Flying Kiwis – April 22
Callum McCowatt - Silkeborg IF (Danish Superliga)
It was a bummer when Silkeborg missed out on the championship rounds but dropping into the bottom half does have its benefits. Like, for example, getting to play against a team like Aalborg rather than FC Copenhagen or Midtjylland. Makes it a little easier for Callum McCowatt to do this…
Boom, get in. Times two. Fifteen minutes into this game (played on a Wednesday night in Denmark) he’d already bagged a brace thanks to a pair of fantastic finishes. That shimmy-shake before the first one was extra smooth as well. The only sad thing was he didn’t managed to find a third goal for his hatty. There was one instance when he managed to burst into the penalty area and just for a moment it looked like the road was clear to shoot. But he was closed down and the move fizzed out. Not that it mattered because additional goals from Tonni Adamsen (22’) and Jens Martin Gammelby (33’) had Silkeborg out of sight before half-time. They sailed towards that 4-0 victory without ever being under threat. McCowatt played 81 minutes.
McCowatt: “I didn’t start the game too good actually, maybe gave it away a couple of times, but then scored and that kinda settled me a bit into the game. And from there everything was good. We really played good as a team. We wanted to play forward and play aggressive so it was perfect. Really nice.”
And then you know what he did? He went and scored another goal a few days later against Vejle. Banged in a beauty of a finish inside the near post from outside the area. His corner kick had been repelled back towards him so he sliced infield and shot. First attempt was blocked by the arm of a defender but no need to complain because he simply smashed it home at the next attempt.
That goal made it 1-0 after 17 minutes. It took a spell before Silkeborg finally scored again but when they did, they did so twice. First Anders Klynge with a counter-attacking effort on 51’ (McCowatt was overlapping on the other side but the ball went left to Klynge instead), then Younes Bakiz made it three on 56’. A late effort from Alex Simmelhack on 85’ polished things off as SIF made it consecutive 4-0 wins.
After the initial disappointment of missing the top six, they’ve got the hang of these relegation rounds now and are three points clear at the top – thanks to Viborg drawing both games this week – and on track for continental qualifiers if they can maintain this. And of course they’re also finding some good form ahead of the Danish Cup semis, of which the first leg away to Brondby is next Thursday.
As for Callum McCowatt, his three-goal haul over Easter Weekend means that he’s now got five goals and an assist in his past nine Superliga matches (and in four of those games he was a substitute). That’s six goal contributions in his last 506 minutes of action. He’s started the past five games in a row... more starts than he’d made in the entire league season up until that point. The goodness is flowing now that he’s finally getting an extended spell of fitness and selection – the one thing clearly leading to the other.
Up Next: Lyngby vs Silkeborg at 0:00 on Monday (NZT)
Liberato Cacace – Empoli FC (Italian Serie A)
Not exactly sure how or why... but this has been credited as an assist for Libby Cacace. The ball squeezed out between his heels while he was on the ground trying to win it back and then Tino Anjorin ran away and scored a very nice goal. Rightio. That’s Cacace’s first goal contribution since January and we know how desperately Empoli need goals so gotta take them any way they happen. And this one happened to be an 87th minute equaliser.
Empoli drew 2-2 with Venezia. Jacopo Fazzini gave them the lead after 59 mins. Venezia levelled up via John Yeboah after 67 mins then seemed to have won it when Gianluca Busio scored in the 85th. But Anjorin (and Cacace) had other ideas. Third assist of the campaign for Cacace to go with two goals. He also got a yellow card in there.
This was a rare instance where he was picked as the left wing-back rather than operating deeper or higher to accommodate Giuseppe Pezzella’s spot in the team. Pezzella was an unused sub for only the second time this Serie A season (Cacace’s had that happen four times though none since October)... and Cacace responded to that rare honour with one of his best performances in recent memory. Lots of touches. Plenty of cross attempts. Strong in the challenge. Heaps of running up and down the sideline. He can do a job in those other positions but this game reinforced the fact that LWB/LB is what he’s best at.
Once again, it was only a draw for Empoli. They’ve drawn four of their last eight games and haven’t won a league fixture since the turn of the year... a winless streak that’s now up to 18 games. They’re ticking them over one point at a time but at least they’re ticking them over. Losing to Venezia, a fellow relegation-zoned team, would have been devastating. A draw means they still have much work to do over their remaining five games but they’re only one point adrift of safety. The battle rages on into another week.
Up Next: Don’t forget about the Coppa Italia semi-finals... Empoli’s got their away leg against Bologna at 7am on Friday... having lost 3-0 in the first leg with a heavily rotated team (NZT)
Ben Old - AS Saint-Étienne (French Ligue 1)
It would appear that relegation scraps are a recurring theme in today’s Flying Kiwis. Last week there was the news of Marko Stamenic winning the Greek Super League but this week we’re going to be spending a lot of time in the opposite territory. Saint-Étienne were in an even worse spot than Empoli heading into the derby against Olympique Lyonnais. Fortunately for them, Lyon had done 120 minutes of bafflingly exciting football away in England just a couple of days earlier – losing 5-4 to Manchester United in the second leg of their Europa League quarterfinal. Not only did that mean there was a big risk of Lyon either turning up exhausted after the quick turnaround or turning up with major rotations... it also gave ASSE fans the opportunity to mock them with Harry Maguire shirts and banners.
A tired OL opposition was exactly what ASSE got... and they punished them for that inside of nine minutes when Lucas Stassin nodded home from six yards after a beauty of a cross sent over by Léo Pétrot. The home crowd was pumping, the home team was playing great. Then, after 22 mins, it all changed when Stassin was sent off for trodding on the heel/ankle of Corentin Tolisso. Then it changed back when the referee took a look at the monitor and reversed his decision to a yellow card – although Tolisso still had to be substituted due to the foul.
Needless to say, that added some extra spice to a match that didn’t really need any extra flavouring. The consequence of that was the game being forced into postponement shortly before half-time due to a linesman getting hit by a coin thrown from the crowd. The ref took the players away for roughly forty minutes to allow the crowd to simmer down. Can’t blame the Lyon fans because travelling fans were banned due to previous dramas. Saint-Étienne seem to be a common denominator in a few too many of these crowd shenanigans. Anyway, the game did eventually resume and ASSE picked up where they left off. Stassin scored a banger from 20 metres out in the 67th minute.
Ben Old was substituted onto the right wing in place of Irvin Cardona after 74 mins. Lyon immediately pulled a goal back via Tanner Tessmann... but Saint-Étienne saw it through from there for an absolutely enormous 2-1 victory. Old managed several good touches on the break, the most memorable being when he chopped inside and fizzed a shot into the face of a defender. Completed all his passes. Did the hard yards tracking back. Solid from him after being an unused sub in the 3-3 draw vs Brest last week. Since returning from injury, Old has gotten 27 mins, 22 mins, unused sub, and 16 mins. No time to ease into things when you’re deep in the relegation murk.
This win gives Saint-Étienne genuine hope of safety. They’re still in the drop zone for now but results elsewhere were kind with the three teams directly above them all losing. They’re on 27 points, only goal difference away from earning a relegation playoff lifeline and three points adrift of automatic safety. ASSE’s four remaining games are against: Strasbourg (A - 7th), Monaco (H - 3rd), Reims (A - 13th), and Toulouse (H – 12th). They also need to see Le Havre, Angers, and Nantes lose most (if not all) of their own remaining games.
Up Next: Sunday at 3am, Strasbourg vs ASSE (NZT)
Chris Wood - Nottingham Forest (English Premier League)
Here’s someone who doesn’t fit into the relegation battle theme. Despite being an expert at avoiding the drop throughout his Premier League career, these days Chris Wood is targeting European football with Nottingham Forest - something he’s only briefly experienced in his storied career and never above the Europa League. That second-tier UEFA comp is basically the worst case scenario for Forest at this point. Wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize... but the Champions League is the prize they’re really after.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest was the last match to be played this gameweek and other results hadn’t been great for NFFC... with Manchester City, Chelsea, and Aston Villa all winning. However, Villa’s win was against Newcastle so even though Forest had dropped to sixth at kickoff time (only goal difference ahead of seventh – with the top five earning Champions League group stage entry), they knew that a win against Spurs would raise them back up to third. Consecutive defeats had wobbled the apple-cart but UCL footy is still within their own hands.
This was also a chance for Chris Wood, in his second game back from injury and hopefully having shaken off the rust, to break what had become a two-month drought without a goal for his club. He only missed three games due to that hip injury suffered on All Whites duty so while that’s a factor it’s certainly not the only one. The Woodsman had stretched five Premier League starts in a row without finding the net. Sounds like he was overdue, right? The man himself agreed...
Make that number 19 for the season. His early season target of 20 goals felt very optimistic at the time but now he’s only one shy of getting there. It’s a relatively small club of players to have scored 20+ in a Premier League season (Wood will be the 51st individual to achieve that feat if he can get there). But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
In typical fashion, his goal was a header from an Anthony Elanga cross – the fifth time that Elanga has assisted a Wood goal this season. That’s also The Woodsman’s seventh headed goal this term. Nobody else has more than four. Plus it’s the 30th headed goal of his career, bringing him within ten of the record held jointly by Harry Kane and Peter Crouch. No currently active EPL player has more than him.
This goal came after Elliot Anderson had already put Forest in front with a deflected effort in the sixth minute. Shortly afterwards, Wood seemed to have doubled the advantage as he touched home from an Anderson delivery but that was disallowed for a very marginal offside. Right call but only just. Nevertheless, Woodsy scored one that counted a few minutes later and Forest were breezing at 2-0.
Nottingham Forest have dipped lately and that’s probably down to fatigue as we hit the latter stages of a long season. Longer than most of these players are used to. So Nuno Espirito Santo made a defensive sub at the break and NFFC went even deeper into their persona of low-possession, high-counters. That invited Spurs back into the action and it got rather sweaty towards the end. It was still 2-0 when Wood was replaced after 75 minutes but Richarlison scored in the 87th and it took the full bag of time-wasting techniques to close it out. Yellow for the goalie for delaying a goal kick. Defenders cramping up. Midfielders pumping it long. Attackers taking it to the corners. Nottingham Forest survived to win 2-1 and thus they regain the upper hand in the Champions League hunt. Massive result for them. Sweet as.
Now they put that hunt on hold for a week with the FA Cup semi-final to worry about instead. Forest are up against Manchester City on Monday morning and that’ll be held at the neutral venue of Wembley Stadium in London. It won’t be the first time he’s played there because Spurs had a short tenancy at Wembley while their new stadium was being completed... in fact, Wood scored a stoppage time equaliser against Spurs at Wembley back in 2017. It was his first goal for Burnley after signing one week prior.
But this is the first time that Wood’s made it to the semi-finals of a cup competition and when he got promoted with Leicester City it was automatic without the need of playoffs so he hasn’t played at Wembley Stadium in a knockout capacity before. As for other kiwis to play at Wembley lately... there aren’t many. Ria Percival played the 2019 FA Cup final with West Ham Women. But Max Crocombe’s National League playoff final in 2022 was at London Stadium while Ben Waine wasn’t selected for Plymouth Argyle’s EFL Trophy final in 2023. Suffice it to say that this’ll be a special occasion.
Up Next: FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Manchester City on Monday at 3.30am (NZT)
Jacqui Hand - Sheffield United (England Championship)
Aaaand we’re back to the relegation battles. Sheffield United faced Blackburn Rovers this week, the only team that they’ve beaten this season. They weren’t able to repeat the feat... but at least they didn’t lose. A 0-0 draw against Rovers doesn’t improve their situation thanks to Portsmouth also getting a draw, though it hasn’t gotten any worse either. The Blades remain last by three points but with a game in hand on Pompey and significantly better goal difference. Their last two matches are against Southampton and Sunderland, neither of whom are top half teams. It’s hard to see them surviving from here but there’s still a chance.
Jacqui Hand toiled away up top for most of this game before being replaced at the start of injury time. Very little reward, very little encouragement. Sheffield United hardly created anything until the final few seconds when they messed up a convenient 1v1 situation on the break. Olivia Page was an unused substitute as has often been the case in recent times. For what it’s worth, this was Sheffield Utd’s first clean sheet all season.
Elsewhere, London City Lionesses won 4-1 away against Southampton to stay two points clear at the summit ahead of Birmingham. Nobody else can catch either of those clubs so either London City or Birmingham are getting promoted. London City were 3-0 up at half-time at which point they took the opportunity to sub Grace Neville into the action - the Neviller’s getting a bit more footy of late, good to see. Birmingham’s win was against Durham. Beat them 3-1. Michaela Foster played the full thing in midfield for Durham but Hannah Blake wasn’t subbed on until the last few minutes after Brum’s third goal had been scored. As for Katie Kitching and Sunderland, they had the bye.
Up Next: Monday at 0:00 it’s Sheffield United vs Southampton (NZT)
Moses Dyer - Galway United (League of Ireland Premier Division)
Geez, he’s scored some fine goals since moving to Ireland. He used to score a lot of goals in Canada too but a chunk of those were tap-ins and penalties. They all count the same so no dramas... but it’s fascinating to see a different version of Moses Dyer tearing up for Galway United. His brace away against Shelbourne came in the form of two equalisers, helping his team earn an unlikely point from a 2-2 draw in a match where they allowed 32 shots and kept only 24% of possession (although they did still have numerous chances of their own in a frantic game of footy).
Dyer has scored five goals in ten matches since moving to Ireland. Galway had a brilliant start though two defeats from three prior to this fixture dropped them down to fifth out of ten teams. All the more reason why Dyer’s wonderful brace was so important. Five goals puts him in a tie for the top scorer’s honours as things stand, alongside: Aidan Keena, Michael Duffy, Owen Elding, and Warren Davis. Five blokes on five. Seems like Dyer is picking up where Max Mata left off, ensuring that a kiwi flag flies in the Irish golden boot race.
Up Next: Galway Utd vs Drogheda at 6.45am on Saturday (NZT)
Joe Bell – Viking FK (Norwegian Eliteserien)
The challenge has been set for Joe Bell to take his composed, reliable midfield performances from last year and add back the goals and assists that he was providing before he had that stint away in Denmark. Last week he scored and assisted. This week he supplied his second assist of the campaign to get the snowball rolling down the hill away to HamKam. Crisp cross towards the head of Henrik Falchener in only the second minute. From there, Viking struck again immediately through Sander Svendsen to be up 2-0 inside of four minutes. A Zlatko Tripic penalty made it 3-0 after 13 mins. Falchener got another (37’) to have it 4-0 at the half and then Peter Christiansen’s header meant 5-0 after 54 mins. Bloody hell.
From there, an own goal and a penalty did allow HamKam to salvage some scarce dignity in a 5-2 result. Pity about the blown clean sheet but most valuable were the three points that send Viking to the top of the table... sort of. They’re second on goal difference (perhaps those two concessions did matter) but Rosenborg, Sarpsborg, and Bodø/Glimt all have a game in hand that could send them ahead of the Vikes. We’re only four games in so it’s too soon to worry about standings. Key thing is that, after losing to a promoted team in a week one upset, Viking have won three in a row and Bellinho has been busy amongst it all. He could have had a second assist had his buddy been able to finish 1v1 after JB flipped him in behind the defensive line. Remember the timings of the season in Norway means that Viking have already booked Conference League qualifiers for later in the year based on their third-placed finish in 2024.
As has been pointed out elsewhere, this was the second consecutive game in which Bell had the most dribbles of anyone on the pitch. He’s definitely taking more responsibility upon himself to advance the ball rather than just knocking it around and holding his position. Although he also completed 70/75 passes in this game so the knocking it around stuff is also going well.
Up Next: Viking vs Tromso at 5.15am on Monday (NZT)
Olivia Chance & Liz Anton – Kolbotn (Norwegian Toppserien)
It had been a rough beginning to the season for Kolbotn, losing all three games. But those three defeats were against teams expected to be up near the top by the end of things. This week they took on Hønefoss who were one of two other winless teams. Ninety minutes later, Hønefoss are still winless while Kolbotn are not.
Just like last week, both Liv Chance and Liz Anton were in the starting eleven. Anton was up hunting for an early corner kick with perfect vision to see the ball rocket into the net off the head of Tiril Haga in the fourth minute. Half an hour later, after several close calls at the other end, they doubled the lead thanks to a wonderful effort from Kanna Matsuhisa. More defensive work (including one brilliant save) was required to keep things steady from there. Kolbotn had a goal disallowed ten mins into the second spell amidst a goalmouth scramble. Eventually, Hønefoss got some reward for all of their efforts, making it 2-1 with fifteen to go. However, Camilla Linberg responded on 85’ from the penalty spot (after Matsuhisa had been taken out with the keeper already beaten) and with that Kolbotn claimed the 3-1 victory.
They needed that. Really had to work for it too. Fortunately, Kolbotn took their chances early, fought through several difficult spells but especially after conceding, and are now on the board for 2025. There were full games for both of the kiwis which is normal areas for Anton but gotta give an extra shout out to Chance because this was only her third game back since giving birth and she lasted the whole thing. She’s done 16 mins, then 66 mins, then 90 mins. Chance played as a deep midfielder, Anton was the left-sided centre-back in a four (same as last week for both of them).
Up Next: 4am on Wednesday away to Brann; then 10pm on Saturday home vs Lyn (NZT)
Finn Surman - Portland Timbers (American Major League Soccer)
They’ve even got our boy doing promo material. Finn Surman on the drums. Count ‘em off, brother. If you didn’t know, this whole skit was a reference to a famous Saturday Night Live piece featuring Christopher Walken: More Cowbell (except it’s the Timbers so it’s chainsaws, get it?). And for what it’s worth, Finn Surman is definitely funnier than Jimmy Fallon.
Meanwhile, they also had him doing serious media stuff. Plus coach Phil Neville was given another of his ample opportunities to speak upon his kiwi defender and once again he lapped it up with more high praise.
Phil Neville: “He has owned it. For us he’s still a kid, a baby, he’s in his first season. He’s been outstanding so far this season and every little test that’s been put in front of him, he’s risen to the challenge and this is another test for him. Playing against maybe Giroud, a World Cup winner, obviously got Bouanga in there. They’ve got great attacking talent and it’s another test he’s got to rise to.
The kid just never wants to stop learning. Him and Liam Ridgewell and Ian Smith had a meeting yesterday in my office because there was not much space anywhere else and they were literally in there for an hour. They want to learn, they want to review, they want to see the opposition they’re playing against. I think with players like that who have that growth mentality, they definitively have a big future.”
Surman was indeed up against Olivier Giroud as Portland hosted LAFC in what ended up being a bonkers game of football. LAFC thought they’d scored after 75 seconds when Denis Bouanga ran through but he was called back for offside. Instead Portland scored an early penalty via Felipe Mora and then were 2-0 up after 42 mins when Santiago Moreno struck. In between, Bouanga had another goal disallowed for offside... but Olivier Giroud scored from a direct free kick, in off the crossbar, to make it 2-1 at half-time. Ryan Hollingshead hit the post for LAFC before Bouanga later set up David Martinez for a 64th min tap-in. Mora restored Portland’s lead on 66’, only for Bouanga to score from the penalty spot right at the end for a 3-3 draw. Portland still nearly won it when they hit the post from a free kick but nah bro, didn’t happen for them.
LAFC seemed capable of tearing through the Timbers midfield at will so Surman was constantly getting turned around having to deal with the pace of Bouanga and the physicality of Giroud. About as tough a test as he’s faced in MLS so far. Plenty to learn from that bout but once again he emerged with reputation unscathed. Still blocked a couple shots. Still made a couple interceptions. Still leads the entire MLS for defensive clearances. You get the feeling it won’t be long before he scores a goal either... Portland are definitely keen on getting his heading ability up there at set piece time. The Timbers are currently on a six-game unbeaten streak.
Up Next: LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers on Monday at 1pm (NZT)
Michael Boxall – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)
Oh those MLS accounts really swing for the fences... something that Osaze Urhoghide is lucky that Michael Boxall does not choose to do. Dunno what the kerfuffle was all about there but this game ended up being something of a Grown Man Defensive Showcase for Boxall and Urhoghide (and several others), with the lads settling for a stalemate as Minnosota United and FC Dallas drew 0-0.
Both teams rattled the woodwork along the way (including a header from Urhoghide). Minnesota had slightly more of the overall play but Dallas tested the keeper more often. The Loons also had a couple of penalty shouts declined that they weren’t very happy about. There was an obvious one in stoppage time from Carlos Harvey but there were also several instances where Boxy was getting wrestled at set piece time that the officials continually ignored. But a draw was valid. A draw keeps Minnesota United’s undefeated streak alive into an eighth match. Michael Boxall was voted his team’s Man of the Match for a very sturdy performance that included three interceptions and a few helpful clearances. Didn’t actually seem like one of his better performances of late but perhaps that’s also a reflection upon a dull game. In a game dominated by bulky defence, the fans voted for the bulkiest defender.
Michael Boxall: “Looking back to previous seasons, where we’ve kinda stumbled is these types of results where at home we should be getting more than one point. We’re disappointed obviously, having done so well in the previous few games, particularly on the road, and to come home and feed off the crowd’s energy but only get one point. We’re disappointed with that.”
Boxy was careful not to moan too much about the refereeing afterwards but he did acknowledge FCD’s physicality and how another official might have been more willing to whistle things up. This game made it two nil-all draws in a row from Minnesota Utd.
Up Next: Minny Utd vs Vancouver on Monday at 7am (NZT)
Meikayla Moore & Ally Green – Calgary Wild (Canadian Northern Super League)
The Northern Super League has finally arrived, marking Canada’s entry into the professional women’s football marketplace, and it did so with the Vancouver Rise winning 1-0 against the Calgary Wild. The lone goal was scored by local international Quinn from the penalty spot after 22 mins. The penalty was awarded after a sliding lunging challenge arrived slightly late from... Meikayla Moore. Whoops.
Not the best way to commemorate a debut for a new club. Moore was lucky not to get sent off for that because she’d already been booked five minutes earlier. But you can forgive a little rustiness because it’s been ages since Mouse last started a game of footy - not since she finished up the 2023-24 season with Glasgow City roughly ten months ago. She has gotten a couple of Football Ferns appearances since then but only off the bench.
Ally Green also started this game. Moore was at centre-back while Green was on the left. Green wasn’t picked in the last couple of Ferns squads but was at least still playing for AGF in Denmark up until their winter break at the end of last year so she’s a bit more match-hardened. Green was subbed off after 70 mins while Moore lasted the full match. It should be said it was only that one penalty that breached the Wild defence. Other than that, they were very solid from open play with Meikayla Moore taking on a lot of the organisational duties. She was pointing out directions left, right, and centre.
That’s history from both of them to be involved in the NSL’s inaugural fixture. Next we await the debut of Milly Clegg for Halifax Tides... and it just so happens that’ll be against Calgary Wild this weekend. Strong potential for three New Zealanders to be involved in that game – which will take place on Anzac Day by local timings.
Up Next: Halifax vs Calgary at 9am on Saturday (NZT)
Tyler Bindon - Reading (English League One)
EFL League One Young Player of the Year nominee Tyler Bindon. Fantastic recognition for a fantastic season... he could very well win this thing too, you know.
Richard Kone is also up for Player of the Year and he’s only a couple of goals off being the top scorer in the division so he’s probably the bookies favourite but no Premier League club came swooping in to sign him in January (although Wycombe did reject a bid from a Championship club – Kone’s got an amazing story too... he’s an Ivorian immigrant who was playing non-league two years ago and was temporarily homeless as a teenager). Not that Bindon’s worried about individual honours. He was asked about the nomination and repeated that it was “very cool” but that his attention is on trying to get Reading promoted before he leaves.
Tyler Bindon: “I’m here to do what I can for Reading. I’m here with the boys to make the play-offs and hopefully get promoted, that’s all we really care about. I’m very grateful for everything it has given me. I will be sad [to leave]; I’ve made a lot of memories here both good and bad. It’ll be hard but it’ll be quite cool because you don’t realise it in the moment but you’re always creating moments and memories. Looking back, I’ll be able to say, ‘that was cool.’ I might see a teammate from Reading on the street one day and we can be like ‘do you remember that time from back in the day?’”
Reading had a frustrating 1-0 defeat against Lincoln City on Good Friday. They had the better of the game but they weren’t quite at their best and let a few too many opportunities slip by. However, they bounced back resoundingly with a 5-1 win against Mansfield Town on Easter Monday. This time they were clinical and emphatic... even if their second goal was a very comical own goal. Tyler Bindon was awesome, as per. There was another last-man challenge in there that hopefully we can get the video for in a day or two. Ben Waine wasn’t in the Manfield Town squad, in case you’re wondering.
Leyton Orient won both matches over the weekend so they’re back ahead of Reading on goal difference. Neither can feasibly finish any higher or lower than the two spots they currently occupy so it’s a straight shootout for the final playoff position between them. Leyton Orient face Wycombe (3rd) and Huddersfield (9th). Reading face Bristol Rovers (21st) and Barnsley (12th). Let’s go.
Meanwhile, Burton Albion had a 0-0 draw away to Exeter City and then lost 2-1 to champions Birmingham. The Brewers have a game in hand on the teams below them and are out of the relegation zone by virtue of goal difference. One of the teams they’re trying to hold off is Bristol Rovers so Tyler Bindon can do Max Crocombe a solid there by shutting them out. Shrewsbury Town have already been confirmed for relegation. Not sure if that affects Max Mata’s situation while he’s away on loan. Time will tell.
Up Next: Bristol Rovers vs Reading at 11.30pm on Saturday 9NZT)
CJ Bott - Leicester City (English Super League)
Arsenal 5-1 Leicester City. That was a thrashing, yikes. And sadly we cannot spare CJ Bott from the onslaught because she played 66 minutes having to deal with the threat of Caitlyn Foord (who scored twice) and didn’t look comfortable at all whilst doing so. Arsenal attacked with such fluidity and if there’s one weakness in CJB’s defending it’s when she has to do it against pace and movement (to be fair, that kinda applies to everybody). She only won one of her four challenges. This from one of the best tacklers in the world. It wasn’t good but it’s over and they won’t need to worry about that again until next season. The Foxes do have to face Manchester City next... but with a seven-point gap ahead of last-placed Crystal Palace it’s highly unlikely that they’ll need to worry about relegation. They’ve done the work already and can coast to the finish line.
Aston Villa won 3-2 against Tottenham this week while Palace had their match against Chelsea postponed due to the latter’s Champions League involvement. That leaves Palace seven points adrift in last place. It’s been great having Indi Riley in the WSL but unfortunately it’s almost certain that Palace will be going straight back down. They need to win at least two, probably three, if not all four of their remaining matches to have any hope and that’s just not gonna happen. But maybe IPR can go down swinging with a few more goals (and potentially earn a transfer elsewhere?).
Up Next: Monday at 2am for Leicester City vs Manchester City (NZT)
Andre De Jong – Stellenbosch (South African Premier Soccer League)
Stellies are 1-0 down after the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup semi-final away in Tanzania against Simba SC. Andre De Jong played 70 minutes without a huge impact but with his usual strong work-rate. His only shot was blocked as he stretched out to strike the loose ball in the box. Not a great outcome there but the second leg will be in South Africa and home advantage is always massive in these ones. The only breach was a wicked goal just before the break, a low curling free kick that the goalkeeper couldn’t locate properly with runners all across his sightline. ADJ and the lads ought to be quietly confident – after all they were able to win in Egypt last round. Come on, fellas. You’ve got this.
Up Next: Monday at 1am in the Confed Cup semi-final second leg against Simba (NZT)
Emma Pijnenburg – Feyenoord (Dutch Eredivisie)
They lost... but Emma Pijnenburg got to play in a KNVB Cup semi-final for the second year in a row. In 2024, Feyenoord were beaten 2-1 by eventual champs Ajax. In 2025, they were beaten 3-0 by PSV Eindhoven who’ll face FC Twente in the final in a few weeks. Pijnenburg hardly played during the first half of the season but of late she’s emerged as a regular starter, similar to what happened a year ago. Back then it was at right-back and this time it’s at left-back. She’d rather be playing in the midfield but these are good experiences early in her career and it’s always a positive to be able to get in wherever you fit in (look at Libby Cacace these days).
PSV scored relatively early after 15 minutes but Feyenoord had some genuine chances in there. Arguably more than PSV did up until the final half hour when PSV scored twice more to put all doubt beyond us. There was a thumping long distance shot from Toko Koga that would have been one of the goals of the year but instead rapped off the inside of the post. Pijnenburg had some nice combinations up the left edge. It was an excellent first half performance and it’s just a shame that Feyenoord couldn’t get a goal to show for it when it might have made a difference. Oh well, so it goes. Full game for EP.
Feyenoord then turned it around in a hurry for a league date against Utrecht... where unfortunately they didn’t really bring their usual levels and lost 1-0 to allow Utrecht to jump over them into fourth place. Pijnenburg started at left-back but was part of a half-time double substitution. That idea clearly didn’t work because they conceded in the 62nd minute. Feyenoord have two games left and will finish somewhere between fourth and sixth. Pijnenburg has started the last four games in all competitions after previously not having made a single start all season.
Up Next: Sunday 4 May against Excelsior (NZT)
Henry Gray - Braintree Town (English National League)
That’s just Henry Gray doing what he does. He’s kept another clean sheet since then too. 0-0 against Southend on the Friday and 0-0 against Dagenham & Redbridge on the Monday. With two games left, it’s almost guaranteed that Braintree Town will avoid relegation from the National League thanks in much part to their 20yo kiwi loanee goalkeeper who has kept seven clean sheets in 18 appearances, conceding only 20 times. That’s 1.11 goals allowed per game. In the 26 games they’ve played without him, Braintree have conceded 1.46 goals per game with only five cleanies. Stats don’t lie: Gray has made a marked improvement at another loan club... and with Ipswich Town getting relegated back to the Championship you never know what might happen at his parent club.
Up Next: Halifax Town vs Braintree at 2am on Sunday (NZT)
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