Flying Kiwis – January 31
Meikayla Moore – Glasgow City (Scottish Premier League)
It was mid-November when Meikayla Moore landed awkwardly whilst trying to block a shot late in Glasgow City’s 2-0 defeat against Rangers. That injury cost her a Football Ferns recall and it also cost her the rest of the year’s football. But she made her return two weeks ago off the bench in a 5-1 win against Spartans, followed by a week off due to the League Cup semi-finals that her team wasn’t a part of. Next assignment was Celtic. Big game against a big team and Glasgow City desperately needed a win to keep from losing any more ground in the race not only for the championship but also for second place and Champions League qualifiers.
All of that considered, it was time to throw Meikayla Moore back into the starting eleven. That’s exactly what happened, and what’s more it took a mere 15 seconds for that decision to pay dividends. Fifteen seconds. Fiona Brown’s rapid goal was a bit of a fluke, to be fair, but it was preceded by one of the finest through balls you’ll see for a long time by none other than M.Moore...
The rest of the game was nothing special. Glasgow City edged it but chances were limited for both sides. ‘Twas a midfield slog-a-thon for the most part, especially in the second half. That was no skin off GCFC’c collective back though. Slap a clean sheet alongside the assist for Mouse and Glasgow City had themselves a very valuable 1-0 win against Celtic.
Granted, the bigger winners were Rangers who thus extended their lead at the summit thanks to a 2-1 win against Aberdeen. Vic Esson was on the bench for that one after three straight starts which had culminated in that League Cup semi-final. The final isn’t until late-March so maybe we’ll get another streak of Esson starts to keep her fresh ahead of that one. They do have a Scottish Cup game next week so that might also be a window for her (unless she links up with the Football Ferns for the Olympic Qualifiers that begin in a week and for which they still, at the time of writing, have not named a squad).
Rangers are first on 52 points. Celtic are second on 46 points. Glasgow City have edged closer with 44 points. Still a long way to go, with four more rounds before the league splits into top half and bottom half so the top teams will all play each other a few more times. Hopefully that means plenty more opportunities for clean sheets and assists for Meikayla Moore.
Up Next: Monday at 1am, Glasgow City against Hibernian in the Scottish Cup fourth round (NZT)
Liberato Cacace – Empoli (Italian Serie A)
Check this one out...
Empoli went away to Juventus and got themselves a point. Helped immensely by Arkadiusz Milik’s 18th minute red card for sure (shout out to the VAR for that one), but also by a rugged defensive effort from the Azzurri. What’s more is that there was plenty of Libby Cacace here. This week Emmanuel Gyasi swapped over to right wing-back and Cacace played the full game on the left, having featured off the bench last match. Had been worried that the new coach and his new formation (3-5-2) might have been an impending detriment to Cacace but he was straight back in there one week later so apparently not. Phew.
Up until the red card this game was unfolding the way this game was supposed to, but the man advantage allowed Empoli to grab a bit more control. Largely because Juventus stopped pressing and let them have the ball, setting up a mid-low block instead. That made this a stalemate for long stretches... until Dusan Vlahovic changed that five mins into the second half when he struck an expert volley on the swivel to put Juve ahead after a corner kick had deflected into his path.
Suddenly Empoli had to chase the game. That’s not something they’re usually very good at but apparently Tommaso Baldanzi forgot that fact when he slammed in a sweet equaliser with twenty minutes to play. Surprisingly it was then Empoli who gave it more of a crack towards the end. A more confident attacking team would have won it with what they created from there but in the end there were no complaints about a 1-1 draw. Any points against the top teams are enormous for a club in Empoli’s relegation-threatened reality. Bit of a quiet one from Cacace who didn’t really stand out above the wider team effort but that wider team effort was pretty great so no dramas there.
Up Next: Empoli vs Genoa on Sunday at 3am (NZT)
Jacqui Hand - Lewes (English Championship)
When Lewes pulled off the absolute coup of signing Jacqui Hand, the hope was that she’d give them the attacking boost they needed to start scoring some actual goals and escape that looming shadow of relegation. This is what that hope looks like...
In only her second game for the club, Hand’s already looking like she owns the place. Against fellow relegation-battlers Reading, Hand was skipping around defenders and lighting fires all over the place as Lewes bossed their way to a 2-0 lead at the break. She began the counter attack that led to their first goal (scored by Maria Farrugia on 13’). Then she laid off the pass for the second goal, which went in via a long range shot from Grace Riglar (28’) after being fumbled by the keeper. Bit of a flukey assist but then she put one on a platter for Aimee Claypole and which ended up over the crossbar so take ‘em how they come.
Alas, this ended up being such a frustrating game. Lewes were all over them in the first half, every bit worth their two-goal lead and they very nearly made it three on multiple occasions in the second stanza – with Farrugia hitting the crossbar and Hand also forcing a good save (featured in the clip above). But they would end up ruing those missed opportunities.
As they tired, Reading lifted. And by the time Reading finally did get a goal back after 81 minutes the only surprise was how it had taken them so long. Lewes scraped through several scares yet there was no scraping through Bethan Roberts’ strike on 81’. Nor the Charlie Wellings equaliser deep into stoppage time to make it 2-2. A devastatingly late goal to be conceding against a relegation rival. Reading did end up with ten women after a second-yellow to Tia Primmer but by then it was almost too late to make a difference. Almost... although Lewes did still muster an effort that was cleared off the line from the resulting free kick. 2-2 was the final score. That’s back to back weeks in which they’ve conceded a 90+4th minute equaliser. They’d already be out of the drop zone if they’d pocketed those four dropped points. Ah well.
Naturally, we’re gonna say that the game changed on 68 minutes when Jacqui Hand was replaced. That’s the patriotic thing to say... but looking at how influential she’d been up until that point it also seems like a valid thing to say. Hand had four key passes with an assist. Two shots on target. She was pretty good defensively and stayed heavily involved from out on the right wing. On the one hand, they blew it. On the other hand, they did still get a point that keeps them off the bottom and if Jacqui Hand keeps playing like this then she’ll be banking plenty more than just one assist.
Up Next: Monday at 3am, Charlton vs Lewes (NZT)
CJ Bott - Leicester City (English Super League)
She’s back. Each week since the new year began, there’s been a steady improvement in how her manager Willie Kirk has spoken about CJ Bott’s fitness. An illness slowed down her recovery over the holidays but she was ready by the time Leicester City took on Everton in a midweek Conti Cup match. A must-win match to have any hope of qualifying for the next round... and win it they did (although they still didn’t progress). The Foxes were 3-0 up after half an hour and scored a fourth early in the second spell. They ended up winning 5-1 and that allowed CJ Bott a chunky thirty-plus minutes (including stoppage time) out on the pitch in her comeback appearance. First time she’d taken the field since suffering a calf injury against Brighton six weeks earlier.
It must have been fun because she did it all again a few days later. The Foxes played Everton once more, this time in the WSL with their opponents taking it much more seriously. Everton started well, clipping the crossbar and firing another good chance wide before having a 1v1 closed down late in the first half. But LCFC found their sea legs after the break and took the lead via a wonderful Janice Cayman strike on the spin from outside the area.
Within a couple of minutes of scoring, Leicester subbed on CJ Bott. 56th minute so a little earlier than in the League Cup game. Part of a triple change. Bott jumped on at right back and immediately looked at home, picking up where she left off before the injury. Lots of touches. Didn’t shirk the physical stuff. Some rusty passes in there too but that’s standard. The Foxes did have one scare after their keeper gave the ball away but other than that they locked it down the rest of the way for a 1-0 win that lifts them up to seventh on the ladder. Snaps a run of nine WSL games without victory (luckily they’ve been able to hold on for a few draws, as well as winning their opening two games prior to this streak).
Up Next: Manchester City vs Leicester City on Monday at 2am (NZT)
Anna Leat – Aston Villa (English Super League)
The last round of the Conti Cup group stage took place late last week and you know what that meant. Whenever the cup fixtures swing around, that’s Anna Leat’s time to shine. Or her chance to play, at least, because there’s not much shining required. Villa got a fortunate group full of Championship clubs and they’ve taken this competition seriously, with strong line-ups earning heavy victories.
This trip to face Sunderland was no different. It took them a little while to get going but once Alisha Lehmann headed in the opener on 28’ the goals were flowing. Seven of them, via seven different scorers. Anna Leat only had to make two saves and neither were very threatening. A convincing 7-0 win to make it four from four in the Conti Cup. Anna Leat played all four of those games, keeping three clean sheets as her team scored 23 times and conceded just once. Emphatic.
And yet an unfathomable oversight nearly meant they got booted out and their quarter-final place handed to someone else. That’s because at half-time, with a 3-0 lead, they subbed on new signing Noelle Maritz, the Swiss international defender who has joined on a permanent basis from Arsenal (following the example of Jordan Nobbs before her). Except that Maritz had already played multiple times for the Gunners in previous gameweeks. She was cup-tied and nobody seemed to remember that. The second round draw was delayed while an investigation took place as to how they’d be sanctioned.
There is a precedent from about ten years ago with Reading where they were disqualified from the competition for an ineligible player. Same thing happened to Barnsley in this year’s Men’s FA Cup. But in the end the authorities settled for merely overturning the result. That means that Sunderland now go through as group winners... while Aston Villa still progress as one of the best runners-up. It was a nervous wait because they’re already out of the FA Cup so without the League Cup as well it’ll be hard to see where Anna Leat will get her games. But she should now get a League Cup quarter-final away to Brighton in a week’s time. That does clash with the Football Ferns Olympic qualifying campaign... but Leat will hardly be alone in missing that tour if that’s how it goes. Nor is her presence a necessary one, if we’re keeping it real. NZ women’s teams have been strolling through Oceania stuff lately.
Anyway, check the top right corner here to see Leat and Katie Kitching having a yarn post-game...
Leat was an unused sub in a 2-1 WSL defeat against Manchester United on the weekend, in which Daphne van Domselaar had an excellent performance in goal. Leat has played six times overall this term and has four clean sheets, including the mythical Sunderland game which technically now doesn’t count.
Up Next: Aston Villa vs Bristol City at 1.30am on Sunday (NZT)
Katie Kitching - Sunderland (English Championship)
While Noelle Maritz was being subbed on for Aston Villa, Katie Kitching was standing metres away on the verge of her own half-time introduction. Both teams made triple subs at HT. Kitching had been rested from the start but got to do the second half... for whatever that’s worth in a 7-0 defeat. Clearly not a game that went her way (well, at least until the sanctions turned that 7-0 defeat into a win that sent them through to the knockouts). But, tell ya what, the Championship match against Blackburn Rovers a few days later...
Kitch scored that free kick, somehow threading it past all those bodies, to give Sunderland a 1-0 lead away to Blackburn. Emily Scarr would then double the lead in the second half and Sunderland won 2-0. That’s how it’s done. Kitching was subbed for the last twenty having done an excellent job as an attacking midfielder. Good enough for a little extra recognition...
That result briefly sent Sunderland first, although Charlton have since won to sneak one point ahead again. That Charlton win came against Crystal Palace who again only used Ria Percival off the bench, chucking her on in the 65th minute right after they’d conceded what proved to be the winning goal. That’s the 76th, 68th, and 65th minutes that she’s been introduced in her three apps for the club. They’re building her up... but it’s slightly surprising they’re doing so this slowly (given she’s been training and playing with a WSL club all season... it’s not like the ACL return happened yesterday). As per that idea, Percival didn’t play at all in the midweek League Cup match against London City Lionesses.
Grace Neville played that one for LCL... though only for a few seconds, subbed on in stoppage time. Still no Paige Satchell for London City, who also lost 1-0 to Birmingham and are sliding ever-closer towards that Championship relegation zone. Grace Neville got the full game there but had a bit of a tough time of it.
Also, while Olivia Page wasn’t in the squad for Sheffield United’s 1-0 loss to Southampton on the weekend, she did play the full match in central defence for their 3-0 Conti Cup defeat against Blackburn. A very rotated Blades side who knew they were gonna be eliminated regardless so they unleashed the youth. But still a great opportunity for the kiwi teenager, who played in three of their four League Cup matches. Yet to debut in the league though.
Up Next: Reading vs Sunderland at 1am on Monday (NZT)
Kian Donkers - VVV-Venlo (Dutch Eerste Divisie)
There’s been a reshuffle for Christchurch striker Kian Donkers, who was part of the U20 World Cup side last year. He’s spent roughly the last 12 months with NEC Nijmegen, a Dutch top tier side, handing out with their U21s team... but hasn’t really been getting many chances. Usually an unused sub or a very late cameo. The only time he’s gotten a decent run was just prior to the winter break when an injury to a teammate saw him chucked on twenty minutes into a 5-3 win against VVV-Venlo’s U21s.
He didn’t score that day (or at any point with NEC) but he must have done alright because now he’s playing for that same VVV-Venlo side. That means Donkers has made the switch from a first tier Dutch club to a second tier one (currently mid-table in the Eerste Divisie, one point behind Matt Garbett’s NAC Breda)... but more specifically it’s a direct swap from U21s to U21s. Almost certainly a matter of chasing minutes. Fair enough. Though there’s probably a clearer pathway to the first team at VVV as well due to their lower status. Gotta find that place where you fit, that’s the most important thing for young professionals.
Up Next: VVV U21 vs Telstar U21, 3am on Tuesday (NZT)
Jana Radosavljevic - MSV Duisburg (German Bundesliga)
Finally, here’s one that slipped under the radar: Jana Radosavljevic is back in the Bundesliga. The reason I missed it at first was that she’d only signed with Fenerbahçe a few months ago. Was not expecting anything so sudden but Rado wasn’t getting many minutes there so she’s left Turkey after half a season and returned to Germany where the bulk of her pro career has taken place. Much of that has been in the second tier, though she had one really nice season with Werder Bremen prior to suffering a long-term injury that curtailed things for her.
Happily she’s now signed with MSV Duisburg (a former club of Meikayla Moore, Hannah Wilkinson, and Emma Rolston) for the rest of this season with an option for next. She made her debut as a half-time sub in a 2-1 loss to Nürnberg... which was actually a devastating defeat as it leaves them further adrift in last place with only 2 points from 11 matches. They were 2-0 down after three minutes... though to be fair they won the second half 1-0 while Rado was out there. That’s something.
MSVD coach Thomas Gerstner: “With Jana we get a tall, technically well-trained player who can play as a ten or at the top of the attack. She is experienced in the Bundesliga and hardly needs any getting used to it.”
By the sounds of it, she trialled with them over the winter break. There was a friendly game against Gütersloh in which they won 6-2 and Rado got a goal and two assists, which was enough evidence to convince them and by late December she was all signed up. They’re using her as a forward too, not the wing-back that she had to be at Werder Bremen. She was used on the right wing in the Nürnberg game.
Up Next: Saturday at 6.30am against Hoffenheim (NZT)
Chris Wood - Nottingham Forest (English Premier League)
They’re not all golden weeks. Sometimes you get an uneventful cup game against a lower tiered opponent like when Bristol City hosted Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fourth round. And soon Nottingham Forest will host Bristol City in the replay in a replay after the two sides cancelled each other out with a nil-all draw. Second straight round in which Forest have needed a replay against a team in a division beneath them.
Chris Wood played all ninety minutes but this was not a game that offered much to him. Bristol City surprisingly held a lot of first half possession and Forest had trouble dealing with the dribbling abilities of those BCFC forwards. Nothing to break their defences but enough to largely restrict them to their own half. Callum Hudson-Odoi did hit a couple shots into the side-netting and Wood himself had one shot: a 58th minute effort trying to hang in the air to flick a header on target after a Morgan Gibbs-White (returning to fitness off the bench and giving NFFC a spark) chipped one over the top towards him. The ball was too high to get any power in the header though. There were one or two other instances of Wood making smart passes, further exploring his blossoming prowess for facilitation, and trying to charge forward with the ball at his feet on the counter. But by the latter stages the draw felt inevitable. Forest will just have to tack another midweek game into their schedule.
That game was pretty boring, so let us drag things out into a Wednesday morning Premier League hosting of Arsenal Football Club. Chris Wood up top as per. Morgan Gibbs-White among the three changes made to the eleven. Taiwo Awoniyi was fit enough for the bench. This one was always going to follow the blueprint of Arsenal bossing possession and Forest trying to hit them on the counter attack. Got to do what you’ve got to do... those counters did look half-decent – there was one in particular led by Chris Wood but the Gunners defended it well enough that he had to settle for a long shot which was blocked. Got some good touches holding the ball up as well. Crucially, Arsenal spent most of the first half not creating the chances they ought to have for all the ball they were having (81% poss at half-time!).
But then NFFC subbed off Chris Wood. Didn’t emerge after half-time with Awoniyi sent on in his place – probably to find more pace on the counter. Thus after seven and a half games, The Woodsman finally had his everpresent streak under Coach Nuno broken. He’d played every one of the previous 615 minutes under the new gaffer.
Arsenal are a strong second half team and they laid down a statement of intent when Gabriel Jesus hit the post, then carried through with that intent thanks to goals from Jesus (65’) and Bukayo Saka (72’). That seemed to have the Gunners in full control... until Awonoyi scored on 89’. Fair play to him, s’pose. Great strength to hold off his man then a fluke of a first touch set up a simple finish past the keeper. Awonoyi had another shot on target as Forest made Arsenal sweat for it in the last stages. A 2-1 win for Arsenal, bugger.
And now we have a curious situation emerging for Chris Wood. He’s been brilliant in Awoniyi’s absence but now Awoniyi’s scored on his return and let us not forget that the Nigerian was the incumbent starter. Is there room for both of them? Are we entering tag-team territory? Just gonna have to wait and see. It’s probably only a matter of time until TA gets injured again.
Up Next: Bournemouth vs Nottm Forest on Mon at 3am (NZT)
Matt Dibley-Dias - Fulham (English Premier League)
The tweet says it all. MDD hadn’t played for three months due to the same hamstring issue that caused him to withdraw from the All Whites squad that faced DR Congo and Australia (after already having linked up with the group). It was an injury that prevented him from making an international debut and which struck awkwardly at a time when he seemed to be making some serious progress with Fulham’s first team squad (having signed a four-year contract in September). But now he’s back ready to pick up where he left off.
Although the Cottagers did lose 2-0 to Liverpool U21s on his return, their first PL2 defeat since before MDD got injured.
Up Next: On Tuesday at 8am there’s a Burnley vs Fulham U21s fixture, should see some more mins there (NZT)
Matthew Garbett - NAC Breda (Dutch Eerste Divisie)
One midfielder returns from injury, another suffers one. Matt Garbett wandered out to start for NAC Breda as he usual but he only lasted 14 minutes before he needed to be replaced with a shoulder injury. Crazy thing is he wasn’t even the first Breda player who’d been subbed off hurt in this game, nor would he be the last. Roy Kuijpers picked up an early knock while Thomas Marijnissen, the fella who replaced Garbett, also went off hurt in the second half. Opponents Helmond Sport played a physical game and the Breda folks weren’t chuffed about that. Maybe that contributed to the injuries, maybe it didn’t. Breda went on to lose 1-0 to a 90+5th minute goal.
That’s a bad loss in the context of their season. Pesky old Breda continue to swerve all over the place with their form. It’s also another unique injury for Garbs who dealt with a back issue during preseason, then got his ankle hurt in a challenge in the early weeks, and now has a shoulder complaint which looked pretty painful. No word yet on how severe it was or what his availability will be moving forwards.
Up Next: NAC vs De Graadschap at 8am on Saturday (NZT)
Max Crocombe - Burton Albion (English League One)
You come to expect these things now...
A 0-0 draw away against Cambridge wasn’t a vintage team performance but that was mostly because of the red card. Steve Seddon in the 64th minute: he got one yellow for kicking the ball away (always dumb) and less than a minute later he launched into a poor tackle and he was off with a second booking.
Up until that point, the closest either team had gone was a Cambridge shot slapped away by Crocombe. Cambridge would go a lot closer in those last 25 minutes against ten-men but still Crocs was up to the task. One fantastic save closing down a striker ten yards out. Another plucking a long shot out of the air on the dive. He claimed a couple high balls and, as is often the case when hanging on for a result, also got one of his trademark time-wasting yellow cards near the end (there ended up being ten minutes of stoppage time so it got itchy for sure). Crocombe is a master of that particular art, for those unaware.
Elsewhere in the EFL, Shrewsbury Town got a much-needed 2-0 win over Northampton but Max Mata was an unused sub. Ben Waine’s Plymouth drew 1-1 with Leeds United in the FA Cup but Waine was also an unused sub. Tommy Smith was an unused sub for MK Dons’ 2-1 win vs Gillingham. Nik Tzanev was an unused sub for AFC Wimbledon’s 2-1 win vs Mansfield – though did play as the Dons lost 3-1 to Portsmouth in the EFL Trophy to be eliminated at the quarter-final stage.
Thankfully Tyler Bindon did at least get a game for Reading in their 1-1 draw with Leyton Orient. Did quite well too, holding things down in central defence winning his headers and showing composure on the ball. He’d been making a few errors lately so good to see him with a more commanding performance (although there was one moment where he got caught out on the sideline which Orient probably should have scored from). Also good to see Reading add another point to the tally as they try to achieve the impossible and avoid relegation despite a points deduction and financial issues causing them to sell all their best players.
Bindon’s back into First XI territory now that the club has sold fellow defender Nelson Abbey (to Olympiakos... who share ownership with Nottm Forest so there’s suspicion this could end up being a way to bypass NFFC’s FFP worries – or he might just want to play in Greece, who knows). Bindon’s CB partner for this game, Tom Holmes, was also sold but Luton Town loaned him back for the rest of the season. The 19yo All White has been mentioned amongst other young, profitable players who would see the door if an appropriate bid comes through before the window SLAMS SHUT but he’s also basically guaranteed first team footy if he stays so yeah nah either way works.
Up Next: Sunday at 4am, Burton Albion vs Lincoln City (NZT)
Rebecca Burrows - Hainan Qiongzhong (Chinese Women's Super League)
You may recall that Rebecca Burrows, an NZ rep at the 2012 U20 World Cup, was playing for Newcastle Jets at the start of this A-League season. You may have also noticed that she hasn’t featured for them since the fourth game of the season. Well, that’s because she’s moved to China. Burrows has signed with Hainan Qiongzhong in the Chinese Super League, making her the club’s first ever foreign signing. Jets teammate Emily Roach has also gone along with her. HQ were promoted to the top flight last year as champions of the second tier.
Both Burrows and Roach featured in a friendly game against China’s U20s side last week (who are preparing for the U20 Asia Cup which also serves as U20 World Cup qualification), apparently impressing the coaches and their teammates. Both are seen as attack-minded additions and the A-League’s reputation of being physical with a nice tactical balance seems to be counting in their favour. That led directly into the opening game of the National Championship season in which Hainan drew 0-0 with Guangdong. Not the Super League but something similar to England’s League Cup where regional groups stages lead into knockouts. Burrows and Roach both started this match. There’s a tiny bit of video coverage over here.
This is a fascinating move because this is not a destination that we see too many kiwi players ending up. Despite that, the Chinese women’s national side is pretty strong and always has a decent selection of home-based players so it should be a decent standard. Alas, there seems to be practically zero western media coverage of that league so trying to follow it seems like it could be a fruitless task. Best of luck to the Beckster though.
Up Next: Surprisingly hard to find a fixture list for this stuff so yeah nah not sure
Emma Pijnenburg – Feyenoord (Dutch Eredivisie)
Emma Pijnenburg has been with Feyenoord for a year now, settling smoothly into their academy system. The NZ U20s midfielder has a classy eye for a pass, as she showed many times at Western Springs in the National League, and shapes as one of Aotearoa’s top emerging creative talents. That’s not just the kiwi bias talking either. These Feyenoord folks clearly know a proper player when they see one because it’s increasingly looking like Pijnenburg isn’t far away from a first team debut.
EP was with the first team for their training camp in Portugal – a tour that included a friendly match against Arsenal with they lost 3-0. There was also a 3-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt and then, after returning to Netherlands, they lost 4-1 to FC Koln in their third and final winter friendly. They kept the specifics of those games under wraps so not sure if Pijnenburg got any minutes. But what we do know for sure is that she was then part of the matchday squad for the first game back: a 3-0 defeat against FC Twente. This is the third time that Pijnenburg has made the bench following a pair of consecutive games in November. Very exciting.
Up Next: Fortuna Sittard vs Feyenoord on Thursday at 8am (NZT)
Ollie Whyte – FC Haka (Finnish Veikkausliiga)
To recap: it was a terrible season for FC Haka in 2023, hence changes have been afoot. In has come a new manager, Englishman Andrew Smith, and with him several new players. Logan Rogerson was released amidst all that... but Ollie Whyte, despite not having a contract, was allowed to continue training with the club.
Now for the fresh update, because you know what? Whyte started their opening League Cup group game, a 0-0 draw against Oulu. He was one of three trialists in the squad – the League Cup in Finland is treated very much like glorified preseason (you may recall Gianni Bouzoukis getting minutes for Salon Palloilijat as a trialist this time last year. So nothing has changed as far as his situation goes. But we can now see that they’re serious about giving him the chance to earn a new deal. Here’s what the gaffer had to say about his trial trio...
FC Haka head coach Andrew Smith: “They performed well. They have adapted well, maintained their levels, and showed a professional attitude.”
Sweet as. Note that Whyte seemed to play as a centre-forward which is different to how he was used last year under the previous boss. He played almost the full game, subbed off right near the end. Two good chances for him in there: one he struck wide on the spin early on, a snapshot that he looked disappointed not to bury; the other a shot saved near post by the keeper after a smart run off the shoulder had taken him a little too wide. Definitely had that preseason feel about it. They’ll have four more group so see how it goes.
Up Next: Haka vs KuPS at 2am on Saturday (NZT)
Erin Nayler – Bayern Munich (German Bundesliga)
Seems like Erin Nayler is slipping out of sight and out of mind these days, therefore this is a timely reminder that while she has not yet played for Bayern Munich (and as third-choice keeper for a team whose second choice hasn’t even played a minute yet that’s not easy to envisage happening), she is at a Champions League-level club. And those extended UCL benches allow them to keep three keepers in a matchday squad hence Erin Nayler has been an unused sub in all six of Bayern’s group games. That’s not insignificant.
The latest was a 2-2 draw with PSG this very morning, conceding an 88th minute own goal equaliser. Unfortunately that goal, combined with Ajax’s win over Roma, means that Bayern Munich exit at the group stage after finishing third in their pool. That’s not how they had it planned. There will be no UCL winners medal for Erin Nayler this season... they weren’t exactly favourites or anything but an exit this soon is a major bummer.
Of course, Nayler has won the Champions League before... sort of. Lyon won the title the season she spent with them, though dunno if she got a medal because she only made one matchday squad and that was for an early round 9-0 win against FC Zurich.
Up Next: Back to the Bundesliga to face Freiburg at 7.30am on Tuesday (NZT)
Henry Gray – Chelmsford City (English National League South)
18-year-old Henry Gray (formerly of the Wellington Phoenix Academy and more recently Waterside Karori) has played seven league games for Chelmsford City on loan from Ipswich Town. Those seven games are:
2-0 win vs Torquay
3-0 win vs Braintree
3-0 win vs Braintree (again)
3-2 win vs Worthing
1-0 win vs Welling United
1-0 win vs Hampton & Richmond
1-1 draw vs Weston-super-Mare
The one painful thing is that it was a 90+2nd minute equaliser that robbed him of another clean sheet in the most recent match. That also spoiled his perfect record as a starter. Still, five clean sheets in seven matches is outstanding, especially for a side that was outside of the playoff picture when he arrived. Now they’re third and in range of going one higher if they win their game in hand. Probably not going to catch Yeovil Town for the only automatic promotion spot but they’ll be tough to break down in the playoffs if they carry on like this.
Up Next: Away to last-placed Havant & Waterlooville at 4am on Sunday (NZT)
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