Welcome back to Matildas Abroad, where I analyse the performances of all our Aussies playing overseas!
Once again apologies for the extremely late upload, I've been on holidays. Happy belated Easter to everyone as well!
Europe (Champions League & Europa Cup) — Arsenal vs Lyon meet again in the UWCL semis, Häcken vs Hammarby in the UWEC final
Ellie Carpenter (pictured) was booked in Chelsea's quarter-final second leg against Arsenal. This was a point of contention, with Chelsea fans and many neutrals arguing that Arsenal pulled off similar and worse challenges without adequate punishments. Image source: Instagram (@wchampionsleague).
The second legs of the Champions League quarter-finals were played out last week. Chelsea won 1–0 over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge but it was not enough to overturn the 3–1 deficit from the first league at Emirates Stadium, and the Blues exited the competition after the Gunners won 3–2 on aggregate. However, the second leg was marred with more referring controversy, particularly an argument that Irish captain and Gunners left back Katie McCabe (Caitlin Foord's partner) could easily have received a red card for, but failed to pick up a booking. Caitlin Foord played the full match though was rated poorly, while Steph Catley started but was subbed off with an injury which has ruled her out of the FIFA Series in Nairobi, where we (the Matildas) will face Malawi and either India or hosts Kenya. Kyra Cooney-Cross is out for the season due to personal reasons relating to her mother's cancer diagnosis. On the blue side of London, Sam Kerr played the full match and assisted the last-minute goal from German international Sjoeke Nüsken, while Ellie Carpenter also played the full match and received a yellow card (which was also a talking point).
Teagan Micah (pictured), Lyon's number two goalie, is still injured after withdrawing from the Matildas' Asian Cup squad. Nevertheless, Lyon are stacked with goalkeeping options and are doing fine without her. Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
In the other Champions League quarter-final involving an Aussie, Lyon made a thrilling comeback to beat Wolfsburg 4–0 at home after extra time and advance 4–1 on aggregate. Lyon's Teagan Micah is still out with an injury, while Wolfsburg's Sharn Freier is out on loan at Brisbane Roar and is still out for the Roar with an ACL injury. Lyon will play Arsenal in their quarter-final, and while the Gunners did make a shock comeback last time, the Lyonnes will come in as heavy favourites. On the other side of the bracket, Bayern Munich will face Barcelona, with Barça the heavy favourites and Bayern hoping to not capitulate the way they did in their league stage match against Barça where they were destroyed 7–1 away.
An Aussie embrace: Hayley Raso (left) hugged Aivi Luik (right) after the two faced off in the Europa Cup semi-finals. Häcken beat Frankfurt 3–1 on aggregate, meaning Aivi is in the race for a treble at 41 years old. Image source: Instagram (@weuropacup).
In the Europa Cup, the second leg of the semi-finals were played out. While Eintracht Frankfurt did beat Häcken in the return leg, their 1–0 away win wasn't enough to overturn Häcken's 3–0 deficit and Frankfurt were knocked out. Hayley Raso received two yellow cards (though was oddly not sent off) after coming on as a sub for Frankfurt, while Aivi Luik played the full match for Häcken and will be looking at completing a treble at 41 years old, as Häcken won the 2025 Damallsvenskan title. Getingarna will play a two-legged final against Hammarby (after they beat Sparta Prague 5–2 on aggregate), who they will also face in the Svenska Cupen final.
America (NWSL & USL Super League) — just one of four Aussies in the US play, McComasky leaves Fort Lauderdale
Mackenzie Arnold (right) may end up being the only Aussie left in the NWSL if Cortnee Vine departs. Image source: Instagram (@reilynturner).
In the NWSL we had an ultimate Aussie derby as North Carolina Courage drew 2–2 at home with Portland Thorns. Mackenzie Arnold played the full 90 minutes between the sticks for the Thorns and was solid, though Cortnee Vine was not in the Courage's squad altogether, further casting doubts on her future in the US. Should she leave, Macca would be the only Aussie left in the NWSL. The Thorns have moved up to second on the ladder despite the draw, while the Courage are down to 12th in the standings.
Maddy McComasky (pictured) was quietly delisted by Fort Lauderdale United, further contributing to the theory that Australian outfield players do poorly in the American leagues. Image source: Instagram (@ftlutd).
In the USL Super League, Morgan Aquino was surprisingly an unused substitute (possibly due to injury) for DC Power, who suffered a 3–1 away loss to Fort Lauderdale United. Sophie Harding was also an unused sub for Fort Lauderdale, who recently delisted Maddy McComasky after she got limited minutes.
With Maddy's departure from Fort Lauderdale and Cortnee's serious lack of minutes at North Carolina, it further enhances the idea that the American leagues are a graveyard of Aussie talent with the exception of goalies.
England (WSL, WSL2, WNL & Women's FA Cup) — Kerr & Murphy score, Brighton shock Arsenal
Charlize Rule (right) and Brighton knocked Arsenal out in a cupset at Meadow Park in Borehamwood. With the Seagulls just two wins away from lifting their first ever FA Cup, Men's or Women's, could they really do the unthinkable and lift the cup at Wembley? Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
We also saw the FA Cup quarter-finals played out this week, and Dario Vidošić's Brighton kicked things off with a bang. The Seagulls ran away with a shock 2–0 victory over Arsenal away at Meadow Park. The Gunners, affectionately known by Aussie Gooners as "Ausenal", are staring at the jaws of a trophy-less season. Charlize Rule played a good full match for Brighton, while Caitlin Foord came on for Arsenal. Steph Catley is out injured and Kyra Cooney-Cross is, again, out for personal reasons. Chelsea beat my beloved Tottenham 2–1, with Sam Kerr playing the full match and scoring the opener for the Blues. Ellie Carpenter also played the full match for the Chels', while Charli Grant was an unused sub yet again for Spurs and Clare Hunt is still out injured. Mary Fowler came on as a sub for a mostly full-strength Man City side who beat Birmingham away, though it was a very underwhelming result as the Cityzens only came on top 1–0 winners over the Blues. The semi-finals draw sees Chelsea face Man City in an English classic while Liverpool face Brighton in a matchup between two mid-table sides, meaning that one of the two will play in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Neither the Reds nor the Seagulls have ever won a Women's FA Cup, and the latter have never played in a Women's FA Cup final, nor have ever won a Men's FA Cup, paving way for perhaps the greatest story in the competition's history.
Alana Murphy (pictured) scored the opener for Nottingham Forest. The Reds were unlucky to not come away with three points, conceding a last minute equaliser to draw 1–1 away with Newcastle United. Image source: Instagram (@nffcwomen).
In the WSL2, both Aussies in the league faced off in a 1–1 draw, with Kaitlyn Torpey's Newcastle United (managed by Tanya Oxtoby) sealing the draw at home against Nottingham Forest in the last minute following an equaliser from former Lioness star Jordan Nobbs. But the big news comes from Forest whose opener was scored by Alana Murphy who delivered an almost Player of the Match performance based on Sofascore ratings, being Forest's best player and only 0.1 points behind Jordan Nobbs' rating. Murphy played the full match for Forest, as did Torpey for the Toon. The Magpies, who have drawn their last three games, are unlikely to be promoted this season, sitting fourth and five points behind Crystal Palace (who were relegated last season) in third place (the promotion playoff spot) with two games to go, especially considering their current mediocre form. However, Newcastle will be fighting hard next season, and will at least finish higher than arch-rivals Sunderland this season. Forest are seventh and mathematically unable to finish higher than mid-table.
Meleri Mullan (right), a former Adelaide United forward, is now playing for Hashtag United in the WNL South. Hashtag United play in Aveley, Essex, and were founded in March 2016 by football YouTuber Spencer Carmichael-Brown (better known as Spencer FC or Spencer Owen). Image source: Instagram (@izzytomlinxx).
In the National League South, Anna Powell's Gwalia United lost 3–1 at home to champions Watford (who have already been promoted), while Meleri Mullan's Hashtag United won 2–1 away at Cheltenham. Hashtag are eighth while Gwalia are ninth in the WNL South. In the National League North, Racheal Quigley's Wolves won 4–0 at home over Rugby Borough. Wolves are second in the WNL North and in the promotion playoff spot, sitting just one point below Burnley who are top of the table with a notably lesser goal difference. Bonnie Davies' Halifax didn't play this week, but sit 10th on the table and only out of the drop zone on goal difference.
Germany (DFB-Pokal Frauen) — Freier's Wolfsburg to play in the final
Sharn Freier (pictured) is on loan at Brisbane Roar, but suffered an ACL injury at the start of the season. Her parent club Wolfsburg are in the DFB-Pokal final. Image source: Instagram (@_sharnfreier_).
While she didn't play in the semi-final due to her unfortunate ACL injury and the fact that she's on loan at Brisbane Roar, Sharn Freier's Wolfsburg will play in the German Cup final against Bayern Munich in an epic clash between Germany's two best teams. However, the Wölfinnen potentially missed her and found their way to the final the hard way, beating Carl Zeiss Jena - a side playing in the 2. Bundesliga after being relegated last season - 5–4 on penalties after a 0–0 draw after extra time. Bayern will be the favourites for the final, and cruised their way through with a 4–0 win over relegation-battling Bundesliga side Essen.
There was no Frauen-Bundesliga or 2. Frauen-Bundesliga action this week.
Italy (Serie A Femminile) — Chidiac scores and assists while Heatley scores an own goal, but Roma hold on
Alex Chidiac (pictured) scored and assisted in Como's 4–3 home win over Roma. She also helped set up what was eventually an own goal by Matildas teammate Wini Heatley. Image source: Instagram (@comowomen).
The Serie A kicked off with an epic clash for neutrals, with league leaders Roma defeating Como 4–3 at home, with Alex Chidiac playing the full match and scoring Como's first goal and assisting the second, with Chids being proclaimed Como's best player and the second-best on the pitch per Sofascore ratings. Unfortunately, however, Wini Heatley found the back of her own net, with the own goal seeing her substituted after starting. Nevertheless, the Giallorosse remain six points clear at the top of the table and only six points away from claiming the title, and have secured a spot in at least the Champions League qualifiers next season.
Sassuolo's Jess Nash (pictured) recently returned to the Matildas squad for the FIFA Series in Nairobi, Kenya. The Tillies will face Malawi and either India or Kenya in the tournament. Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
Meanwhile, Sassuolo were condemned to another big loss, losing 3–0 at home to Milan, with both Jacynta Gala and Jess Nash coming on as subs for the Neroverde, who are now 11th and four points clear of relegation. Annalise Rasmussen was an unused sub for Juventus, who are third and beat Fiorentina 2–1 away from home.
Portugal (Liga BPI) — Chauvet's Valadares Gaia still pushing for Europe despite away draw
Leah de Oliveira (pictured) is eligible to represent three countries: Australia (as she grew up in Sydney), Portugal (through her Madeiran parents) and South Africa (as she was born in Cape Town). She has three Junior Matildas caps. Image source: Instagram (@csmaritimofutfem).
In the Liga BPI, Valadares Gaia drew 1–1 with Vitória de Guimarães, with the former remaining in fourth place but still pushing for a European spot, being two points off third-placed Torreense with three games to go. Margaux Chauvet was an unused substitute.
Meanwhile down the bottom of the table, Leah de Oliveira was subbed on in Marítimo's 3–0 away defeat to Racing Power, which puts them ninth and thus likely to be in the relegation playoffs against the eighth-placed team (currently Rio Ave), though they're only three points off 10th (last place and the sole direct relegation spot). Carla Wilson was not in the spot for Damaiense's 2–0 away loss to Rio Ave, with Damaiense occupying last place, looking likely to be relegated either directly or through the playoff and having not won a single match this season except for their opening match.
Scotland (SWPL & SWPL2) — Boughton scores another brace for Motherwell and is awarded POTM
Milly Boughton (pictured) scored a brace and assisted for Motherwell, which awarded her Player of the Match and a place in the SWPL Team of the Week. Image source: Instagram (@hibernianwomen and @hibernianfootballclub).
In Scotland's SWPL 1, Emma Ilijoski was an unused sub in Aberdeen's 2–1 loss to Montrose away, though the loss meant little due to Hamilton Academical being so poor (having picked up just two points compared to Aberdeen's 14). But the big news is we're seeing some awesome stuff from Milly Boughton following her loan to Motherwell from Hibernian until the end of the season, with the young gun scoring another brace for the Women of Steel, who defeated Hamilton 4–0 at home. The 'Well sit second in the relegation group of the SWPL 1, with Scotland splitting their women's leagues like they do with their men's leagues.
In the SWPL 2, Emma McMurdo's Spartans won 3–0 at home over Gartcairn, with the Spartans being top of the promotion group following the split. Spartans were relegated last season from the SWPL 1.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan & Elitettan) — Siemsen tops key statistic despite loss to AIK, Nevin replaces Sayer as a sub
Remy Siemsen (pictured) leads the entire Damallsvenskan in average shots on target despite having no goals or assists so far, albeit after only two matchdays. Image source: Instagram (@remyysiemsen).
There's not much to discuss from last week in the Damallsvenskan, despite the league being full of Aussies. Remy Siemsen kicked things off, playing the full match for Rosengård as they fell 2–1 to AIK Stockholm at home, with AIK being without Jada Whyman due to injury. While we are only two weeks in, Remy currently leads the league in average shots on target per game, with 3.5 (ahead of Häcken's Swedish absolute superstar wonderkid Felicia Schröder who won the Golden Boot last season). AIK are fourth on the table while Rosengård are all the way down in 13th. FCR battled relegation last season (their record worst ever Damallsvenskan season) and thus will be hoping to at least finish midtable this season, but while it’s early days yet it isn’t looking good.
Daniela Galić (pictured) was the first name on Vittsjö manager Mladen Blagojević's list when asked about who he thought were the top Vittsjö players to watch this season, solidifying Dani's status as one of the brightest footballing talents in Australia. Image source: Instagram (@annodong, @football360 and @thewomensgame).
Daniela Galić played another full match up front, receiving a yellow card in Vittsjö's 2–1 loss at home to reigning champions Häcken. Once again she was put as a striker, however, though the hunt for her first goal of the season remains. For Getingarna, Aivi Luik played the full match. The 41-year-old ex-Matildas defender is in the race for a treble, with Getingarna facing Hammarby in both the Europa Cup and Svenska Cupen finals, and already hold the 2025 season title. Häcken are third on the ladder while Vittsjö are 12th.
Amy Sayer (pictured) has already become a key player for Malmö, who will be challenging for the Damallsvenskan title. Image source: Instagram (@amysayer_).
Title-chasing Malmö saw a minor setback, drawing 1–1 away with Norrköping and dropping from first to fifth on the table. Amy Sayer started before being replaced by fellow Matilda Courtney Nevin in the 85th minute. Nevs will be hoping to make her way back into the starting 11 after suddenly being dropped this season.
In the Elitettan, Polly Doran played a great full 90 minutes for Linköping as they beat Häcken II (Häcken's reserve team) 3–0 at home. LFC, a huge club (despite being a standalone women's club) who were relegated last season, sit second after two matchdays, on equal points but a lesser goal difference than Elfsborg.
Other leagues — Micah's Lyon cruise their way to the Coupe de France final
Before moving to Greece, Erin Kontousikos (pictured), who as her surname suggests is of Greek descent, had never played outside the NPLW SA. Image source: Instagram (@erin_kontousikos).
In France's Coupe de France Féminine, OL Lyonnes destroyed Strasbourg 6–0 away (having come back from a shocking 2–2 league draw away from home last week) and booked their ticket to the final, though Teagan Micah did not feature in the squad due to injury. In the final, Lyon will face PSG after they beat Paris FC 2–1 at home in a super intense Paris Derby in which PSG had two red cards but still managed to win. The final will be played at Stade du Hainaut in the city of Valenciennes in the Nord department of Upper France, not far from the Belgian border. The match will kick off at 3:30pm local time on 10 May.
In Greece's Women's A Division, Erin Kontousikos' Kifisia suffered a heavy 5–0 defeat at home to PAOK Thessaloniki. Kifisia are 10th in the league, though are safe from relegation as all four relegation places have already been decided. One of those relegated teams is Shivani Battaglia's Nees Atromitou, who are 12th. They did not play this week, however, as their opponents were bottom-of-the-table Acharnaikos who have forfeited all of their matches.
In Mexico's Liga MX Femenil, Monterrey drew 1–1 away with Juárez, with Rayadas remaining top of the Clausura standings. However, Emily Gielnik wasn't in the squad at all despite having scored a hat-trick last week.
Transfer Talk — more Aussies to move overseas as Sydney FC stars set to leave
Tori Tumeth (pictured), part of Sydney FC's 2023–24 squad that won their fifth grand final, will be leaving Australia to pursue an opportunity overseas. Hana Lowry will reportedly leave alongside her. Image source: Instagram (@torii.tumeth).
While we know that A-League stars leave at the end of each season to pursue opportunities in better quality and better-paying leagues overseas, some breaking transfer news was reported this week on the show DubZone (an analysis program specific to the A-League Women), with pundit Teo Pellizzeri revealing that two Sydney FC stars, uncapped Matildas defender Hana Lowry and defender Tori Tumeth who won the 2025 ASEAN Championship with the U23 Matildas, played their last match for Sydney FC in their 0–0 draw away at Central Coast Mariners. I have received further confirmation from a third party that Tori will be departing Sydney, with her next destination unclear. As a lifelong Sky Blue, thank you so much for everything Hana and Tori, and we're all looking forward to seeing what's next!
Player of the Week — Milly Boughton
This week's Player of the Week award goes to 20-year-old Milly Boughton! Congrats Milly!
Conclusion
That's all for this week, but stay tuned for next week! As always, feel free to jump into the comments with any questions or to discuss the weekend's matches. Thanks for reading, hopefully you found this helpful!
Once again apologies for the extremely late upload, I've been on holidays. Happy belated Easter to everyone as well!
Europe (Champions League & Europa Cup) — Arsenal vs Lyon meet again in the UWCL semis, Häcken vs Hammarby in the UWEC final
Ellie Carpenter (pictured) was booked in Chelsea's quarter-final second leg against Arsenal. This was a point of contention, with Chelsea fans and many neutrals arguing that Arsenal pulled off similar and worse challenges without adequate punishments. Image source: Instagram (@wchampionsleague).
The second legs of the Champions League quarter-finals were played out last week. Chelsea won 1–0 over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge but it was not enough to overturn the 3–1 deficit from the first league at Emirates Stadium, and the Blues exited the competition after the Gunners won 3–2 on aggregate. However, the second leg was marred with more referring controversy, particularly an argument that Irish captain and Gunners left back Katie McCabe (Caitlin Foord's partner) could easily have received a red card for, but failed to pick up a booking. Caitlin Foord played the full match though was rated poorly, while Steph Catley started but was subbed off with an injury which has ruled her out of the FIFA Series in Nairobi, where we (the Matildas) will face Malawi and either India or hosts Kenya. Kyra Cooney-Cross is out for the season due to personal reasons relating to her mother's cancer diagnosis. On the blue side of London, Sam Kerr played the full match and assisted the last-minute goal from German international Sjoeke Nüsken, while Ellie Carpenter also played the full match and received a yellow card (which was also a talking point).
Teagan Micah (pictured), Lyon's number two goalie, is still injured after withdrawing from the Matildas' Asian Cup squad. Nevertheless, Lyon are stacked with goalkeeping options and are doing fine without her. Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
In the other Champions League quarter-final involving an Aussie, Lyon made a thrilling comeback to beat Wolfsburg 4–0 at home after extra time and advance 4–1 on aggregate. Lyon's Teagan Micah is still out with an injury, while Wolfsburg's Sharn Freier is out on loan at Brisbane Roar and is still out for the Roar with an ACL injury. Lyon will play Arsenal in their quarter-final, and while the Gunners did make a shock comeback last time, the Lyonnes will come in as heavy favourites. On the other side of the bracket, Bayern Munich will face Barcelona, with Barça the heavy favourites and Bayern hoping to not capitulate the way they did in their league stage match against Barça where they were destroyed 7–1 away.
An Aussie embrace: Hayley Raso (left) hugged Aivi Luik (right) after the two faced off in the Europa Cup semi-finals. Häcken beat Frankfurt 3–1 on aggregate, meaning Aivi is in the race for a treble at 41 years old. Image source: Instagram (@weuropacup).
In the Europa Cup, the second leg of the semi-finals were played out. While Eintracht Frankfurt did beat Häcken in the return leg, their 1–0 away win wasn't enough to overturn Häcken's 3–0 deficit and Frankfurt were knocked out. Hayley Raso received two yellow cards (though was oddly not sent off) after coming on as a sub for Frankfurt, while Aivi Luik played the full match for Häcken and will be looking at completing a treble at 41 years old, as Häcken won the 2025 Damallsvenskan title. Getingarna will play a two-legged final against Hammarby (after they beat Sparta Prague 5–2 on aggregate), who they will also face in the Svenska Cupen final.
America (NWSL & USL Super League) — just one of four Aussies in the US play, McComasky leaves Fort Lauderdale
Mackenzie Arnold (right) may end up being the only Aussie left in the NWSL if Cortnee Vine departs. Image source: Instagram (@reilynturner).
In the NWSL we had an ultimate Aussie derby as North Carolina Courage drew 2–2 at home with Portland Thorns. Mackenzie Arnold played the full 90 minutes between the sticks for the Thorns and was solid, though Cortnee Vine was not in the Courage's squad altogether, further casting doubts on her future in the US. Should she leave, Macca would be the only Aussie left in the NWSL. The Thorns have moved up to second on the ladder despite the draw, while the Courage are down to 12th in the standings.
Maddy McComasky (pictured) was quietly delisted by Fort Lauderdale United, further contributing to the theory that Australian outfield players do poorly in the American leagues. Image source: Instagram (@ftlutd).
In the USL Super League, Morgan Aquino was surprisingly an unused substitute (possibly due to injury) for DC Power, who suffered a 3–1 away loss to Fort Lauderdale United. Sophie Harding was also an unused sub for Fort Lauderdale, who recently delisted Maddy McComasky after she got limited minutes.
With Maddy's departure from Fort Lauderdale and Cortnee's serious lack of minutes at North Carolina, it further enhances the idea that the American leagues are a graveyard of Aussie talent with the exception of goalies.
England (WSL, WSL2, WNL & Women's FA Cup) — Kerr & Murphy score, Brighton shock Arsenal
Charlize Rule (right) and Brighton knocked Arsenal out in a cupset at Meadow Park in Borehamwood. With the Seagulls just two wins away from lifting their first ever FA Cup, Men's or Women's, could they really do the unthinkable and lift the cup at Wembley? Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
We also saw the FA Cup quarter-finals played out this week, and Dario Vidošić's Brighton kicked things off with a bang. The Seagulls ran away with a shock 2–0 victory over Arsenal away at Meadow Park. The Gunners, affectionately known by Aussie Gooners as "Ausenal", are staring at the jaws of a trophy-less season. Charlize Rule played a good full match for Brighton, while Caitlin Foord came on for Arsenal. Steph Catley is out injured and Kyra Cooney-Cross is, again, out for personal reasons. Chelsea beat my beloved Tottenham 2–1, with Sam Kerr playing the full match and scoring the opener for the Blues. Ellie Carpenter also played the full match for the Chels', while Charli Grant was an unused sub yet again for Spurs and Clare Hunt is still out injured. Mary Fowler came on as a sub for a mostly full-strength Man City side who beat Birmingham away, though it was a very underwhelming result as the Cityzens only came on top 1–0 winners over the Blues. The semi-finals draw sees Chelsea face Man City in an English classic while Liverpool face Brighton in a matchup between two mid-table sides, meaning that one of the two will play in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Neither the Reds nor the Seagulls have ever won a Women's FA Cup, and the latter have never played in a Women's FA Cup final, nor have ever won a Men's FA Cup, paving way for perhaps the greatest story in the competition's history.
Alana Murphy (pictured) scored the opener for Nottingham Forest. The Reds were unlucky to not come away with three points, conceding a last minute equaliser to draw 1–1 away with Newcastle United. Image source: Instagram (@nffcwomen).
In the WSL2, both Aussies in the league faced off in a 1–1 draw, with Kaitlyn Torpey's Newcastle United (managed by Tanya Oxtoby) sealing the draw at home against Nottingham Forest in the last minute following an equaliser from former Lioness star Jordan Nobbs. But the big news comes from Forest whose opener was scored by Alana Murphy who delivered an almost Player of the Match performance based on Sofascore ratings, being Forest's best player and only 0.1 points behind Jordan Nobbs' rating. Murphy played the full match for Forest, as did Torpey for the Toon. The Magpies, who have drawn their last three games, are unlikely to be promoted this season, sitting fourth and five points behind Crystal Palace (who were relegated last season) in third place (the promotion playoff spot) with two games to go, especially considering their current mediocre form. However, Newcastle will be fighting hard next season, and will at least finish higher than arch-rivals Sunderland this season. Forest are seventh and mathematically unable to finish higher than mid-table.
Meleri Mullan (right), a former Adelaide United forward, is now playing for Hashtag United in the WNL South. Hashtag United play in Aveley, Essex, and were founded in March 2016 by football YouTuber Spencer Carmichael-Brown (better known as Spencer FC or Spencer Owen). Image source: Instagram (@izzytomlinxx).
In the National League South, Anna Powell's Gwalia United lost 3–1 at home to champions Watford (who have already been promoted), while Meleri Mullan's Hashtag United won 2–1 away at Cheltenham. Hashtag are eighth while Gwalia are ninth in the WNL South. In the National League North, Racheal Quigley's Wolves won 4–0 at home over Rugby Borough. Wolves are second in the WNL North and in the promotion playoff spot, sitting just one point below Burnley who are top of the table with a notably lesser goal difference. Bonnie Davies' Halifax didn't play this week, but sit 10th on the table and only out of the drop zone on goal difference.
Germany (DFB-Pokal Frauen) — Freier's Wolfsburg to play in the final
Sharn Freier (pictured) is on loan at Brisbane Roar, but suffered an ACL injury at the start of the season. Her parent club Wolfsburg are in the DFB-Pokal final. Image source: Instagram (@_sharnfreier_).
While she didn't play in the semi-final due to her unfortunate ACL injury and the fact that she's on loan at Brisbane Roar, Sharn Freier's Wolfsburg will play in the German Cup final against Bayern Munich in an epic clash between Germany's two best teams. However, the Wölfinnen potentially missed her and found their way to the final the hard way, beating Carl Zeiss Jena - a side playing in the 2. Bundesliga after being relegated last season - 5–4 on penalties after a 0–0 draw after extra time. Bayern will be the favourites for the final, and cruised their way through with a 4–0 win over relegation-battling Bundesliga side Essen.
There was no Frauen-Bundesliga or 2. Frauen-Bundesliga action this week.
Italy (Serie A Femminile) — Chidiac scores and assists while Heatley scores an own goal, but Roma hold on
Alex Chidiac (pictured) scored and assisted in Como's 4–3 home win over Roma. She also helped set up what was eventually an own goal by Matildas teammate Wini Heatley. Image source: Instagram (@comowomen).
The Serie A kicked off with an epic clash for neutrals, with league leaders Roma defeating Como 4–3 at home, with Alex Chidiac playing the full match and scoring Como's first goal and assisting the second, with Chids being proclaimed Como's best player and the second-best on the pitch per Sofascore ratings. Unfortunately, however, Wini Heatley found the back of her own net, with the own goal seeing her substituted after starting. Nevertheless, the Giallorosse remain six points clear at the top of the table and only six points away from claiming the title, and have secured a spot in at least the Champions League qualifiers next season.
Sassuolo's Jess Nash (pictured) recently returned to the Matildas squad for the FIFA Series in Nairobi, Kenya. The Tillies will face Malawi and either India or Kenya in the tournament. Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
Meanwhile, Sassuolo were condemned to another big loss, losing 3–0 at home to Milan, with both Jacynta Gala and Jess Nash coming on as subs for the Neroverde, who are now 11th and four points clear of relegation. Annalise Rasmussen was an unused sub for Juventus, who are third and beat Fiorentina 2–1 away from home.
Portugal (Liga BPI) — Chauvet's Valadares Gaia still pushing for Europe despite away draw
Leah de Oliveira (pictured) is eligible to represent three countries: Australia (as she grew up in Sydney), Portugal (through her Madeiran parents) and South Africa (as she was born in Cape Town). She has three Junior Matildas caps. Image source: Instagram (@csmaritimofutfem).
In the Liga BPI, Valadares Gaia drew 1–1 with Vitória de Guimarães, with the former remaining in fourth place but still pushing for a European spot, being two points off third-placed Torreense with three games to go. Margaux Chauvet was an unused substitute.
Meanwhile down the bottom of the table, Leah de Oliveira was subbed on in Marítimo's 3–0 away defeat to Racing Power, which puts them ninth and thus likely to be in the relegation playoffs against the eighth-placed team (currently Rio Ave), though they're only three points off 10th (last place and the sole direct relegation spot). Carla Wilson was not in the spot for Damaiense's 2–0 away loss to Rio Ave, with Damaiense occupying last place, looking likely to be relegated either directly or through the playoff and having not won a single match this season except for their opening match.
Scotland (SWPL & SWPL2) — Boughton scores another brace for Motherwell and is awarded POTM
Milly Boughton (pictured) scored a brace and assisted for Motherwell, which awarded her Player of the Match and a place in the SWPL Team of the Week. Image source: Instagram (@hibernianwomen and @hibernianfootballclub).
In Scotland's SWPL 1, Emma Ilijoski was an unused sub in Aberdeen's 2–1 loss to Montrose away, though the loss meant little due to Hamilton Academical being so poor (having picked up just two points compared to Aberdeen's 14). But the big news is we're seeing some awesome stuff from Milly Boughton following her loan to Motherwell from Hibernian until the end of the season, with the young gun scoring another brace for the Women of Steel, who defeated Hamilton 4–0 at home. The 'Well sit second in the relegation group of the SWPL 1, with Scotland splitting their women's leagues like they do with their men's leagues.
In the SWPL 2, Emma McMurdo's Spartans won 3–0 at home over Gartcairn, with the Spartans being top of the promotion group following the split. Spartans were relegated last season from the SWPL 1.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan & Elitettan) — Siemsen tops key statistic despite loss to AIK, Nevin replaces Sayer as a sub
Remy Siemsen (pictured) leads the entire Damallsvenskan in average shots on target despite having no goals or assists so far, albeit after only two matchdays. Image source: Instagram (@remyysiemsen).
There's not much to discuss from last week in the Damallsvenskan, despite the league being full of Aussies. Remy Siemsen kicked things off, playing the full match for Rosengård as they fell 2–1 to AIK Stockholm at home, with AIK being without Jada Whyman due to injury. While we are only two weeks in, Remy currently leads the league in average shots on target per game, with 3.5 (ahead of Häcken's Swedish absolute superstar wonderkid Felicia Schröder who won the Golden Boot last season). AIK are fourth on the table while Rosengård are all the way down in 13th. FCR battled relegation last season (their record worst ever Damallsvenskan season) and thus will be hoping to at least finish midtable this season, but while it’s early days yet it isn’t looking good.
Daniela Galić (pictured) was the first name on Vittsjö manager Mladen Blagojević's list when asked about who he thought were the top Vittsjö players to watch this season, solidifying Dani's status as one of the brightest footballing talents in Australia. Image source: Instagram (@annodong, @football360 and @thewomensgame).
Daniela Galić played another full match up front, receiving a yellow card in Vittsjö's 2–1 loss at home to reigning champions Häcken. Once again she was put as a striker, however, though the hunt for her first goal of the season remains. For Getingarna, Aivi Luik played the full match. The 41-year-old ex-Matildas defender is in the race for a treble, with Getingarna facing Hammarby in both the Europa Cup and Svenska Cupen finals, and already hold the 2025 season title. Häcken are third on the ladder while Vittsjö are 12th.
Amy Sayer (pictured) has already become a key player for Malmö, who will be challenging for the Damallsvenskan title. Image source: Instagram (@amysayer_).
Title-chasing Malmö saw a minor setback, drawing 1–1 away with Norrköping and dropping from first to fifth on the table. Amy Sayer started before being replaced by fellow Matilda Courtney Nevin in the 85th minute. Nevs will be hoping to make her way back into the starting 11 after suddenly being dropped this season.
In the Elitettan, Polly Doran played a great full 90 minutes for Linköping as they beat Häcken II (Häcken's reserve team) 3–0 at home. LFC, a huge club (despite being a standalone women's club) who were relegated last season, sit second after two matchdays, on equal points but a lesser goal difference than Elfsborg.
Other leagues — Micah's Lyon cruise their way to the Coupe de France final
Before moving to Greece, Erin Kontousikos (pictured), who as her surname suggests is of Greek descent, had never played outside the NPLW SA. Image source: Instagram (@erin_kontousikos).
In France's Coupe de France Féminine, OL Lyonnes destroyed Strasbourg 6–0 away (having come back from a shocking 2–2 league draw away from home last week) and booked their ticket to the final, though Teagan Micah did not feature in the squad due to injury. In the final, Lyon will face PSG after they beat Paris FC 2–1 at home in a super intense Paris Derby in which PSG had two red cards but still managed to win. The final will be played at Stade du Hainaut in the city of Valenciennes in the Nord department of Upper France, not far from the Belgian border. The match will kick off at 3:30pm local time on 10 May.
In Greece's Women's A Division, Erin Kontousikos' Kifisia suffered a heavy 5–0 defeat at home to PAOK Thessaloniki. Kifisia are 10th in the league, though are safe from relegation as all four relegation places have already been decided. One of those relegated teams is Shivani Battaglia's Nees Atromitou, who are 12th. They did not play this week, however, as their opponents were bottom-of-the-table Acharnaikos who have forfeited all of their matches.
In Mexico's Liga MX Femenil, Monterrey drew 1–1 away with Juárez, with Rayadas remaining top of the Clausura standings. However, Emily Gielnik wasn't in the squad at all despite having scored a hat-trick last week.
Transfer Talk — more Aussies to move overseas as Sydney FC stars set to leave
Tori Tumeth (pictured), part of Sydney FC's 2023–24 squad that won their fifth grand final, will be leaving Australia to pursue an opportunity overseas. Hana Lowry will reportedly leave alongside her. Image source: Instagram (@torii.tumeth).
While we know that A-League stars leave at the end of each season to pursue opportunities in better quality and better-paying leagues overseas, some breaking transfer news was reported this week on the show DubZone (an analysis program specific to the A-League Women), with pundit Teo Pellizzeri revealing that two Sydney FC stars, uncapped Matildas defender Hana Lowry and defender Tori Tumeth who won the 2025 ASEAN Championship with the U23 Matildas, played their last match for Sydney FC in their 0–0 draw away at Central Coast Mariners. I have received further confirmation from a third party that Tori will be departing Sydney, with her next destination unclear. As a lifelong Sky Blue, thank you so much for everything Hana and Tori, and we're all looking forward to seeing what's next!
Player of the Week — Milly Boughton
This week's Player of the Week award goes to 20-year-old Milly Boughton! Congrats Milly!
Conclusion
That's all for this week, but stay tuned for next week! As always, feel free to jump into the comments with any questions or to discuss the weekend's matches. Thanks for reading, hopefully you found this helpful!
