Welcome back to Matildas Abroad, where I analyse the performances of all our Aussies playing overseas! What a weekend we had to close off a huge season of European football, which is hoped to be even better next season!
Asia (Champions League) — Melbourne City's Asian journey ends with a loss to Tokyo Verdy
Melbourne City's Leticia McKenna (left) and Holly McNamara (right), both regarded as key members of the Matildas' next Golden Generation, secured the domestic double but annoyingly fell short once again in the Champions League and didn't complete a historic treble. This may be have been their last chance in a while if not ever to win continental silverware, with Holly reportedly keen on moving to England. Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
The AFC Women's Champions League semi-finals were held this week in Suwon, South Korea, with Melbourne City having little time to recover after their grand final win just a few days prior, having left for the tournament the morning after their title celebrations. Despite dominating in the group stage, City struggled and pulled off an undoubtedly poor performance at home against Uzbekistan Women's League champions FC Nasaf, only winning 2–1 thanks to a late goal. City suffered a defeat in the semi-finals to be knocked out of the competition and ending their treble hopes, losing 3–1 to Japanese WE League champions Tokyo Verdy Beleza, with the loan goal being scored by Aideen Keane. In the other semi-final, a historic match as it was the first time North Korean athletes were allowed to play in South Korea since 2018, DPR Korea WPL champions Naegohyang made a comeback to win 2–1 over South Korean WK League champions Suwon FC and will play Tokyo Verdy in the final, which will be held at Suwon Sports Complex on 23 May.
America (NWSL, USL Super League & USL W-League) — Arnold keeps two clean sheets, Chidiac débuts
Mackenzie Arnold (front) kept two clean sheets this week in a boost DPR get Golden Glove hopes. Her Portland Thorns are also still top of the table. Image source: Instagram (@mackenziearnold).
While most of the European leagues have officially signed off their seasons, the NWSL season is still well and truly alive. NC Courage kicked things off with a 4–0 win over Chicago Stars at home, though Cortnee Vine didn't play. The Courage are ninth in the standings, only missing out on the playoffs (the top eight) on goal difference. Meanwhile, Mackenzie Arnold had a stellar performance across Portland Thorns' two home games this week, keeping a clean sheet in both a 0–0 draw with Angel City and a 2–0 win over Bay FC. The Thorns remain top of the table by a point, while Macca is equal second in the Golden Glove race with five clean sheets (equal with Washington Spirit's Sandy McIver and two behind Ann-Katrin Berger, starters for the Scotland and Germany national teams respectively).
Sophie Harding's (pictured) FL United have finished last in the USL Super League. While she had high hopes after her performances with Western Sydney Wanderers, she ended up being just a squad player. Image source: Instagram (@sophieeeharding).
On the final day of the USL Super League, Sophie Harding came on as a sub for FL United, but failed to make an impact as they were battered 4–0 on the road by Dallas Trinity. The loss confirmed that United would finish ninth and last on the ladder (winning the "wooden spoon" to loan an Aussie term to an American comp), a point behind Tampa Bay Sun. Morgan Aquino's DC Power played all their matches already and had a bye, finishing the season sixth, meaning no Aussies will feature in the playoffs. On the opening day of the USL W-League, Denver Pioneers graduate Izzy Chidiac (no relation to Alex, though both are Lebanese Australian women's soccer players plus Izzy has Armenian heritage) came on as a sub to make her début for newly-founded Real Colorado in their 2–0 win over Albion SC, putting Real second on goal difference in the Mountain Division with two teams (Flatirons FC and Utah United) yet to play.
England (WSL) — Gorry, Grant and Kerr bid farewell on the final day, City lift the WSL trophy, Hunt and Rule win club awards
Charlize Rule (left) and Clare Hunt (right) took home end of season club awards. Charlie was named Brighton's Young Player of the Season while Clare was named Spurs' Young Supporters' Player of the Season. Image source: Instagram (@officialbhafc and @bhafcwomen (left), @spurswomen (right)).
The WSL has officially concluded for the season, with this season being one to remember. It will also be remembered as the last for some legends of the game, including some Matildas heroes. Brighton ended their season with a 2–1 loss at home to Tottenham, who finished the season on a high with a comeback win on the road. Charli Grant didn't feature in the squad but did feature watching from the sidelines for one last time as a Lilywhite. Clare Hunt, who remains out with an injury, took home an end of season award, having been named Young Supporters' Player of the Season. Meanwhile, Charlie Rule, who also started for the Seagulls before coming off with a knock, was named Brighton's Young Player of the Season after a solid season as part of Dario Vidošić's blue and white back line. Congrats to both Charlie and Clare!
Sam Kerr (left) and Katrina Gorry (right) played their last games for Chelsea and West Ham respectively on Saturday. They leave as legends of their respective clubs ready for a new challenge. Image source: Instagram (@chelseafcw and @samanthakerr20 (left), and @westhamwomen, @katrinagorry10 and @stansportfc (right)).
Meanwhile, Chelsea won 1–0 over Man United at home, with Sam Kerr starting then coming off for one last time in blue, and in a typical fashion scored in her final game to not only seal her place as Chelsea's all-time leading WSL goalscorer (a record she already broke), but also as Chelsea Women's equal all-time leading goalscorer in all competitions. While the match was mostly about fairwelling legends such as Sammy, Ellie Carpenter also provided solid defensive efforts in the back line for the Blues. Further north, Clare Wheeler came off the bench for Everton as the Toffees snatched a last-minute victory at home over Leicester, for whom Emily van Egmond started for before being subbed off. Arsenal also won on the final day, winning 3–1 away from home over Liverpool. Caitlin Foord started before coming off in what could've been her last ever game for the Gunners, while Steph Catley came off the bench in the 90th minute to make her injury return, making her first appearance in over a month since picking up an injury in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Chelsea away.
Mary Fowler (pictured) holding the WSL trophy in front of the travelling fans who watched Manchester City beat West Ham United in London and lift the WSL trophy, ending Chelsea's six-year stranglehold on the title. Image source: Instagram (@matildas and @mancitywomen).
Spurs weren't the only team to make a comeback this week, with London City also making a comeback to win 2–1 at home over Aston Villa. Alanna Kennedy played the entire match in defensive midfield. To wrap things up, Man City won 4–1 away over West Ham in captain Katrina Gorry's last game, though Mini only made a cameo off the bench for the last 11 minutes before saying goodbye to the Hammers. Mary Fowler played the entire match for Man City, who were declared WSL champions, given a guard of honour and lifted the trophy in London as the season wrapped up. City also made an inclusive move to host an open-top bus parade and after-party featuring the men's, women's and academy teams, celebrating the achievements of every team that forms part of the broader Manchester City Football Club (Man City FC or MCFC) whilst giving exposure to the entirety of the club, who have established themselves as giants in the English men's and women's games.
Now to summarise the final standings on the table: Man City are champions with their second WSL title and first since 2016, Arsenal are second for the second year in a row and will join City in the league phase of the Champions League, while Chelsea are third and will play in the third qualifying round, with the Blues suffering their worst season since 2018–19 (the last time they didn't win the WSL, and the last season Arsenal did). Man United missed out on European football by nine points and finished fourth, only four points ahead of Tottenham in fifth. After another nine point gap, big spenders London City finished sixth, Brighton seventh, Everton eighth, Villa ninth, West Ham 10th, Liverpool 11th and Leicester 12th. Only two games remain this season, but both are hugely important matchups: Brighton will play Man City in the Women's FA Cup final, while Leicester will learn their fate after the promotion/relegation playoff against third-place WSL2 side Charlton.
Germany (Frauen-Bundesliga & 2. Frauen-Bundesliga) — Frankfurt make a big comeback on the final day
Hayley Raso's (pictured) Eintracht Frankfurt have qualified for European football after an entertaining race with TSG Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen. They'll compete in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. Image source: Instagram (@coasthenne_fotografie).
The final day of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga gave mixed results to our Aussies. Hayley Raso came on as a sub for Frankfurt, who claimed a 4–2 comeback win at home over Union Berlin, sealing a third place finish and a spot in the Champions League qualifiers. Meanwhile, Hoffenheim missed out despite a season-long run for Europe, drawing 0–0 with Leipzig on the final day to finish fourth. Jamilla Rankin started before coming off as a substitution.
Lara Kirkby (pictured) is enjoying life in Germany, having recently extended her contract with 2. Frauen-Bundesliga side VfL Bochum. Image source: Instagram (@larakirkby and @vflbochum1848_frauen).
Leia Varley played the entirety of Nuremberg's 3–1 loss away from home to runners-up Wolfsburg, a game in which the Wölfinnen had lots of pressure to win as it was German football icon Alex Popp’s last game before her retirement from professional football. Nuremberg finished 11th in the league. In the 2. Bundesliga, Lara Kirkby started before coming off as a sub for Bochum in a 2–1 defeat on the road to Meppen, ending the season with five losses in a row and seven consecutive matches without a win, leading them to finish ninth.
Italy (Serie A Femminile) — Rasmussen scores on début and named in Team of the Week with Heatley
Wini Heatley (pictured) proudly holds the Serie A Women trophy with a winner's medal around her neck. In her first season at the club, Wini has already claimed the highest honour in one of the best leagues in Europe. Image source: Instagram (@asromawomen, @winiheatleyy and @matildas).
The Serie A Women wrapped up this weekend, with champions Roma kicking off the week with a 2–0 win over already-relegated Genoa. The Giallorosse then proceeded to lift the Serie A trophy in front of their home fans, having secured the title two matchdays prior. Roma have won the title for the third time, equaling the men's team in a much shorter period of time. Wini Heatley played the entire match in the back three, an unorthodox formation not traditionally used by Roma but used by other clubs such as Sassuolo, picking up a yellow card. Her solid display led to her being picked in Team of the Week once again, showing that despite some mediocre performances at times, her resilience has allowed her to bounce back and finish the season on a high and focus on all the positive contributions she made this season.
Alex Chidiac (pictured) and FC Como ended the season on a high with a surprising 3–0 thrashing of runners-up Inter Milan on the road. Image source: Instagram (@comowomen).
Como finished their season with a match against runners-up Inter Milan away, stunning the Nerazzurre by running away with a 3–0 win on the road. This was Como's first win and Inter's first league loss since February. Alex Chidiac started before coming off for Como, who ended up finishing eighth. Meanwhile, Sassuolo shared points with Napoli on the last day with their 1–1 draw away from home, in which Jacynta Gala was an unused sub while Jess Nash was shockingly omitted from the squad. Sassuolo finished ninth in the league.
At long last, Anna Rasmussen (pictured) has made her début for Juventus, and what a début it was! Razz started and scored in her first match for the Bianconere, earning her Player of the Match and a spot in Team of the Week alongside fellow Aussie Wini Heatley from Roma. She was also named in the PFA Team of the Year for her major contributions at Central Coast Mariners in the A-League Women during the first half of the season. Image source: Instagram (@seriea_women).
To wrap up with some exciting news, Anna Rasmussen finally made her début for Juventus, and it truly was a début to remember. Being named in the starting 11, Razz played 81 minutes and scored on her début in a 3–1 win over Parma away, earning herself a spot in the season's final Team of the Week alongside Wini. Having finally broken through at Juve, it was hoped that Matildas gaffer Joe Montemurro will (or at least should) name her in the squad for the two-match friendly series against Mexico in Sydney and Newcastle, putting her in line to make her long-awaited senior international début in the green and gold, but has been left out of the squad once again. The Bianconere, coming into the season as the reigning double winners, finished third in the league, but could come out as treble winners if they beat Roma in the Coppa Italia final, the fifth matchup and third cup final this season between the two Italian giants.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan, Elitettan & Svenska Cupen Damer) — Häcken lose cup final, Siemsen scores against old club, Malmö fall to Hammarby in huge clash
Aivi Luik, aged 41, was unable to complete a historic treble with BK Häcken, falling short after a 1–0 loss to Hammarby IF after extra time in the Svenska Cupen Damer final. Image source: Instagram (@matchday.jpg).
Kicking off the weekend we had the Svenska Cupen Damer final in which Aivi Luik's Häcken face off against Hammarby in a rematch of the Europa Cup final and first vs second in the Damallsvenskan (both currently and at the end of last season). Getingarna were facing a historic treble, but ultimately fell short and lost 1–0 in extra time after Hammarby's Norwegian star Mari Nyhagen scored the winner in the 107th minute. Aivi played the full match.
Remy Siemsen (pictured) scored once again for FC Rosengård, this time against her old club Kristianstads DFF. Rosengård remain in a relegation battle despite Remy's goals. Image source: Instagram (@remyysiemsen).
Rosengård kicked off the Damallsvenskan week with a 2–2 draw at home with Kristianstad midweek, with Remy Siemsen playing the whole game and finding the back of the net against her old club, though KDFF got the last laugh when they snatched away Rosengård's first win of the season with an equaliser in stoppage time. Therefore, FCR remain dead last in 14th with just two points, though Remy personally is having a good season so far with three goals in six matches (putting her equal third in the Golden Boot race) and an average of 2.2 shots on target per game (second in the entire league). Meanwhile, Daniela Galić started before coming off for Vittsjö, who sit ninth after picking up just their second win of the season with a 1–0 win over Djurgården, a side that finished fourth last season with an established men's team in the Allsvenskan but struggling this season in the Damallsvenskan.
Courtney Nevin (pictured) started for Malmö FF, who have lost two games in a row after facing two challenging opponents away from home in BK Häcken and Hammarby IF. Image source: Instagram (@malmo_ff).
Despite heartbreak in the Svenska Cupen final, remained second on the table after winning 4–2 at home over Växjö, with Aivi Luik playing the whole match. Meanwhile, Malmö lost 2–1 away to league leaders Hammarby in a top of the table clash, with Malmö losing twice in a row after losing another top of the table clash last week with Häcken away. Courtney Nevin started but came off after being judged poor, while Amy Sayer was surprisingly benched again but came on as a sub like last time. The Blåe have dropped to fifth now that they've lost back-to-back matches, something they haven't done in many years. It's hoped that Amy (who is still a part of the Golden Boot race) will be back in the starting 11 now that the Himmelsblått need to get back to winning ways, while it's also hoped Court will find her form again after a poor match. In the Elitettan, Polly Doran played the entirety of Linköping's 2–0 away win over Gamla Upsala, remaining third in an exciting title race in the Swedish second tier.
Other leagues — Johnson assists, Monterrey choke the liguilla final, McMurdo's Spartans win the SWPL 2
In Canada's NSL, Calgary Wild picked up their first point of the season, drawing 2–2 at home with Montréal Roses. Kahli Johnson came off the bench and registered an assist, her first goal contribution of the season. The Wild have dropped to sixth place (dead last), however. In a similar fashion, reigning champions Vancouver Rise picked up their first points of the season by securing a 2–1 away win over the Tide right after they played the Wild. The Rise have moved up to fifth due to the win, in which Tori Tumeth played the entire match and got a yellow card.
In France's Première Ligue, Lyon put themselves another step closer to winning the quadruple after a crazy 8–0 thrashing of Nantes at home in their playoff semi-final, but amazingly all eight goals came in the second half. Lyon will face Paris FC in the playoff final after PFC beat PSG 1–0 at home in a Paris Derby. Teagan Micah remains out for the season, having played a minimal role in the potential quadruple.
In Greece's Women's A Division, Erin Kontousikos' Kifisia wrapped up their season without playing at all as their match against Acharnaikos was cancelled as they had withdrawn from the league, thus forfeiting every game as a 3–0 loss. Shivani Battaglia's Nees Atromitou suffered a 4–0 loss at home to OFI Crete. Kifisia finished ninth while Nees were relegated and finished 12th.
Emily Gielnik (left) and Monterrey have finished runners-up in the clausura stage of the Liga MX Femenil, having lost the liguilla final to Club América who made a comeback in the second leg. Image source: Instagram (@ellasalbalon).
In Mexico's Liga MX Femenil, Monterrey thought they secured a piece of silverware in the clausura stage liguilla final against Club América, running out with a 1–0 victory in the first leg at home. However, in the second leg away they suffered a 3–0 loss, ultimately awarding América the clausura double (as they also topped the regular season). Emily Gielnik was subbed on in the first leg and started before being subbed off in the second leg.
In Norway's Toppserien, Hana Lowry was not in the squad altogether for their match at home against Molde. However, her absence was felt as the Bohemene suffered a surprising 2–1 loss. They remain third in the league, a point behind Rosenborg and six points behind reigning champions Brann, but only ahead of Aalesund on goal difference.
Emma McMurdo (pictured) and Spartans are back in the SWPL 1 after confirming their promotion and thus the SWPL 2 title on the final day. Congratulations Emma! Image source: Instagram (@emma.mcmurdo).
In Scotland's SWPL 1, there was an Aussie derby in which Motherwell drew 2–2 at home with Aberdeen on the final day of the relegation group. Both Milly Boughton and Emma Ilijoski started before coming off for their respective clubs (Motherwell and Aberdeen respectively). Motherwell finished first while Aberdeen finished third in the relegation round, which featured the four worst teams in the regular season in a home and away group stage. The big news however comes from the SWPL 2, where Emma McMurdo (a Perth-born Scottish Australian who moved over to Scotland the SWPL leagues from the NPLW WA) successfully clinched silverware, with her club Spartans winning the second division title and earning promotion back to the top tier after just one season.
Transfer Talk — first A-League Women club announces departures
Rachel Lowe (front), after three seasons at the club, is one of four Melbourne Victory players whose departures have been announced. While it's most likely she'll remain in Australia, there's a chance she could choose to go overseas. Rach, aged 25, was capped once for the Matildas back in 2018. Image source: Instagram (@rachel_lowe_).
While we're yet to hear any new news besides that Charli Grant, Katrina Gorry and Sam Kerr have left their clubs, we do have some domestic news in the A-League Women. Melbourne Victory have become the first Dub club this season to announce a list of departures (rather than individual departures as Sydney FC already announced), with four players being cut from the squad. Of the four, two are Americans (Kennedy White and Payton Woodward), while two are Australians (Rachel Lowe (most notably) and Natalie Picak). It is unclear where they will head, but while it's likely the two Aussies will stay home while the two Seppos go back to the US, the door remains open for someone like Rachel Lowe to test her luck overseas.
Player of the Week — Remy Siemsen
This week's Player of the Week award goes to Remy Siemsen for her goal against Kristianstad! Well done Remy!
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, and once again, congratulations to our award and trophy winners!
Asia (Champions League) — Melbourne City's Asian journey ends with a loss to Tokyo Verdy
Melbourne City's Leticia McKenna (left) and Holly McNamara (right), both regarded as key members of the Matildas' next Golden Generation, secured the domestic double but annoyingly fell short once again in the Champions League and didn't complete a historic treble. This may be have been their last chance in a while if not ever to win continental silverware, with Holly reportedly keen on moving to England. Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
The AFC Women's Champions League semi-finals were held this week in Suwon, South Korea, with Melbourne City having little time to recover after their grand final win just a few days prior, having left for the tournament the morning after their title celebrations. Despite dominating in the group stage, City struggled and pulled off an undoubtedly poor performance at home against Uzbekistan Women's League champions FC Nasaf, only winning 2–1 thanks to a late goal. City suffered a defeat in the semi-finals to be knocked out of the competition and ending their treble hopes, losing 3–1 to Japanese WE League champions Tokyo Verdy Beleza, with the loan goal being scored by Aideen Keane. In the other semi-final, a historic match as it was the first time North Korean athletes were allowed to play in South Korea since 2018, DPR Korea WPL champions Naegohyang made a comeback to win 2–1 over South Korean WK League champions Suwon FC and will play Tokyo Verdy in the final, which will be held at Suwon Sports Complex on 23 May.
America (NWSL, USL Super League & USL W-League) — Arnold keeps two clean sheets, Chidiac débuts
Mackenzie Arnold (front) kept two clean sheets this week in a boost DPR get Golden Glove hopes. Her Portland Thorns are also still top of the table. Image source: Instagram (@mackenziearnold).
While most of the European leagues have officially signed off their seasons, the NWSL season is still well and truly alive. NC Courage kicked things off with a 4–0 win over Chicago Stars at home, though Cortnee Vine didn't play. The Courage are ninth in the standings, only missing out on the playoffs (the top eight) on goal difference. Meanwhile, Mackenzie Arnold had a stellar performance across Portland Thorns' two home games this week, keeping a clean sheet in both a 0–0 draw with Angel City and a 2–0 win over Bay FC. The Thorns remain top of the table by a point, while Macca is equal second in the Golden Glove race with five clean sheets (equal with Washington Spirit's Sandy McIver and two behind Ann-Katrin Berger, starters for the Scotland and Germany national teams respectively).
Sophie Harding's (pictured) FL United have finished last in the USL Super League. While she had high hopes after her performances with Western Sydney Wanderers, she ended up being just a squad player. Image source: Instagram (@sophieeeharding).
On the final day of the USL Super League, Sophie Harding came on as a sub for FL United, but failed to make an impact as they were battered 4–0 on the road by Dallas Trinity. The loss confirmed that United would finish ninth and last on the ladder (winning the "wooden spoon" to loan an Aussie term to an American comp), a point behind Tampa Bay Sun. Morgan Aquino's DC Power played all their matches already and had a bye, finishing the season sixth, meaning no Aussies will feature in the playoffs. On the opening day of the USL W-League, Denver Pioneers graduate Izzy Chidiac (no relation to Alex, though both are Lebanese Australian women's soccer players plus Izzy has Armenian heritage) came on as a sub to make her début for newly-founded Real Colorado in their 2–0 win over Albion SC, putting Real second on goal difference in the Mountain Division with two teams (Flatirons FC and Utah United) yet to play.
England (WSL) — Gorry, Grant and Kerr bid farewell on the final day, City lift the WSL trophy, Hunt and Rule win club awards
Charlize Rule (left) and Clare Hunt (right) took home end of season club awards. Charlie was named Brighton's Young Player of the Season while Clare was named Spurs' Young Supporters' Player of the Season. Image source: Instagram (@officialbhafc and @bhafcwomen (left), @spurswomen (right)).
The WSL has officially concluded for the season, with this season being one to remember. It will also be remembered as the last for some legends of the game, including some Matildas heroes. Brighton ended their season with a 2–1 loss at home to Tottenham, who finished the season on a high with a comeback win on the road. Charli Grant didn't feature in the squad but did feature watching from the sidelines for one last time as a Lilywhite. Clare Hunt, who remains out with an injury, took home an end of season award, having been named Young Supporters' Player of the Season. Meanwhile, Charlie Rule, who also started for the Seagulls before coming off with a knock, was named Brighton's Young Player of the Season after a solid season as part of Dario Vidošić's blue and white back line. Congrats to both Charlie and Clare!
Sam Kerr (left) and Katrina Gorry (right) played their last games for Chelsea and West Ham respectively on Saturday. They leave as legends of their respective clubs ready for a new challenge. Image source: Instagram (@chelseafcw and @samanthakerr20 (left), and @westhamwomen, @katrinagorry10 and @stansportfc (right)).
Meanwhile, Chelsea won 1–0 over Man United at home, with Sam Kerr starting then coming off for one last time in blue, and in a typical fashion scored in her final game to not only seal her place as Chelsea's all-time leading WSL goalscorer (a record she already broke), but also as Chelsea Women's equal all-time leading goalscorer in all competitions. While the match was mostly about fairwelling legends such as Sammy, Ellie Carpenter also provided solid defensive efforts in the back line for the Blues. Further north, Clare Wheeler came off the bench for Everton as the Toffees snatched a last-minute victory at home over Leicester, for whom Emily van Egmond started for before being subbed off. Arsenal also won on the final day, winning 3–1 away from home over Liverpool. Caitlin Foord started before coming off in what could've been her last ever game for the Gunners, while Steph Catley came off the bench in the 90th minute to make her injury return, making her first appearance in over a month since picking up an injury in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Chelsea away.
Mary Fowler (pictured) holding the WSL trophy in front of the travelling fans who watched Manchester City beat West Ham United in London and lift the WSL trophy, ending Chelsea's six-year stranglehold on the title. Image source: Instagram (@matildas and @mancitywomen).
Spurs weren't the only team to make a comeback this week, with London City also making a comeback to win 2–1 at home over Aston Villa. Alanna Kennedy played the entire match in defensive midfield. To wrap things up, Man City won 4–1 away over West Ham in captain Katrina Gorry's last game, though Mini only made a cameo off the bench for the last 11 minutes before saying goodbye to the Hammers. Mary Fowler played the entire match for Man City, who were declared WSL champions, given a guard of honour and lifted the trophy in London as the season wrapped up. City also made an inclusive move to host an open-top bus parade and after-party featuring the men's, women's and academy teams, celebrating the achievements of every team that forms part of the broader Manchester City Football Club (Man City FC or MCFC) whilst giving exposure to the entirety of the club, who have established themselves as giants in the English men's and women's games.
Now to summarise the final standings on the table: Man City are champions with their second WSL title and first since 2016, Arsenal are second for the second year in a row and will join City in the league phase of the Champions League, while Chelsea are third and will play in the third qualifying round, with the Blues suffering their worst season since 2018–19 (the last time they didn't win the WSL, and the last season Arsenal did). Man United missed out on European football by nine points and finished fourth, only four points ahead of Tottenham in fifth. After another nine point gap, big spenders London City finished sixth, Brighton seventh, Everton eighth, Villa ninth, West Ham 10th, Liverpool 11th and Leicester 12th. Only two games remain this season, but both are hugely important matchups: Brighton will play Man City in the Women's FA Cup final, while Leicester will learn their fate after the promotion/relegation playoff against third-place WSL2 side Charlton.
Germany (Frauen-Bundesliga & 2. Frauen-Bundesliga) — Frankfurt make a big comeback on the final day
Hayley Raso's (pictured) Eintracht Frankfurt have qualified for European football after an entertaining race with TSG Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen. They'll compete in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. Image source: Instagram (@coasthenne_fotografie).
The final day of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga gave mixed results to our Aussies. Hayley Raso came on as a sub for Frankfurt, who claimed a 4–2 comeback win at home over Union Berlin, sealing a third place finish and a spot in the Champions League qualifiers. Meanwhile, Hoffenheim missed out despite a season-long run for Europe, drawing 0–0 with Leipzig on the final day to finish fourth. Jamilla Rankin started before coming off as a substitution.
Lara Kirkby (pictured) is enjoying life in Germany, having recently extended her contract with 2. Frauen-Bundesliga side VfL Bochum. Image source: Instagram (@larakirkby and @vflbochum1848_frauen).
Leia Varley played the entirety of Nuremberg's 3–1 loss away from home to runners-up Wolfsburg, a game in which the Wölfinnen had lots of pressure to win as it was German football icon Alex Popp’s last game before her retirement from professional football. Nuremberg finished 11th in the league. In the 2. Bundesliga, Lara Kirkby started before coming off as a sub for Bochum in a 2–1 defeat on the road to Meppen, ending the season with five losses in a row and seven consecutive matches without a win, leading them to finish ninth.
Italy (Serie A Femminile) — Rasmussen scores on début and named in Team of the Week with Heatley
Wini Heatley (pictured) proudly holds the Serie A Women trophy with a winner's medal around her neck. In her first season at the club, Wini has already claimed the highest honour in one of the best leagues in Europe. Image source: Instagram (@asromawomen, @winiheatleyy and @matildas).
The Serie A Women wrapped up this weekend, with champions Roma kicking off the week with a 2–0 win over already-relegated Genoa. The Giallorosse then proceeded to lift the Serie A trophy in front of their home fans, having secured the title two matchdays prior. Roma have won the title for the third time, equaling the men's team in a much shorter period of time. Wini Heatley played the entire match in the back three, an unorthodox formation not traditionally used by Roma but used by other clubs such as Sassuolo, picking up a yellow card. Her solid display led to her being picked in Team of the Week once again, showing that despite some mediocre performances at times, her resilience has allowed her to bounce back and finish the season on a high and focus on all the positive contributions she made this season.
Alex Chidiac (pictured) and FC Como ended the season on a high with a surprising 3–0 thrashing of runners-up Inter Milan on the road. Image source: Instagram (@comowomen).
Como finished their season with a match against runners-up Inter Milan away, stunning the Nerazzurre by running away with a 3–0 win on the road. This was Como's first win and Inter's first league loss since February. Alex Chidiac started before coming off for Como, who ended up finishing eighth. Meanwhile, Sassuolo shared points with Napoli on the last day with their 1–1 draw away from home, in which Jacynta Gala was an unused sub while Jess Nash was shockingly omitted from the squad. Sassuolo finished ninth in the league.
At long last, Anna Rasmussen (pictured) has made her début for Juventus, and what a début it was! Razz started and scored in her first match for the Bianconere, earning her Player of the Match and a spot in Team of the Week alongside fellow Aussie Wini Heatley from Roma. She was also named in the PFA Team of the Year for her major contributions at Central Coast Mariners in the A-League Women during the first half of the season. Image source: Instagram (@seriea_women).
To wrap up with some exciting news, Anna Rasmussen finally made her début for Juventus, and it truly was a début to remember. Being named in the starting 11, Razz played 81 minutes and scored on her début in a 3–1 win over Parma away, earning herself a spot in the season's final Team of the Week alongside Wini. Having finally broken through at Juve, it was hoped that Matildas gaffer Joe Montemurro will (or at least should) name her in the squad for the two-match friendly series against Mexico in Sydney and Newcastle, putting her in line to make her long-awaited senior international début in the green and gold, but has been left out of the squad once again. The Bianconere, coming into the season as the reigning double winners, finished third in the league, but could come out as treble winners if they beat Roma in the Coppa Italia final, the fifth matchup and third cup final this season between the two Italian giants.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan, Elitettan & Svenska Cupen Damer) — Häcken lose cup final, Siemsen scores against old club, Malmö fall to Hammarby in huge clash
Aivi Luik, aged 41, was unable to complete a historic treble with BK Häcken, falling short after a 1–0 loss to Hammarby IF after extra time in the Svenska Cupen Damer final. Image source: Instagram (@matchday.jpg).
Kicking off the weekend we had the Svenska Cupen Damer final in which Aivi Luik's Häcken face off against Hammarby in a rematch of the Europa Cup final and first vs second in the Damallsvenskan (both currently and at the end of last season). Getingarna were facing a historic treble, but ultimately fell short and lost 1–0 in extra time after Hammarby's Norwegian star Mari Nyhagen scored the winner in the 107th minute. Aivi played the full match.
Remy Siemsen (pictured) scored once again for FC Rosengård, this time against her old club Kristianstads DFF. Rosengård remain in a relegation battle despite Remy's goals. Image source: Instagram (@remyysiemsen).
Rosengård kicked off the Damallsvenskan week with a 2–2 draw at home with Kristianstad midweek, with Remy Siemsen playing the whole game and finding the back of the net against her old club, though KDFF got the last laugh when they snatched away Rosengård's first win of the season with an equaliser in stoppage time. Therefore, FCR remain dead last in 14th with just two points, though Remy personally is having a good season so far with three goals in six matches (putting her equal third in the Golden Boot race) and an average of 2.2 shots on target per game (second in the entire league). Meanwhile, Daniela Galić started before coming off for Vittsjö, who sit ninth after picking up just their second win of the season with a 1–0 win over Djurgården, a side that finished fourth last season with an established men's team in the Allsvenskan but struggling this season in the Damallsvenskan.
Courtney Nevin (pictured) started for Malmö FF, who have lost two games in a row after facing two challenging opponents away from home in BK Häcken and Hammarby IF. Image source: Instagram (@malmo_ff).
Despite heartbreak in the Svenska Cupen final, remained second on the table after winning 4–2 at home over Växjö, with Aivi Luik playing the whole match. Meanwhile, Malmö lost 2–1 away to league leaders Hammarby in a top of the table clash, with Malmö losing twice in a row after losing another top of the table clash last week with Häcken away. Courtney Nevin started but came off after being judged poor, while Amy Sayer was surprisingly benched again but came on as a sub like last time. The Blåe have dropped to fifth now that they've lost back-to-back matches, something they haven't done in many years. It's hoped that Amy (who is still a part of the Golden Boot race) will be back in the starting 11 now that the Himmelsblått need to get back to winning ways, while it's also hoped Court will find her form again after a poor match. In the Elitettan, Polly Doran played the entirety of Linköping's 2–0 away win over Gamla Upsala, remaining third in an exciting title race in the Swedish second tier.
Other leagues — Johnson assists, Monterrey choke the liguilla final, McMurdo's Spartans win the SWPL 2
In Canada's NSL, Calgary Wild picked up their first point of the season, drawing 2–2 at home with Montréal Roses. Kahli Johnson came off the bench and registered an assist, her first goal contribution of the season. The Wild have dropped to sixth place (dead last), however. In a similar fashion, reigning champions Vancouver Rise picked up their first points of the season by securing a 2–1 away win over the Tide right after they played the Wild. The Rise have moved up to fifth due to the win, in which Tori Tumeth played the entire match and got a yellow card.
In France's Première Ligue, Lyon put themselves another step closer to winning the quadruple after a crazy 8–0 thrashing of Nantes at home in their playoff semi-final, but amazingly all eight goals came in the second half. Lyon will face Paris FC in the playoff final after PFC beat PSG 1–0 at home in a Paris Derby. Teagan Micah remains out for the season, having played a minimal role in the potential quadruple.
In Greece's Women's A Division, Erin Kontousikos' Kifisia wrapped up their season without playing at all as their match against Acharnaikos was cancelled as they had withdrawn from the league, thus forfeiting every game as a 3–0 loss. Shivani Battaglia's Nees Atromitou suffered a 4–0 loss at home to OFI Crete. Kifisia finished ninth while Nees were relegated and finished 12th.
Emily Gielnik (left) and Monterrey have finished runners-up in the clausura stage of the Liga MX Femenil, having lost the liguilla final to Club América who made a comeback in the second leg. Image source: Instagram (@ellasalbalon).
In Mexico's Liga MX Femenil, Monterrey thought they secured a piece of silverware in the clausura stage liguilla final against Club América, running out with a 1–0 victory in the first leg at home. However, in the second leg away they suffered a 3–0 loss, ultimately awarding América the clausura double (as they also topped the regular season). Emily Gielnik was subbed on in the first leg and started before being subbed off in the second leg.
In Norway's Toppserien, Hana Lowry was not in the squad altogether for their match at home against Molde. However, her absence was felt as the Bohemene suffered a surprising 2–1 loss. They remain third in the league, a point behind Rosenborg and six points behind reigning champions Brann, but only ahead of Aalesund on goal difference.
Emma McMurdo (pictured) and Spartans are back in the SWPL 1 after confirming their promotion and thus the SWPL 2 title on the final day. Congratulations Emma! Image source: Instagram (@emma.mcmurdo).
In Scotland's SWPL 1, there was an Aussie derby in which Motherwell drew 2–2 at home with Aberdeen on the final day of the relegation group. Both Milly Boughton and Emma Ilijoski started before coming off for their respective clubs (Motherwell and Aberdeen respectively). Motherwell finished first while Aberdeen finished third in the relegation round, which featured the four worst teams in the regular season in a home and away group stage. The big news however comes from the SWPL 2, where Emma McMurdo (a Perth-born Scottish Australian who moved over to Scotland the SWPL leagues from the NPLW WA) successfully clinched silverware, with her club Spartans winning the second division title and earning promotion back to the top tier after just one season.
Transfer Talk — first A-League Women club announces departures
Rachel Lowe (front), after three seasons at the club, is one of four Melbourne Victory players whose departures have been announced. While it's most likely she'll remain in Australia, there's a chance she could choose to go overseas. Rach, aged 25, was capped once for the Matildas back in 2018. Image source: Instagram (@rachel_lowe_).
While we're yet to hear any new news besides that Charli Grant, Katrina Gorry and Sam Kerr have left their clubs, we do have some domestic news in the A-League Women. Melbourne Victory have become the first Dub club this season to announce a list of departures (rather than individual departures as Sydney FC already announced), with four players being cut from the squad. Of the four, two are Americans (Kennedy White and Payton Woodward), while two are Australians (Rachel Lowe (most notably) and Natalie Picak). It is unclear where they will head, but while it's likely the two Aussies will stay home while the two Seppos go back to the US, the door remains open for someone like Rachel Lowe to test her luck overseas.
Player of the Week — Remy Siemsen
This week's Player of the Week award goes to Remy Siemsen for her goal against Kristianstad! Well done Remy!
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, and once again, congratulations to our award and trophy winners!
