Welcome back to Matildas Abroad, where I analyse the performances of all our Aussies playing overseas!
With the July break coming up soon, the next couple of editions will be shorter as less leagues will be in play. However, we've still got plenty of action to cover this week, so let's get into it!
Europe (Champions League) — UWCL draw confirmed
Annalise Rasmussen (pictured) and Juventus will be hosting a mini-tournament featuring Apolonia, Hammarby and Torreense in the second round of UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) qualifiers. Image source: Instagram (@annalise.rasmussen1).
The draw for the first two rounds of Champions League qualifiers is set, with the first qualifying round set to take place on 22 and 25 July while the second round will take place on 5 and 8 August, all before the third round on 26 August and 2 September. The first Aussies enter the tournament in the second round. Anna Rasmussen's Juventus will host a mini-tournament in Turin with Albanian side Apolonia, Swedish side Hammarby and Portuguese side Torreense, with their first match being against Torreense. A win will see them head to the final to play the winner of Hammarby's clash against Apolonia (so almost certainly Hammarby), while in the unlikely event they lose they would face the loser of that game in the third-place match. Meanwhile, in a triple Aussie tournament in Frankfurt, Hana Lowry's Vålerenga will face Courtney Nevin and Amy Sayer's Malmö, with the winner almost certainly facing Hayley Raso's Frankfurt (or Cypriot side Omonia). So far, nine of the 18 teams (Arsenal, Barça, Bayern, Benfica, Häcken, Lyon, Man City, Paris FC and Roma) have qualified already, with seven Aussies (Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Wini Heatley, Teagan Micah and Aivi Luik) between four of them (Arsenal, Häcken, Lyon, Man City and Roma) as of now. Barcelona will head in as the reigning champions.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan) — Siemsen scores plus assists and Sayer scores ahead of the summer break
Remy Siemsen (right) assisted and scored for FC Rosengård in their important 4–1 win over Djurgårdens IF. While making a statement with the win, they've still got more than half of the season to prove they're worthy of staying up in the Damallsvenskan. Image source: Instagram (@fcrosengard).
Last week was the final one of the Damallsvenskan before the summer break, which goes until July. Rosengård kicked things off with a crucial and decisive 4–1 victory over Djurgården at home. It was a fantastic feat for Remy Siemsen, who assisted the first goal and scored the fourth to earn herself the second-best Sofascore rating on the pitch for the match. The win was exactly what the relegation-threatened giants needed, shooting them up to 11th place. However, FCR aren't out of the woods just yet, only being above the relegation playoff spot on goal difference and above the direct relegation zone by one point.
It's hard to ignore Daniela Galić (centre) at the moment. The 20-year-old has played every match and scored twice this season, proving herself to be an integral part of Vittsjö. Will she finally make her tournament début at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil? Image source: Instagram (@fotbollsfoto).
Meanwhile, Vittsjö played out a 1–1 draw away to Norrköping, with Daniela Galić playing the entire match. Vittsjö extended their unbeaten streak to three matches in a row and remain in eighth place. Further north, Häcken managed a 3–2 victory over Uppsala on the road, with Aivi Luik playing the whole game. Since Hammarby drew 1–1 away with Piteå, the win puts Häcken in first place by two points, with Getingarna aiming to defend their title to win their third title and go back-to-back for the first time ever.
Amy Sayer (right) scored for Malmö FF in their 6–0 Scanian Derby demolition of her old team Kristianstads DFF. The Himmelsblatt have now gone five games unbeaten and have secured their biggest win since 2024, thus their biggest ever win in the Damallsvenskan. Image source: Instagram (@nataliehpersson).
To wrap things up in the Damallsvenskan, Malmö secured a huge victory over Kristianstad, winning 6–0 in a Scanian Derby match. Amy Sayer played fantastically across the entirety of the match and scored the third goal against her former side (which came directly after Sydney-born Serbia international Vesna Milivojević's goal). The win required little defensive efforts, allowing Courtney Nevin to be rested. The Blåe are third on the table, being above AIK on a far better goal difference, but are still a long way from a top two finish, being seven points off second and nine points off the top spot. As for the scoreline, this was the modern Malmö's biggest ever Damallsvenskan win, as well as the Himmelsblatt's largest margin of victory since their 9–0 home win over Lidköping in the Elitettan back on 24 August 2024.
Other leagues — Johnson out with injury as Wild and Rise fall
Mackenzie Arnold (pictured) played the first half of Portland Thorns' 4–3 friendly loss at home to San Diego Wave. Macca and the Thorns will be back in action next week as the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) returns from its summer break. Image source: Instagram (@thornsfc).
In America, Portland Thorns played out an entertaining friendly match against San Diego Wave, at home at Providence Park. In spite of leading 2–1 at the half, the Thorns fell to a 4–3 defeat to the Wave. Mackenzie Arnold started before coming off at half time and being replaced by backup goalie Morgan Messner, who in turn was replaced by another backup goalie in Mackenzie Wood during the second half. In the USL W League, Real Colorado suffered their first loss of the season, losing 1–0 away to Colorado Storm, before winning 3–0 at home over Utah United. The loss saw Real drop to second place in the Mountain Division. However, once again Bella Chidiac was absent for an unknown reason.
Tori Tumeth (pictured) has become an integral part of reigning Northern Super League (NSL) champions Vancouver Rise since signing from Sydney FC. Tori may well be due a Matildas call-up. Image source: Instagram (@torii.tumeth).
In Canada's NSL, Kahli Johnson was ruled out with an injury for Calgary Wild's 1–0 home loss to Halifax Tides. The Wild are now eight games in with just two points from two draws, failing to win a single game so far and sitting dead last on the ladder. Meanwhile, Tori Tumeth played the entirety of Vancouver Rise's 3–1 defeat at home to AFC Toronto, a loss that pushes the Rise back down to fifth place, second last on the eight-team table.
Transfer Talk — Kerr signs for Gotham FC, Henry signs for Rosengård, Apostolakis and McNamara also head overseas
Sam Kerr (pictured) is officially back in the NWSL, retuning to Gotham FC after six years at Chelsea. She will make her redébut on 15 July in the historic Queens Classic against Washington Spirit. Image source: Instagram (@samanthakerr20).
Kicking things off with one of the biggest stories of this transfer window, Sam Kerr has officially returned to Gotham FC after leaving Chelsea after six seasons. Having moved to the US with her American partner Kristie Mewis and young son Jagger, she will return to the club formerly known as Sky Blue FC (not to be confused with my A-League team Sydney FC (the "Sky Blues"), who she also played for) that she played for during her previous stint in the NWSL. She remains the league's all-time leading goalscorer despite a seven year absence, and now she's back for round two. She's scheduled to make her redébut on 15 July, taking part in the Queens Classic at the Citi Field (home of the MLB's New York Mets) against Washington Spirit. A rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship, it will be historic in that it's the first women's sporting event held at the Citi Field, the first NWSL match actually held in New York City proper, and the most attended women's sporting match in NYC history (surpassing Coco Gauff's 2023 US Open final), with ticket sales already surpassing 30,000. Alongside the return of one of the greatest players of all time, the clash will feature USWNT stars such as Gotham's Rose Lavelle and Washington's Trinity Rodman, making it an unmissable match.
Bryleeh Henry (pictured) has officially transferred to FC Rosengård, joining Remy Siemsen and Isabel Gómez at the historic Damallsvenskan club. Some good performances there could see her become a more regular feature in the Matildas setup. Image source: Instagram (@fcrosengard).
Melbourne City have announced the departure of three of their star players, all seeking overseas opportunities. The first player to go was Bryleeh Henry, with the 23-year-old forward having spent four years at the club after her career began at Western Sydney Wanderers, previously being a Junior and Young Matilda before going on to be capped for the senior Matildas team. She's leaving for Damallsvenskan side Rosengård alongside fellow Aussies Izzy Gómez and Remy Siemsen, with the Aussie trio aiming to save Sweden's most successful club from a historic relegation. A transfer to the Swedish top flight was rumoured almost instantly after her departure, and she joins five other Aussies (plus one dual international) in the league, which is a hotspot for Australian talents.
Alexia Apostolakis (pictured) has officially confirmed her departure from Melbourne City, with the highly promising left back seeking a move overseas. It's unclear where she'll be headed next just yet. Image source: Instagram (@alexiaaposto).
Speaking of City players brought up by Wanderers, 20-year-old defender Alexia Apostolakis is also heading overseas. The Young and U23 Matilda plus currently one-cap Matilda has been rated very highly, being regarded as one of the best right backs in the A-League Women, and will be rewarded for her solid efforts with a move overseas ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Alexia's departure was announced on the same day as Bryleeh's, but unlike Bry we're yet to find out exactly where she'll be headed other than that it's overseas. It's quite possible that she too will be heading to the Damallsvenskan, especially being good friends with former City teammate Daniela Galić, who left for Twente in the Vrouwen Eredivisie before settling and thriving at Vittsjö in the Damallsvenskan.
Holly McNamara (front) has also confirmed her long-awaited departure from Melbourne City, leaving the club as a heroine. One of the best players in the A-League Women, it's expected that she'll be heading to England after a long period of speculation on the up and coming Matilda's future. Image source: Instagram (@hollymcnamara__).
The second announcement was a long-awaited one, confirming that 23-year-old star striker Holly McNamara will finally depart the club for an overseas opportunity, having conquered Australia in her five years at the club. She had a highly successful and very decorated stint at the club from when she joined at 18 till now, having become a Young Matilda and later a mainstay in the senior Matildas team, leaving City as one of their best ever players. It's been known since the start of the season that this would be her last season at the club after she only extended for one season, with her match-worn grand final jersey sold on auction for $3,297.41 AUD. It's unclear where Holly's headed next, but she's reportedly keen on a move to England. Overall, these three moves should be exciting for every fan of the Aussie game.
Player of the Week — Remy Siemsen
This week's Player of the Week award goes to Remy Siemsen for her goal and assist against Djurgården. Congrats 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!
With the July break coming up soon, the next couple of editions will be shorter as less leagues will be in play. However, we've still got plenty of action to cover this week, so let's get into it!
Europe (Champions League) — UWCL draw confirmed
Annalise Rasmussen (pictured) and Juventus will be hosting a mini-tournament featuring Apolonia, Hammarby and Torreense in the second round of UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) qualifiers. Image source: Instagram (@annalise.rasmussen1).
The draw for the first two rounds of Champions League qualifiers is set, with the first qualifying round set to take place on 22 and 25 July while the second round will take place on 5 and 8 August, all before the third round on 26 August and 2 September. The first Aussies enter the tournament in the second round. Anna Rasmussen's Juventus will host a mini-tournament in Turin with Albanian side Apolonia, Swedish side Hammarby and Portuguese side Torreense, with their first match being against Torreense. A win will see them head to the final to play the winner of Hammarby's clash against Apolonia (so almost certainly Hammarby), while in the unlikely event they lose they would face the loser of that game in the third-place match. Meanwhile, in a triple Aussie tournament in Frankfurt, Hana Lowry's Vålerenga will face Courtney Nevin and Amy Sayer's Malmö, with the winner almost certainly facing Hayley Raso's Frankfurt (or Cypriot side Omonia). So far, nine of the 18 teams (Arsenal, Barça, Bayern, Benfica, Häcken, Lyon, Man City, Paris FC and Roma) have qualified already, with seven Aussies (Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Wini Heatley, Teagan Micah and Aivi Luik) between four of them (Arsenal, Häcken, Lyon, Man City and Roma) as of now. Barcelona will head in as the reigning champions.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan) — Siemsen scores plus assists and Sayer scores ahead of the summer break
Remy Siemsen (right) assisted and scored for FC Rosengård in their important 4–1 win over Djurgårdens IF. While making a statement with the win, they've still got more than half of the season to prove they're worthy of staying up in the Damallsvenskan. Image source: Instagram (@fcrosengard).
Last week was the final one of the Damallsvenskan before the summer break, which goes until July. Rosengård kicked things off with a crucial and decisive 4–1 victory over Djurgården at home. It was a fantastic feat for Remy Siemsen, who assisted the first goal and scored the fourth to earn herself the second-best Sofascore rating on the pitch for the match. The win was exactly what the relegation-threatened giants needed, shooting them up to 11th place. However, FCR aren't out of the woods just yet, only being above the relegation playoff spot on goal difference and above the direct relegation zone by one point.
It's hard to ignore Daniela Galić (centre) at the moment. The 20-year-old has played every match and scored twice this season, proving herself to be an integral part of Vittsjö. Will she finally make her tournament début at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil? Image source: Instagram (@fotbollsfoto).
Meanwhile, Vittsjö played out a 1–1 draw away to Norrköping, with Daniela Galić playing the entire match. Vittsjö extended their unbeaten streak to three matches in a row and remain in eighth place. Further north, Häcken managed a 3–2 victory over Uppsala on the road, with Aivi Luik playing the whole game. Since Hammarby drew 1–1 away with Piteå, the win puts Häcken in first place by two points, with Getingarna aiming to defend their title to win their third title and go back-to-back for the first time ever.
Amy Sayer (right) scored for Malmö FF in their 6–0 Scanian Derby demolition of her old team Kristianstads DFF. The Himmelsblatt have now gone five games unbeaten and have secured their biggest win since 2024, thus their biggest ever win in the Damallsvenskan. Image source: Instagram (@nataliehpersson).
To wrap things up in the Damallsvenskan, Malmö secured a huge victory over Kristianstad, winning 6–0 in a Scanian Derby match. Amy Sayer played fantastically across the entirety of the match and scored the third goal against her former side (which came directly after Sydney-born Serbia international Vesna Milivojević's goal). The win required little defensive efforts, allowing Courtney Nevin to be rested. The Blåe are third on the table, being above AIK on a far better goal difference, but are still a long way from a top two finish, being seven points off second and nine points off the top spot. As for the scoreline, this was the modern Malmö's biggest ever Damallsvenskan win, as well as the Himmelsblatt's largest margin of victory since their 9–0 home win over Lidköping in the Elitettan back on 24 August 2024.
Other leagues — Johnson out with injury as Wild and Rise fall
Mackenzie Arnold (pictured) played the first half of Portland Thorns' 4–3 friendly loss at home to San Diego Wave. Macca and the Thorns will be back in action next week as the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) returns from its summer break. Image source: Instagram (@thornsfc).
In America, Portland Thorns played out an entertaining friendly match against San Diego Wave, at home at Providence Park. In spite of leading 2–1 at the half, the Thorns fell to a 4–3 defeat to the Wave. Mackenzie Arnold started before coming off at half time and being replaced by backup goalie Morgan Messner, who in turn was replaced by another backup goalie in Mackenzie Wood during the second half. In the USL W League, Real Colorado suffered their first loss of the season, losing 1–0 away to Colorado Storm, before winning 3–0 at home over Utah United. The loss saw Real drop to second place in the Mountain Division. However, once again Bella Chidiac was absent for an unknown reason.
Tori Tumeth (pictured) has become an integral part of reigning Northern Super League (NSL) champions Vancouver Rise since signing from Sydney FC. Tori may well be due a Matildas call-up. Image source: Instagram (@torii.tumeth).
In Canada's NSL, Kahli Johnson was ruled out with an injury for Calgary Wild's 1–0 home loss to Halifax Tides. The Wild are now eight games in with just two points from two draws, failing to win a single game so far and sitting dead last on the ladder. Meanwhile, Tori Tumeth played the entirety of Vancouver Rise's 3–1 defeat at home to AFC Toronto, a loss that pushes the Rise back down to fifth place, second last on the eight-team table.
Transfer Talk — Kerr signs for Gotham FC, Henry signs for Rosengård, Apostolakis and McNamara also head overseas
Sam Kerr (pictured) is officially back in the NWSL, retuning to Gotham FC after six years at Chelsea. She will make her redébut on 15 July in the historic Queens Classic against Washington Spirit. Image source: Instagram (@samanthakerr20).
Kicking things off with one of the biggest stories of this transfer window, Sam Kerr has officially returned to Gotham FC after leaving Chelsea after six seasons. Having moved to the US with her American partner Kristie Mewis and young son Jagger, she will return to the club formerly known as Sky Blue FC (not to be confused with my A-League team Sydney FC (the "Sky Blues"), who she also played for) that she played for during her previous stint in the NWSL. She remains the league's all-time leading goalscorer despite a seven year absence, and now she's back for round two. She's scheduled to make her redébut on 15 July, taking part in the Queens Classic at the Citi Field (home of the MLB's New York Mets) against Washington Spirit. A rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship, it will be historic in that it's the first women's sporting event held at the Citi Field, the first NWSL match actually held in New York City proper, and the most attended women's sporting match in NYC history (surpassing Coco Gauff's 2023 US Open final), with ticket sales already surpassing 30,000. Alongside the return of one of the greatest players of all time, the clash will feature USWNT stars such as Gotham's Rose Lavelle and Washington's Trinity Rodman, making it an unmissable match.
Bryleeh Henry (pictured) has officially transferred to FC Rosengård, joining Remy Siemsen and Isabel Gómez at the historic Damallsvenskan club. Some good performances there could see her become a more regular feature in the Matildas setup. Image source: Instagram (@fcrosengard).
Melbourne City have announced the departure of three of their star players, all seeking overseas opportunities. The first player to go was Bryleeh Henry, with the 23-year-old forward having spent four years at the club after her career began at Western Sydney Wanderers, previously being a Junior and Young Matilda before going on to be capped for the senior Matildas team. She's leaving for Damallsvenskan side Rosengård alongside fellow Aussies Izzy Gómez and Remy Siemsen, with the Aussie trio aiming to save Sweden's most successful club from a historic relegation. A transfer to the Swedish top flight was rumoured almost instantly after her departure, and she joins five other Aussies (plus one dual international) in the league, which is a hotspot for Australian talents.
Alexia Apostolakis (pictured) has officially confirmed her departure from Melbourne City, with the highly promising left back seeking a move overseas. It's unclear where she'll be headed next just yet. Image source: Instagram (@alexiaaposto).
Speaking of City players brought up by Wanderers, 20-year-old defender Alexia Apostolakis is also heading overseas. The Young and U23 Matilda plus currently one-cap Matilda has been rated very highly, being regarded as one of the best right backs in the A-League Women, and will be rewarded for her solid efforts with a move overseas ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Alexia's departure was announced on the same day as Bryleeh's, but unlike Bry we're yet to find out exactly where she'll be headed other than that it's overseas. It's quite possible that she too will be heading to the Damallsvenskan, especially being good friends with former City teammate Daniela Galić, who left for Twente in the Vrouwen Eredivisie before settling and thriving at Vittsjö in the Damallsvenskan.
Holly McNamara (front) has also confirmed her long-awaited departure from Melbourne City, leaving the club as a heroine. One of the best players in the A-League Women, it's expected that she'll be heading to England after a long period of speculation on the up and coming Matilda's future. Image source: Instagram (@hollymcnamara__).
The second announcement was a long-awaited one, confirming that 23-year-old star striker Holly McNamara will finally depart the club for an overseas opportunity, having conquered Australia in her five years at the club. She had a highly successful and very decorated stint at the club from when she joined at 18 till now, having become a Young Matilda and later a mainstay in the senior Matildas team, leaving City as one of their best ever players. It's been known since the start of the season that this would be her last season at the club after she only extended for one season, with her match-worn grand final jersey sold on auction for $3,297.41 AUD. It's unclear where Holly's headed next, but she's reportedly keen on a move to England. Overall, these three moves should be exciting for every fan of the Aussie game.
Player of the Week — Remy Siemsen
This week's Player of the Week award goes to Remy Siemsen for her goal and assist against Djurgården. Congrats 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!
