Welcome back to Matildas Abroad, where I analyse the performances of all our Aussies playing overseas!
Europe (Champions League) — Raso scores, Frankfurt and Malmö set to face off
Charli Grant (pictured) is yet to feature on the pitch for Malmö FF. It's hoped she'll make her début against Eintracht Frankfurt. Image source: Instagram (@charli_grant).
This week included the start of the Champions League second qualifying round, with each team playing in a mini-tournament, hosted by the highest-ranked team in their draw, consisting of two semi-finals, a third-place match and a final to determine who will continue their Champions League journey, who will have the chance to play in the Europa Cup, and who will be eliminated from European competition entirely. Vålerenga fell to a 1–0 defeat to Malmö, with Hana Lowry starting before coming off and Tijan McKenna being absent from the squad for Vålerenga. For Malmö, both Courtney Nevin (who picked up a yellow card) and Amy Sayer played the entirety of the match, while Charli Grant was benched and remains yet to make his début.
Hayley Raso (pictured) scored in the third minute of Eintracht Frankfurt's gigantic 8–0 victory at home over Omonia Nicosia. Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
Meanwhile, Hayley Raso started for Frankfurt in their gigantic 8–0 win over Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia at home, scoring the opener in the third minute during her 59 minutes on the pitch, while Jamilla Rankin came on as a substitute. Frankfurt and Malmö will face off in an Aussie derby in the final of their mini-tournament, for which Frankfurt have the home ground advantage, while Vålerenga will face Omonia in the third-place match to determine. To wrap things up, Torreense played out a 2–1 loss to Juventus in their mini-tournament, hosted away in Turin. Ella Tonkin played the entirety of the match to make her competitive début for the rising Portuguese side. The loss confirms their place in the third-place playoff, which will be against Albanian side Apolonia Fier after they lost 4–0 to Hammarby, who will play Juventus in the final.
America (NWSL) — Kerr scores to send Gotham top of the NWSL, Arnold suffers a horror defeat
Sam Kerr (front) scored the decisive goal in Gotham FC's 1–0 victory over Houston Dash. She now has two goals since signing mid-season. Image source: Instagram (@0zcr).
Gotham FC went top of the NWSL this week after defeating Houston Dash 1–0 on the road, with none other than our very own Sam Kerr scoring the decisive goal. The Bats are now one point higher than their rivals Washington Spirit at the top of the regular season ladder, aided by the Spirit's 1–0 loss away to San Diego Wave. Meanwhile, it was certainly a night to forget for Mackenzie Arnold and Portland Thorns, who suffered their equal third-worst defeat in history after being trashed 5–1 by Utah Royals away from home, despite USWNT star Sophia Wilson's first minute goal. The Thorns' shield chances are slipping away fast, with the NWSL's most successful club dropping to sixth place, while Macca's Golden Glove hopes are also rapidly fading.
Canada (NSL) — Tumeth captains the Rise
Tori Tumeth (right) captained Vancouver Rise, but the struggling yet playoff-fighting side fell short as they lost 4–3. Image source: Instagram (@vancouverrisefc).
Tori Tumeth has once again captained Vancouver Rise in the NSL, playing the entirety of a 4–3 at home loss to Montréal Roses, picking up a yellow card during the match. Meanwhile, Kahli Johnson didn't feature for Calgary Wild in their humiliating 6–0 loss at home to AFC Toronto. The Rise remain fifth while the Wild are still sixth, dead last with only two points after 13 games. The gap between the Rise and the Wild is massive, with the former being 14 points higher than the latter.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan & Elitettan) — Gómez and Henry début, Linköping suffer their first loss since 2025
Courtney Nevin (pictured) played a solid match against Piteå IF, but it just wasn't enough, with Malmö FF dropping points for the third match in a row. Image source: Instagram (@malmo_ff).
Malmö kicked off the week with a 0–0 draw at home to Piteå, another setback in their fading race for the title in their second ever Damallsvenskan season. Both Courtney Nevin and Amy Sayer played the entire match, with the former delivering an excellent performance while the latter struggled a bit. The Himmelsblått are still third thanks to AIK's 3–0 away loss to Kristianstad, but are slowly being approached by not just AIK, but also Kristianstad and Vittsjö, all four of whom will be aiming to steal their European spot. Meanwhile, Häcken thrashed Eskilstuna 6–0, with Aivi Luik playing a solid full game for Getingarna. The reigning double winners are still second, but are only a point behind Hammarby in first place. Häcken will be aiming to win back-to-back titles for the first time in their history.
Izzy Gómez (pictured) made her first competitive appearance for FC Rosengård after the highly-rated Matildas midfielder signed from Central Coast Mariners. Image source: Instagram (@fcrosengard).
Down south, Vittsjö hosted Rosengård in a Scanian Derby that ended in a 1–1, with both goals coming in the second half. For Vittsjö, Daniela Galić played the entire match, while for Rosengård, Remy Siemsen did the same. There were also two competitive débuts as Izzy Gómez and Bryleeh Henry started before coming off (with the former receiving a yellow card). Vittsjö sit fifth while Rosengård sit 12th and in the relegation playoff spot. To wrap things up, in the Elitettan, Linköping suffered their first loss of the season after losing 4–2 at home to Örebro SK in an upset. Vice-captain Polly Doran played every minute of the match, one that led to Linköping dropping out of the promotion zone into third place (behind undefeated league leaders Elfsborg and KIF Örebro, who're on level points).
Other leagues — Twente defeated by PSV in the Supercup, Pumas suffer a shock defeat to León
In Denmark's A-Liga, Odense won 2–1 at home over Copenhagen, seeing them remain in second on equal points with first after two matchdays. Emma Ilijoski was absent from the squad, and remains yet to make her début for the club.
Emily Gielnik (pictured) didn't feature for Pumas UNAM in their first Liga MX Femenil match of the season. Pumas suffered a shocking 5–2 loss at home to Club León. Image source: Instagram (@pumasmxfemenil).
In Mexico, the Liga MX Femenil kicked off with the first round of the Apertura stage. Pumas UNAM suffered a horror start, losing 5–2 at home to Club León despite being widely expected to win. Emily Gielnik wasn't in the squad for the loss, which puts them seventh in Group B after the conclusion of season's opening round.
In the Netherlands, Twente suffered a sobering defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Vrouwen Supercup, with the Vrouwen KNVB Cup winners losing 3–0 to the Vrouwen Eredivisie champions away at Philips Stadion in Eindhoven. Cece Los was an unused substitute in the match, which saw PSV win just their third ever piece of major silverware in the women's game.
Hana Lowry (pictured) and Vålerenga are struggling this season, and could be off to their worst season in the history of the Toppserien. Image source: Instagram (@vifdamene).
In Norway, Vålerenga suffered another defeat, losing 2–0 away to Lyn in what's been a blistering season for Bohemene. Hana Lowry came off the bench, while Tijan McKenna was an unused sub. Vålerenga sit fourth; five points off a Europa Cup spot, six off a Champions League spot and 13 off the title.
Friendlies — McNamara débuts for Everton
Holly McNamara (front) made her début for Everton, coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Hamburger SV on the road. Image source: Instagram (@evertonwomen).
In Germany, Frankfurt secured a 1–0 home win over French visitors Strasbourg, with Hayley Raso starting before coming off and Jamilla Rankin coming on as a sub. Meanwhile, Everton flew from England to Germany to play Hamburg in a blockbuster friendly, with the Toffees securing a 1–0 win on the road over HSV. Clare Wheeler started before coming off, while Holly McNamara came on to make her début for the club. Leia Varley played the entirety of a 2–2 away draw with reigning treble winners Bayern Munich, the dominant force in German football. A few days later, they lost 2–1 away to Freiburg, which she also played the entirety of.
Annalise Rasmussen (pictured) made her first appearance for Toulouse after being loaned out to the club from Juventus for the 2026–27 season. The Violettes secured a 1–0 win over Eibar at home in preseason. Image source: Instagram (@toulousefcfeminines).
In France, Anna Rasmussen's Toulouse secured a 1–0 win over Spanish visitors Eibar. At the same time, Clara Hoarau's Fleury defeated Le Havre 2–1 in a domestic club friendly. In Italy, Alex Chidiac's FC Como suffered a 4–1 loss away to Inter Milan. Finally, in England, Alexia Apostolakis' Bristol City lost 4–2 to Spanish visitors Badalona.
Transfer Talk — Simon joins Hibernian, van Egmond joins Charlton
Former Matildas star Kyah Simon has joined Hibernian on a one-year contract. It's hoped that she'll stay fit at Hibs for what could be one last season, having battled injuries since her ACL injury at Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on home soil. Image source: Instagram (@kyahsimon).
Two Matildas veterans made transfer moves in the UK this week, with the first being Kyah Simon. Formerly at Dijon, she'll now ply her trade in the SWPL 1 for Hibernian, alongside Young Matilda Milly Boughton. Despite her prolific career with the Tillies, her injury-proneness has stopped her from succeeding in her later years, rarely appearing after recovering from her ACL tear (after which she played seasons at Central Coast Mariners, Sydney FC and Dijon). Should she be able to stay fit, it's hoped the move will work out out for the legendary forward.
Emily van Egmond (pictured) has signed for newly-promoted Women's Super League (WSL) side Charlton Athletic, after leaving relegated side Leicester City. She played in the playoff final for Leicester against Charlton, missing the first penalty in the decisive penalty shootout that relegated the Foxes. Image source: Instagram (@cafcwomen, @matildas and @emilyvanegmond).
Meanwhile, Emily van Egmond has decided to remain in the WSL rather than play with Leicester in the WSL 2, joining newly-promoted side Charlton (who she missed a penalty in a shootout against in the playoff final, which the Addicks won to thus promote them and relegate the Foxes). She's one of many Leicester players to have left this window, with the club having severely culled their playing list ahead of the upcoming WSL 2 season. She joins fellow new Aussie signings Leah Davidson and Grace Johnston, both of whom signed directly from the A-League (the former from Melbourne City and the latter from Perth Glory), in South London. She also will be one of at least 14 Aussies playing in the league next season, with the transfer window still open until 3 September at 11:00pm BST.
Player of the Week — Hayley Raso
This week's Player of the Week award goes to Hayley Raso for her goal against Omonia in the Champions League second round! Well done Ras!
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!
Europe (Champions League) — Raso scores, Frankfurt and Malmö set to face off
Charli Grant (pictured) is yet to feature on the pitch for Malmö FF. It's hoped she'll make her début against Eintracht Frankfurt. Image source: Instagram (@charli_grant).
This week included the start of the Champions League second qualifying round, with each team playing in a mini-tournament, hosted by the highest-ranked team in their draw, consisting of two semi-finals, a third-place match and a final to determine who will continue their Champions League journey, who will have the chance to play in the Europa Cup, and who will be eliminated from European competition entirely. Vålerenga fell to a 1–0 defeat to Malmö, with Hana Lowry starting before coming off and Tijan McKenna being absent from the squad for Vålerenga. For Malmö, both Courtney Nevin (who picked up a yellow card) and Amy Sayer played the entirety of the match, while Charli Grant was benched and remains yet to make his début.
Hayley Raso (pictured) scored in the third minute of Eintracht Frankfurt's gigantic 8–0 victory at home over Omonia Nicosia. Image source: Instagram (@matildas).
Meanwhile, Hayley Raso started for Frankfurt in their gigantic 8–0 win over Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia at home, scoring the opener in the third minute during her 59 minutes on the pitch, while Jamilla Rankin came on as a substitute. Frankfurt and Malmö will face off in an Aussie derby in the final of their mini-tournament, for which Frankfurt have the home ground advantage, while Vålerenga will face Omonia in the third-place match to determine. To wrap things up, Torreense played out a 2–1 loss to Juventus in their mini-tournament, hosted away in Turin. Ella Tonkin played the entirety of the match to make her competitive début for the rising Portuguese side. The loss confirms their place in the third-place playoff, which will be against Albanian side Apolonia Fier after they lost 4–0 to Hammarby, who will play Juventus in the final.
America (NWSL) — Kerr scores to send Gotham top of the NWSL, Arnold suffers a horror defeat
Sam Kerr (front) scored the decisive goal in Gotham FC's 1–0 victory over Houston Dash. She now has two goals since signing mid-season. Image source: Instagram (@0zcr).
Gotham FC went top of the NWSL this week after defeating Houston Dash 1–0 on the road, with none other than our very own Sam Kerr scoring the decisive goal. The Bats are now one point higher than their rivals Washington Spirit at the top of the regular season ladder, aided by the Spirit's 1–0 loss away to San Diego Wave. Meanwhile, it was certainly a night to forget for Mackenzie Arnold and Portland Thorns, who suffered their equal third-worst defeat in history after being trashed 5–1 by Utah Royals away from home, despite USWNT star Sophia Wilson's first minute goal. The Thorns' shield chances are slipping away fast, with the NWSL's most successful club dropping to sixth place, while Macca's Golden Glove hopes are also rapidly fading.
Canada (NSL) — Tumeth captains the Rise
Tori Tumeth (right) captained Vancouver Rise, but the struggling yet playoff-fighting side fell short as they lost 4–3. Image source: Instagram (@vancouverrisefc).
Tori Tumeth has once again captained Vancouver Rise in the NSL, playing the entirety of a 4–3 at home loss to Montréal Roses, picking up a yellow card during the match. Meanwhile, Kahli Johnson didn't feature for Calgary Wild in their humiliating 6–0 loss at home to AFC Toronto. The Rise remain fifth while the Wild are still sixth, dead last with only two points after 13 games. The gap between the Rise and the Wild is massive, with the former being 14 points higher than the latter.
Sweden (Damallsvenskan & Elitettan) — Gómez and Henry début, Linköping suffer their first loss since 2025
Courtney Nevin (pictured) played a solid match against Piteå IF, but it just wasn't enough, with Malmö FF dropping points for the third match in a row. Image source: Instagram (@malmo_ff).
Malmö kicked off the week with a 0–0 draw at home to Piteå, another setback in their fading race for the title in their second ever Damallsvenskan season. Both Courtney Nevin and Amy Sayer played the entire match, with the former delivering an excellent performance while the latter struggled a bit. The Himmelsblått are still third thanks to AIK's 3–0 away loss to Kristianstad, but are slowly being approached by not just AIK, but also Kristianstad and Vittsjö, all four of whom will be aiming to steal their European spot. Meanwhile, Häcken thrashed Eskilstuna 6–0, with Aivi Luik playing a solid full game for Getingarna. The reigning double winners are still second, but are only a point behind Hammarby in first place. Häcken will be aiming to win back-to-back titles for the first time in their history.
Izzy Gómez (pictured) made her first competitive appearance for FC Rosengård after the highly-rated Matildas midfielder signed from Central Coast Mariners. Image source: Instagram (@fcrosengard).
Down south, Vittsjö hosted Rosengård in a Scanian Derby that ended in a 1–1, with both goals coming in the second half. For Vittsjö, Daniela Galić played the entire match, while for Rosengård, Remy Siemsen did the same. There were also two competitive débuts as Izzy Gómez and Bryleeh Henry started before coming off (with the former receiving a yellow card). Vittsjö sit fifth while Rosengård sit 12th and in the relegation playoff spot. To wrap things up, in the Elitettan, Linköping suffered their first loss of the season after losing 4–2 at home to Örebro SK in an upset. Vice-captain Polly Doran played every minute of the match, one that led to Linköping dropping out of the promotion zone into third place (behind undefeated league leaders Elfsborg and KIF Örebro, who're on level points).
Other leagues — Twente defeated by PSV in the Supercup, Pumas suffer a shock defeat to León
In Denmark's A-Liga, Odense won 2–1 at home over Copenhagen, seeing them remain in second on equal points with first after two matchdays. Emma Ilijoski was absent from the squad, and remains yet to make her début for the club.
Emily Gielnik (pictured) didn't feature for Pumas UNAM in their first Liga MX Femenil match of the season. Pumas suffered a shocking 5–2 loss at home to Club León. Image source: Instagram (@pumasmxfemenil).
In Mexico, the Liga MX Femenil kicked off with the first round of the Apertura stage. Pumas UNAM suffered a horror start, losing 5–2 at home to Club León despite being widely expected to win. Emily Gielnik wasn't in the squad for the loss, which puts them seventh in Group B after the conclusion of season's opening round.
In the Netherlands, Twente suffered a sobering defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Vrouwen Supercup, with the Vrouwen KNVB Cup winners losing 3–0 to the Vrouwen Eredivisie champions away at Philips Stadion in Eindhoven. Cece Los was an unused substitute in the match, which saw PSV win just their third ever piece of major silverware in the women's game.
Hana Lowry (pictured) and Vålerenga are struggling this season, and could be off to their worst season in the history of the Toppserien. Image source: Instagram (@vifdamene).
In Norway, Vålerenga suffered another defeat, losing 2–0 away to Lyn in what's been a blistering season for Bohemene. Hana Lowry came off the bench, while Tijan McKenna was an unused sub. Vålerenga sit fourth; five points off a Europa Cup spot, six off a Champions League spot and 13 off the title.
Friendlies — McNamara débuts for Everton
Holly McNamara (front) made her début for Everton, coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Hamburger SV on the road. Image source: Instagram (@evertonwomen).
In Germany, Frankfurt secured a 1–0 home win over French visitors Strasbourg, with Hayley Raso starting before coming off and Jamilla Rankin coming on as a sub. Meanwhile, Everton flew from England to Germany to play Hamburg in a blockbuster friendly, with the Toffees securing a 1–0 win on the road over HSV. Clare Wheeler started before coming off, while Holly McNamara came on to make her début for the club. Leia Varley played the entirety of a 2–2 away draw with reigning treble winners Bayern Munich, the dominant force in German football. A few days later, they lost 2–1 away to Freiburg, which she also played the entirety of.
Annalise Rasmussen (pictured) made her first appearance for Toulouse after being loaned out to the club from Juventus for the 2026–27 season. The Violettes secured a 1–0 win over Eibar at home in preseason. Image source: Instagram (@toulousefcfeminines).
In France, Anna Rasmussen's Toulouse secured a 1–0 win over Spanish visitors Eibar. At the same time, Clara Hoarau's Fleury defeated Le Havre 2–1 in a domestic club friendly. In Italy, Alex Chidiac's FC Como suffered a 4–1 loss away to Inter Milan. Finally, in England, Alexia Apostolakis' Bristol City lost 4–2 to Spanish visitors Badalona.
Transfer Talk — Simon joins Hibernian, van Egmond joins Charlton
Former Matildas star Kyah Simon has joined Hibernian on a one-year contract. It's hoped that she'll stay fit at Hibs for what could be one last season, having battled injuries since her ACL injury at Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on home soil. Image source: Instagram (@kyahsimon).
Two Matildas veterans made transfer moves in the UK this week, with the first being Kyah Simon. Formerly at Dijon, she'll now ply her trade in the SWPL 1 for Hibernian, alongside Young Matilda Milly Boughton. Despite her prolific career with the Tillies, her injury-proneness has stopped her from succeeding in her later years, rarely appearing after recovering from her ACL tear (after which she played seasons at Central Coast Mariners, Sydney FC and Dijon). Should she be able to stay fit, it's hoped the move will work out out for the legendary forward.
Emily van Egmond (pictured) has signed for newly-promoted Women's Super League (WSL) side Charlton Athletic, after leaving relegated side Leicester City. She played in the playoff final for Leicester against Charlton, missing the first penalty in the decisive penalty shootout that relegated the Foxes. Image source: Instagram (@cafcwomen, @matildas and @emilyvanegmond).
Meanwhile, Emily van Egmond has decided to remain in the WSL rather than play with Leicester in the WSL 2, joining newly-promoted side Charlton (who she missed a penalty in a shootout against in the playoff final, which the Addicks won to thus promote them and relegate the Foxes). She's one of many Leicester players to have left this window, with the club having severely culled their playing list ahead of the upcoming WSL 2 season. She joins fellow new Aussie signings Leah Davidson and Grace Johnston, both of whom signed directly from the A-League (the former from Melbourne City and the latter from Perth Glory), in South London. She also will be one of at least 14 Aussies playing in the league next season, with the transfer window still open until 3 September at 11:00pm BST.
Player of the Week — Hayley Raso
This week's Player of the Week award goes to Hayley Raso for her goal against Omonia in the Champions League second round! Well done Ras!
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!
