games to try and figure out how they can turn their recent improvements into proper results.
Up Next: Conti Cup group stuff, with Durham vs Sheff Utd on Monday at 1am and Sunderland vs Blackburn Rovers at 3am on Monday (NZT)
Ally Green - Aarhus GF (Danish Kvindeliga)
That goal ended up going down, after some deliberation, as an own goal which means that Ally Green’s assist is valid, if you were wondering. The broadcast originally gave the benefit to the AGF player but replays pretty clearly confirmed that was not what happened. So, yeah, have a bit of that.
After missing a big chunk of the season following the Olympics (still reckon there must have been an injury there), it was getting to be a concern just what Ally Green’s place at AGF would be moving forwards. Remember she barely played during the second half of last season after losing her starting spot following the January transfer window. But now she’s back to wandering out in the main eleven every week and looking like one of the team’s best players. This, as the saying goes, is what we love to see.
This was yet another Flying Kiwis Derby. Amazing how many of them there were this week. Ava Collins also started and played sixty minutes for Kolding though she didn’t do a whole lot, as has often been the case for her trying to be a striker for the worst team in the division. At least the effort is never lacking. AGF have won three of their last four matches (coinciding with a more prominent Ally Green) while Kolding remain in eighth place with only one win from 13 games. Both of these teams are averaging less than a goal per game – although AGF have a much better defence, plus they’re on the improve. Hard to see Kolding avoiding a bottom two finish from here, which will mean dropping into the relegation playoffs. But that should give Ava Collins more room to bang a few goals away and save her team’s top flight status.
Meanwhile, Malia Steinmetz’s FC Nordsjælland suffered a 3-0 defeat against Brøndby. It was a stunning defeat and not in a good way. They conceded after quarter of an hour due to a goalkeeping mistake passing straight to an attacker and it stayed that way for a long time as the two teams scrapped back and forth... until the 79th minute when BIF snuck around the outside and scored that crucial second. Steinmetz was straight away subbed off to get another striker out there. Had to roll the dice... yet it only led to them conceding again in the 89th min. This result allows Fortuna Hjørring to move three points clear at the top again. FCN have been perfect in every other game this season but they’ve lost both times to Fortuna and now have been beaten away by third-placed Brøndby. Their three toughest matches have all been losses. That’s not a happy pattern.
Up Next: What do ya know, it’s another head to head... as Steinmetz’s FCN host Green’s AGF at 2am on November (NZT)
Chris Wood - Nottingham Forest (English Premier League)
Turns out Alan Shearer and Leon Osman know ball. Good for them.
Up Next: Sunday at 4am its Arsenal vs Nottm Forest (NZT)
Emma Pijnenburg – Feyenoord (Dutch Eredivisie)
There we go, been waiting for that. Emma Pijnenburg burst into the Feyenoord team mid-season last term as what was initially a makeshift right-back but the team went on a run of good form and she ended up staying there the rest of the way (despite being a midfielder by preference). But a new season meant a chance to reset and obviously when an academy midfielder had to fill in at RB, they were going to try and find someone a little more accustomed to the position. That someone has so far been Tess Van Bentem, who did play a few games at RB for the team last term but was mostly a defensive midfielder. The ol’ midfielder to right-back trick yet again. Harsh on Pijnenburg, albeit missing a chunk of preseason while at the U20 World Cup won’t have helped her chances.
That’s all cool because it means she gets to focus on earning minutes as a midfielder instead. Minutes that she finally got in the seventh match of the season, having been an unused substitute in the previous five. EP was subbed on with twenty minutes to go and a 4-0 lead against Fortuna Sittard. Subbed on not as a fullback but as an attacking midfielder.
Feyenoord’s first goal was a fortunate one where the ball may not have actually crossed the line after bouncing down off the crossbar... though it all balances out because they soon had a 1v1 taken away for an offside that wasn’t offside. The goal came relatively early after 17 mins. They didn’t score again until stoppage time of the first half but when they did they scored twice in a row.
A fourth on 62’ then allowed them to begin clearing the bench and Pijnenburg was part of the second double-sub that they made. She layed a role in the sixth goal right at the end, hitting a clever square pass for a Toko Koga to run onto. Koga then pushed the ball into the area for Jarne Tuelings to flex with a cheeky flick to Jada Conijnenberg to score. Nice stuff from EP and with some luck this’ll be something she can build upon from here. Feyenoord have been excellent so far, sitting fourth after seven matches, with their only loss coming against third-placed Utrecht. That includes a 0-0 draw with Ajax who are undefeated in second. They are yet to face leaders PSV.
Up Next: FC Twente vs Feyenoord at 12.15am on Monday (NZT)
Tyler Bindon - Reading (English League One)
Jeepers that’s a lot of minutes. They do play more games in League One than all those top five European leagues that most of those other players feature in... but it’s not like anyone else is on that list from League One. Third-tier footy or not, what Bindon’s been doing for Reading over the past year is incredible. Not to mention that he’s also played 11 times for his national team during this time span (unclear if those numbers are counted in this total or not... either way it adds to the mystique).
Up Next: Sunday at 4am away to Peterborough (NZT)
Kate Taylor - Dijon FCO (French Première Ligue)
Nothing to worry about here as Kate Taylor logged another full game for Dijon in a 4-0 victory against Guingamp. That win makes it four wins on the trot for Dijon who six fourth after eight rounds. It’s interesting that she seems to have been reserved in how she plays since moving to France, with fewer dynamic defensive plays. S’pose that just comes with the territory of making such a big jump up in quality like she has done... but this Guingamp win did involve her completing 51 passes, a new personal best in the Première Ligue, while also matching her peaks with three tackles and two interceptions. Chuck in a strong header on target up the other end and you would have to say this was her most influential performance yet since moving to France.
Despite what the final scoreline might suggest, this was a close game for much of the way. It was still 0-0 at half-time and although Dijon rattled the crossbar early seconds, they also continued to concede a few chances – including one where Taylor lost the ball stepping out of defence (leading to a shot off target from about 20 metres out). Taylor’s headed chance came soon after that, dashing deep onto a Nadia Krezyman cross but not being able to guide it either side of the keeper. Then, after 67 minutes, Guingamp’s Agathe Ollivier was sent off for a second yellow after arriving too late for an aerial challenge and we can safely call that the turning point because Dijon scored four times in the final twenty minutes (two of those goals coming in time added-on).
Up Next: Paris Saint-Germain vs Dijon at 9am on Sunday (NZT)
Jana Niedermayr - Union Kleinmünchen (Austrian Bundesliga)
If you want a good undercover Flying Kiwis story, here’s one for ya. We’ve mentioned Jana Niedermayr being over in Austria a few times, most recently over here a few games into her stint with the new club. Since then she’s just casually continued onwards as a ninety minute player at the highest level in Austria. Through 11 rounds, the 21yo from New Plymouth as played every single minute. All of them. There are only 13 players across the whole division who are still everpresent and Niedermayr is one of them. What’s more, she even scored a goal a few weeks ago. It was a last-minute consolation in a 4-1 defeat against Austria Wien but a special moment nonetheless...
FC Blau Weiß Linz/Union Kleinmünchen have been trucking along losing plenty more games than they win. That’s just where they area as a team. But these last two weeks just happened to offer up one of the softer fortnights of their season and they’ve capitalised brilliantly. Following seven consecutive defeats in which they allowed multiple goals in every game, they were able to buckle up for a clean sheet against Sturm Graz... with Theresa D'Angelo’s 66th minute goal ensuring a 1-0 win that not too many would have predicted.
Following that they met LASK (whom they beat 3-0 in that week two meeting) in an enormously consequential match between the two sides tied for last-place heading into the round. Despite falling behind after only 11 minutes, Kleinmünchen fought back to equalise through D’Angelo again just before half-time (43’), then take the lead via Valerie Sprung just after half-time (50’). As it happens, this was also a derby game. Heck of a way to grab that third win of the term. Only one team gets relegated from this division so these two wins against LASK could easily be the ones that save their bacon. Catch some highlights over here.
Does anyone else remember when only the very best Football Ferns were able to hold down professional contracts overseas? It wasn’t that long ago. Now here’s Jana Niedermayr doing all this and she’s never even been selected in a Ferns squad, let alone gotten capped. Haven’t seen her in a Ferns jersey since the 2022 U20 World Cup (although at this rate it may not be long before she’s in contention). This is the depth that we’ve got these days.
Up Next: 1am on Sunday away to FC Bergheim (NZT)
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