WOMEN’S FOOTBALL WEEKLY
The five-minute read for dedicated-ish fans of women’s football.
This week was one of the unexpected: Hemp got her first WSL goal since November, Man United didn't get battered, and Spurs had a goal fest. Plus we're in head-to-toe Sam Kerr, don't you know?
– Jo, founder of Twentytwo
⚽ PICKS FROM THE PITCH
WSL Round-Up: Matchday 3
Credit: Martin Rickett, PA Images
After two pretty grim opening games, Manchester United badly needed a sign that Eva Olid’s new era might actually start to take shape. They got one at Arsenal. United were organised, defended well and were minutes away from a first win before Smilla Holmberg’s 95th-minute equaliser. It’s only a point, but after a 2-1 defeat to London City and a 5-0 hammering by Chelsea, this gives them some much-needed breathing room and something to build on.
City are winning, but that’s not the whole story. Three wins from three and top of the table, but Manchester City were given a scare by Liverpool. The champions conceded twice, looked vulnerable under Liverpool’s press and needed two late goals to turn it into a 4-2 win. Lauren Hemp was excellent, but City still haven’t looked particularly secure at the back. They’ve conceded four goals in three games and are yet to keep a clean sheet.
Spurs move into second. A red card for Crystal Palace’s Fuka Tsunoda after eight minutes changed the game, and Tottenham made the most of it. Olivia Holdt’s hat-trick was the highlight as Spurs ran riot against 10-player Palace. They've now got seven points from three games and a goal difference of +9.
Arsenal still have a problem to solve. Two home draws in a row isn’t the start Arsenal would have wanted, particularly with Chelsea and Manchester City next. They’re creating plenty, but they’re not turning that control into enough goals. They had 43 shots across their opening two league games and scored once. Against United, they again struggled to break down a deep defence and needed Holmberg’s late equaliser to avoid defeat.
Matt Beard remembered: The WSL and WSL2 paid tribute to Matt Beard this weekend, with supporters invited to applaud in the 13th minute to mark a year since his death. Watch the tribute
TOP STRIKES & SAVES
Charlton’s Jodie Hutton scored an absolute worldie against the run of play – Watch
Lauren Hemp bookended City’s scoring. After a run from deep in her own half, here’s her second.
Melvine Malard bringing a cool, clinical finish Watch
Holmberg came to Arsenal’s late rescue Watch
Isobel Goodwin scored twice in two minutes to give London City an early lead – Here’s her second
🎥 Watch this if you only click one thing: Holdt really made her case for a starting place with an outstanding 24-minute hat-trick
RESULTS: WSL MATCHDAY 3
Manchester City 4-2 Liverpool (Highlights)
Charlton Athletic 1-4 London City Lionesses (Highlights)
Chelsea 2-0 Birmingham City (Highlights)
Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United (Highlights)
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Aston Villa (Highlights)
Crystal Palace 0-7 Tottenham Hotspur (Highlights)
West Ham United 0-1 Everton (Highlights)
AS IT STANDS
🚨ICYMI
Top Headlines
🏟️ A Champions League final is coming to Cardiff. UEFA has handed the National Stadium of Wales the 2029 final, with Lyon's OL Stadium hosting in 2028 and Warsaw up first in 2027. Read more
🏴 England are out of the U20 World Cup, beaten 3–0 by Nigeria in the last 16. It was a case of chances not taken, Rachel Maltby among those who missed from the spot. Disappointing, but the tournament's a proven stepping stone: the side that took bronze in 2018 included Hemp, Russo, Stanway and Kelly. Spain, Italy, Colombia and DPR Korea are the four left standing. Read more · Watch the highlights
📝 Alex Morgan, Marta, Vivianne Miedema and more than a dozen others have written to FIFA, calling for the U20 World Cup to be moved into an official FIFA window so clubs have to release players instead of leaving them to choose club over country. England’s squad was impacted when teenager Erica Meg Parkinson was kept back by her NWSL club, North Carolina Courage. Read more
📚 WHAT WE’RE READING
Amid WSL title drought, is Arsenal's amazing squad depth really a curse? – via ESPN
‘We miss her the same every day’: Olivia Cusack on her late footballer sister Maddy – via The Guardian
✍️ INSIDE TRACK
Jana Fernàndez has extended her contract at London City Lionesses until 2029. The Spain right-back joined from Barcelona last summer and was voted Fans' Player of the Season in London City's first WSL campaign — no surprise she's staying. She said: "Potential, excitement and progress are three words I associate with the club and I'm pleased to commit my future. I feel at home and settled here."– Read more
👟 KIT DROP
Someone was copying each other’s homework: we have two green boots released this week.
First up, the adidas F50 Sparkfusion. To be honest, you can't really go wrong with this one. It's a solid, nice-looking boot, with a minty green base and dark blue detailing. It comes in three models — a laceless, a lowcut laced, and a midcut with the sock collar — so there's a fit whatever your preference. Whether you're into this specific release will, as usual, come down to whether you're onboard with the colourway.
Next up is the Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly XI Elite x Sam Kerr FG. This one has a little more life to it, with purple and peachy hues working their way through the minty green base, plus Kerr's signature on the heel. As with most player-release boots, the main thing to comment on is the colourway and the signature, so that's most of the review done. There is, at least, more than a boot in this release. You can go full kit w*nker with a matching tee and shorts.
🛋️ DITCH THE SOFA
Upcoming Events
📺 Baller FC WSL Screening at Signature Brew Haggerston
Sunday 27 September, from 12:00, Railway Arches, 340 Acton Mews, London E8 4EA
Back to back WSL games from 13:00, with Chelsea vs Arsenal at 16:30. More info
🏴 England U23 v Norway — Mon 12 October, 19:30 · LNER Community Stadium, York, YO32 9AF
The Young Lionesses open their U23 Euro title defence at home in York, Lydia Bedford's first game of the season. Tickets are £5 adults, £3 concessions, £1 under-16s, and on sale now — worth grabbing early if you're near York. Get tickets
Is there a women’s football event happening near you? Give us a heads-up
📺 WEEKLY WATCHLIST
What We’re Watching
Your what-not-to-miss viewing guide (BST)
The Subway Players Cup
Wednesday 23 September
19:00 · Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United
19:00 · Crystal Palace vs Watford
19:00 · Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
19:00 · Manchester United vs Sheffield United
19:00 · Liverpool vs Sunderland
19:00 · Everton vs Birmingham City
19:30 · Leicester City vs London City Lionesses
19:45 · Brighton & Hove Albion vs Charlton Athletic
UWCL League Phase
Tuesday 22 September
17:45 · Bayern Munich vs Manchester City · Disney+
20:00 · Arsenal vs HB Koge · Disney+
Wednesday 23 September
20:00 · Chelsea vs Austria Wien · Disney+
Women’s Super League
Saturday 26 September
13:30 · Charlton vs Manchester City · BBC iPlayer
17:00 · London City Lionesses vs Brighton · Sky Sports
Sunday 27 September
13:00 · Manchester United vs West Ham United · Sky Sports
14:00 · Birmingham City vs Crystal Palace · Sky Sports — The first clash for these two newly promoted teams
14:00 · Liverpool vs Everton · Sky Sports — The Merseyside Derby
14:00 · Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa · Sky Sports
16:30 · Chelsea vs Arsenal · Sky Sports — a misfiring Arsenal, two goals in three games, head to an unbeaten Chelsea.
See you next week!
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