Flying Kiwis – March 6
Myer Bevan - Cavalry FC (Canadian Premier League)
Lurking at the far post, poking a toe ahead of his marker, Myer Bevan made a bit of history this week. That goal was the first by a Cavalry player in the Concacaf Champions Cup – the Champions League of North and Central America – and it was also just the second goal ever scored by a New Zealander in this competition. Bevan follows in the footsteps of the great Duncan Oughton who scored for Columbus Crew in a 4-1 win against the oddly-named Joe Public FC of Trinidad & Tobago back in 2010. Sounds a little like a team name from an unlicensed video game but nope they won three TT Pro Leagues in their 15 years of existence. And Duncan Oughton showed them what for with this strike...
Orlando Pride were always going to win this tie, being an MLS side up against a Canadian Premier League team – even before considering that Cavalry are still deep in preseason mode. So the 3-0 first leg result was no surprise, granted Cavalry did give it a decent nudge in the latter stages after Bevan had been subbed on. Bevan was then one of three changes for the second leg in Florida (Orlando made seven changes with that healthy aggregate lead).
That was tracking alright for the Canadian side at first, getting underway with plenty of energy including Bevan throwing himself about, but then Orlando began to apply the squeeze. It took them awhile to actually break through and the scoreboard untouched at half-time. But Nico Lodiero whipped one in off the post three minutes into the second spell. Myer Bevan did force a corner with a shot from a tricky angle soon afterwards though, so there was some precedent when he popped up to make it 1-1 in the 64th minute.
Beautiful moment, historic moment. Who cares that Orlando Pride then scored a couple more times to win 3-1 on the day and 6-1 on aggregate, eliminating Cavlary FC in the first round as most had predicted would happen anyway.
Myer Bevan: “It’s a great competition to play in, we’re proud to be here. But look, we know what we have to do now. we have to come here again and put on a better performance. It was a hard game today but it was better than last week so hopefully we can build on this for the season and go again [next year].”
Up Next: The CPL season doesn’t even kick off until April
Indiah-Paige Riley - PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie)
Back into it after helping the Football Ferns qualify for the Olympics with six goals and three assists in just 296 minutes, Indi Riley didn’t waste any time in doing similar things for PSV Eindhoven. She scored the opener in their 3-0 win against Fortuna Sittard. It was a match that was actually a bit closer than that sounds, especially in the first half where Fortuna threatened to break down the defences multiple times before Riley dashed through to make it 1-0. She’d already had a shot on target from the edge of the area, straight into the keeper’s hands, and wasn’t about to miss her second opportunity.
IPR then played an important role in her team’s second goal five minutes later, combining with Chimera Ripa (who had set up her goal) out on her left wing, collecting a pass then threading a sharp ball into the area for Ripa’s continued underlapping run. Ripa then cut back for Nina Nijstad to score. Lovely work. Joelle Smits would add a third on 62’ from the penalty spot. The penalty won by Ripa, of course. Riley was involved in that move earlier on but nothing special.
It ended at threes. An important win for PSV, who aren’t keeping pace with FC Twente or Ajax in the title race but this reinforces their case as the best of the rest - third place beating fourth place. PSV have won five games in a row and are undefeated in eight since losing 2-1 to FC Twente in November (although they did lose to Heerenveen in the cup while Riley was with the Football Ferns). They play the league-leaders next.
As for Indi Riley, this was her fourth goal of the Eredivisie season and the first time that she’s played a full ninety minutes. She has missed a few games due to international stuff, but she’s started seven of her last eight appearances, making a home for herself on the left wing for PSV.
Up Next: FC Twente vs PSV at 4.45am on Monday (NZT)
Meikayla Moore – Glasgow City (Scottish Premier League)
Glasgow City keep on winning and there was never any doubt that they’d keep the streak going at home against Aberdeen. Even if someone convinced themselves of some small chance prior to kickoff, that chance was gone after two minutes when Hayley Lauder made it 1-0. But you know what? It did take them another half hour to add to that. Wasn’t for lack of chances, more a matter of finishing... so Meikayla Moore had to show ‘em how it’s done after 31 minutes. Obviously the goal came from a scrappy corner kick, though check out that slick touch she makes to drag the ball back and create an angle to beat the goalie after her first attempt was blocked. Smart and composed.
From there, Glasgow City scored twice more to lead 4-0 at the half. There was a sloppy moment early second half when the other CB (had to specify, sorry) slipped up and allowed Bayley Hutchison to sneak one back for the Dons... but GCFC would eventually add another four goals in the final twenty minutes, the last of which was diverted into the net by, you guessed it, Meikayla Moore again. Two goals in an 8-1 victory. She’s got four this season, with the other two also coming in a brace against Dundee United back in September. Also got a couple of assists in there, including for the winner against Celtic a few weeks back.
That makes it 11 wins in a row in the SWPL, leading us into the Championship Rounds that follow. Two more matches against each of the rest of the top six. Ten more games. That win streak has helped GC close the game to Rangers and Celtic and a few more head to heads mean they’re still very much in the title race. Rangers are on 60 points. Celtic and Glasgow City have 56 points each, with Celtic having the better of the goal differential (by a very long way). Vic Esson was an unused sub for Rangers in a 3-0 win against Hibernian this week.
Up Next: Monday 18 March at 4am, Hearts vs Glasgow City (NZT)
Nando Pijnaker & Max Mata – Sligo Rovers (League of Ireland Premier Division)
These fellas were on the fringes of even making this week’s write-up after a tame 1-0 defeat against Shelbourne. But luckily they had a second game and in that second game Max Mata did this...
That’s not all he did either. Those were his two goals but he was also credited with a pair of assists from this game, which ended up as a 5-0 win against Dundalk. Long round trip for the visitors who turned up to find a cold, rainy evening awaiting them. Fast-forward to being four goals down at the break and they might as well not have gotten off the bus. But it was excellent from Mata who has seamlessly slotted back into the Bit’o’Red line-up (albeit on the left of a front three in the past couple matches) and now has a bunch of goal contributions to show for it.
You know what makes this even better? Nando Pijnaker set up Mata’s first goal. That was his long ball that the Dundalk defender forgot to get rid of, allowing Mata to sneak in and score. A Flying Kiwis goal/assist double-banger, doesn’t get much better than that.
Mata needed a game like that. He’d only scored the once for Shrewsbury Town, struggling for that kind of impact in a team with a pretty limp attack, then falling out of favour when the new manager came in. These were his first goals since November. Strange thing about that is when he scored that lone goal for Shrewsbury (lone for now... he’s expected back there for the next preseason), it was on the same day that his brother Ben Mata won the National League championship with Wellington Olympic. Well, two days prior to this game, Brother Ben and his Olympic side lifted the Charity Cup (with BM scoring a goal in the process). When Ben wins a trophy, Max scores goals. Apparently.
Up Next: Sligo Rovers vs Shamrock Rovers, Sunday at 8.45am (NZT)
Paige Satchell - London City Lionesses (England Championship)
No Grace Neville for LCL this week. You may recall she left the last Football Ferns tour early with a muscle injury so hopefully she doesn’t miss too much more time. Paige Satchell wasn’t considered for that squad as she was still recovering from injury herself when it was named... but she’s had a couple of substitute cameos to build things back up again and was able to return to the starting eleven for a crucial game away to Reading, one of the other teams around them in that relegation battle which the Lionesses have sunk into (recently replacing their head coach).
That game wasn’t going so swell when they conceded in first half stoppage time. Brooke Hendrix polishing off from close range after a deep free kick, route one football. Not how you want to be conceding. But it didn’t matter because, in the space of three second-half minutes, Paige Satchell changed the course of history (or, at least, of this particular game of football).
First she scored the equaliser on 55’, slipping a sneaky finish home at the near post, then she set up the winner on 57’. The pass was angled slightly backwards from about thirty metres out. Not one that you’d expect an assist from. Yet Emma Mukandi scored an outrageous long strike and, to be fair, Satch had shown some lovely hold-up play to facilitate the move. People rave about her pace but they overlook her strength. This was her second goal of the campaign and it helped orchestrate a very important 2-1 victory that buys her team some breathing room.
Paige Satchell: “I’m super excited to start back and get some minutes in my legs. It’s obviously great for us to get the win, it’s really crucial for us at the moment. I thought the girls played really well and that we dominated the first-half, we just couldn’t put those chances away. I’m super stoked to have come out in the second-half and be a little bit more clinical with it.”
Up Next: LCL vs Sunderland at 3am on Monday 18 March (NZT)
Jacqui Hand - Lewes (English Championship)
Well, they signed Jacqui Hand to help them finally score some goals. Now they’re finally scoring some goals. Fresh from that last Football Ferns tour in Samoa she was definitely in the habit of providing them. Hand has been instantly influential for Lewes and here she teed up multiple chances for teammates before one finally stuck for an assist – with Maria Farugia adding to her 15th minute goal with a runaway in the 56th to set Lewes into the box seat against Sheffield United. Desperately in need of a win to help them remain in the Championship next season.
They had to really work for that win. After taking that 2-0 lead, they found themselves on shaky ground when Sheffield United drilled a shot into the hand of a defender then converted the penalty with twenty minutes to go. Jacqui Hand was subbed off straight afterwards, very risky because they’ve had a pesky habit of conceding late goals after Hand’s been rested. They did miss a couple of chances to clinch the points from there onwards. They also had to clear a scrambling corner kick off the line and had their goalie to thank for a very good low save later on. But this time, finally, they actually held on to one of these wins. Mark it as a 2-1 victory.
Combine this result with the London City win and it was a fantastic week for NZers who are trying not to get relegated from the Championship. This win saw Lewes leap back ahead of Watford after falling to the bottom of the ladder, whilst also bringing them within a win of rising out of the drop zone. That’s the way to do it.
Up Next: Away to Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday at 8am (NZT)
Katie Kitching - Sunderland (English Championship)
Oh did you think we were done with all the goals and assists? Because if we were then nobody bothered to tell Katie Kitching, who is never not pulling strings for Sunderland...
This was the only goal in a 1-0 win against Southampton. Not a game in which Sunderland were near their best but they defended well and were able to find that one crucial moment of attack to break the deadlock – Mary McAteer with that belter finish for the goal in the 49th minute.
We’ve spent a bit of time around the bottom of the English Championship this week but this win puts Sunderland four points clear at the very top, currently on course for promotion to the WSL (only one team goes up). Big asterisk there is that both Crystal Palace and Charlton each have two games in hand on Sunderland and can overtake them by winning both, possibly even with a win and a draw depending on goal difference. Neither of those teams played this week due to postponements, though they’ll each make up one of those games in hand next week. Of course, Palace not playing also means there was no Ria Percival this week... otherwise no doubt she’d have been amongst the assists herself.
Up Next: A week off, then London City vs Sunderland at 3am on Monday 18 March (NZT)
Liberato Cacace – Empoli (Italian Serie A)
Good bloke and a proud comrade, ol’ Libby. Unfortunately that whole unbeaten streak of Empoli’s was not going to last forever, and this week they fell 1-0 against Cagliari. Snapped a six-game run from which they’d taken 12 points (three wins, three draws). What’s frustrating about that is that they were beaten by a team in the relegation zone which drags them back to within two points of where they don’t want to be, undoing a lot of that hard mahi they’d mustered over the past month.
There were chances at both ends. Empoli hit the post through Niccolò Cambiaghi, then Youssef Maleh’s follow-up was parried off the line by the keeper. Cagliari were forcing saves too... but Empoli seemed more likely, except for heavy touches and slow reactions continually getting in the way. It was like watching them in the early days of the season. Even still, they thought they’d won a penalty early in the second half only for the VAR to decide otherwise, determining that the defender’s hand had been tucked into his frame. Then, a little after the hour, they thought they’d scored. Liberato Cacace thought he’d scored. Absolutely thumping finish on the rebound after Sebastian Walukiewicz’s header had been saved...
... but again the VAR was not a friend of the Azzurri. The goal was disallowed for an offside, with Walukiewicz having strayed beyond the last defender prior to winning that header. Here’s the stupid graphic to prove it...
Cacace still has not scored a club goal since he was at the Wellington Phoenix, though he’s now had goals disallowed by VAR for small offsides at both Sint-Truiden and Empoli. Note that he took the corner kick that initiated this move too. He hasn’t gotten an assist for Empoli either but that moment is surely coming.
Cursed days are cursed days. Jakub Janto then scored for Cagliari after 68 minutes, finishing on the rebound just like Empoli had been unable to do at the same end earlier in the match. Cacace got nutmegged in the build-up. He then got subbed in the 72nd minute, as Empoli got antsy about trying to find an equaliser and Cagliari wound up the home fans with some time-wasting techniques. 1-0 to Cagliari final score.
Up Next: AC Milan vs Empoli, Monday at 3am (NZT)
Marko Stamenic - FK Crvena Zvezda (Serbian SuperLiga)
Good news: Marko Stamenic played this week. Had laid out a bit of confusion about this situation in previous weeks because he hadn’t played in any of their first three games back from the winter break. He was on the bench last week, at least. Seemed most likely he was recovering from a minor injury, though he’d lost lost starting spot prior to the break and they’ve now got a new manager so there were plenty of variables. But he got a good run against TSC, subbed on late in the first half after an injury to Vladimir Lucic. 47 minutes of football – the most he’s had in a SuperLiga game since November (bear in mind there were no games for half of that time).
Stamenic was brought on after Red Star had gained a deserved lead. They’d gone close several times, including hitting the crossbar in the early stages, before Guelor Kanga converted from the penalty spot after winning the kick himself. Didn’t get awarded at first but VAR was there to adjust that outcome. Could have taken their pick over the foul or a handball. TSC would equalise on 61’ when Milos Pantovic headed home from a corner, somehow winning that challenge inside the six yard box, but it only took two minutes for Osman Bukari to restore the lead. Then they got another penalty, this one scored by In-Beom Hwang on 84’, to earn a 3-1 victory.
That’s alright then. Crvena zvezda have won four games in a row since the Serbian footy resumed, scoring multiple goals in each of them. They’re still one point behind Partizan on the table, with their rivals also having won 4/4 this year, but they’re keeping the pressure on and looking far more potent than they did in the first half of the season. As it happens they’re playing Partizan next. Huge game. Hopefully we see plenty more of Marko Stamenic there.
Up Next: Crvena zvezda vs Partizan on Sunday at 5am (NZT)
Zac Jones – Haverfordwest County (Welsh/Cymru Premier)
Another one where this all came from. Jonesy joined Haverfordwest County in January of 2022 and soon proved himself an indispensable player for the club, most notably on their quest to qualify for Europe the following year and then in those Conference League qualifiers themselves, where his propensity for penalty saves became the thing of local legend. This is from the club themselves...
“After making his first team debut in the 3-0 victory over Airbus UK Broughton in August 2022, Zac has gone on to make a total of 53 appearances in all competitions for the Town, and has been involved in plenty of big moments during that time. The New Zealander played a vital role in helping to end our 19-year wait to return to Europe, as his penalty save in normal time of the play-off semi-final victory at Cardiff Metropolitan, followed by two more saves in the shoot-out, were backed up by yet another spot-kick save in the final at Newtown – a day never to be forgotten by those who were in attendance. A new deal was penned shortly after our European qualification, taking him up until the end of the current campaign. His heroics didn’t end there, though, as he came up trumps once more in the UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round victory over European regulars KF Shkëndija, as he pulled off two more penalty saves – including the match-winner – on what was undoubtedly the greatest night in the club’s 125-year history.”
Had to include all that. The yarns were too good. As it says in amongst, Jones signed a one-year extension after qualifying for Europe to ensure that he got to taste the fruits of his labour. Now he’s signed another one-year extension – confirmed at a time when Hwest still have seven games remaining, though are on course to finish top of the relegation rounds and thus earn a shot at the Conference League qualifiers again.
Whether or not lightning strikes twice, we shall wait and see. Got to finish this term strongly first. The only reason why Jones would leave this club now would be if a greater opportunity came along, though with goalies more than any other position that’s a risky proposition as far as game-time goes. Plus there’s probably unfinished business here, with the club not yet having turned those knockout game heroics into a sustained league campaign.
Zac Jones: “I’m pleased to have signed on for another year here at the club. I’ve really enjoyed my time here, I feel I’ve gained a lot of experience. The European qualifiers were definitely a highlight, but speaking on behalf of all the boys, we want to experience that again. The next few months are really important. I think it’s clear we are not in the position we want to be as a club, but we need to make sure we secure this play-off spot. I’m excited for next season, I’m sure we’ll be competing right at the top of the table.”
HC manager Tony Pennock: “Zac has shown again this season what a good goalkeeper he is. He will continue to develop with every game and, along with Ifan, we are extremely lucky to have two excellent goalkeepers at our club. Zac has almost 50 Cymru Premier games under his belt now, and we look forward to many more at Haverfordwest County.”
And he celebrated that new deal with... a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw away against Colwyn Bay. Four games into the relegation rounds and they still haven’t bagged a victory, however three draws have kept things ticking over on top of the points they carried through from the main phase. They’re four clear at the top with six matches remaining – with top spot in the relegation rounds earning entry into the Welsh playoffs for Europa Conference League qualifiers (same way they made it last year).
Up Next: Home vs Penybont on Saturday at 8.45am (NZT)
Matt Dibley-Dias - Fulham (English Premier League)
MDD up to his usual shenanigans. Two assists, three if you count winning a penalty, in a 7-1 win against Reading U21s. We’re well aware from Tyler Bindon’s situation that Reading are in a shambles financially, with their best U21s players (Bindon included) having been fast-tracked into the first team. So it makes sense that their reserves team might not be so good... but that’s not the point. The point is that Matt Dibley-Dias is extremely talented and that first team debut surely can’t be far away. The Olympics aren’t far away either, just quietly.
Up Next: 8am on Saturday against West Ham U21s (NZT)
Michael Boxall – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)
Another week of Michael Boxall captaincy. The new manager hasn’t yet taken over at MNUFC so the interim boss got one more gig, overseeing a 1-1 draw against Columbus Crew. The Loons began brightly with several chances but they failed to put anything away – not helped by missing several key attacking players. The Crew then began to flip the script leading into half-time. Still scoreless at that stage, though Cucho Hernandez changed that fact in the 59th minute with a sharp finish into the bottom corner.
That led to a couple of quick changes by Minnesota, followed by a further subs, as they chased a response. They’d get one eventually. One of those initial substitutes, Tani Oluwaseyi, delivered the 90+5th minute equaliser. Bit of late-game funkiness in Minnesota. That makes it a win and a draw to begin the new MLS campaign. Boxall had a typically sturdy afternoon making 3 clearances, 3 interceptions, and completing his passes at 90%. 35 years old and still not missing a beat.
We nearly had something very cool in one of the other MLS games, where Bill Tuiloma returned from injury to make the bench for Charlotte FC against a Vancouver Whitecaps team that managed to find space for Jay Herdman amongst their own substitutes list. It was Tui’s first involvement under new manager Dean Smith after that groin strain kept him out of week one. It was Herdman’s second senior matchday squad after also getting called up for one of their Champions Cup matches. Alas, the game ended 1-1 and neither of them got to play. Still, positive developments. Especially for Herdman who was such a standout for the NZ U20s last year – and might have already made his first team debut had he not suffered a long term injury.
Up Next: Orlando vs Minnesota on Sunday at 1.30pm (NZT)
Kees Sims - GAIS (Swedish Allsvenskan)
Have yourself a debut, Kees. Fresh from moving to GAIS a month ago, he immediately found his way onto the bench for each of their three Svenska Cupen group stage matches. First two he didn’t play... but in the third he was subbed on at half-time. This was against Örgryte, who coincidentally were one of the clubs that Sims trialled at during the offseason, with his team leading 2-0 at the time and eventually claiming a 3-0 victory. It was their only win of the three so they won’t progress to the knockouts. But it’s still something. Sims had already played in friendly games for GAIS and will get that opportunity again over the coming weeks with the Allsvenskan league not due to begin until early April.
Up Next: Värnamo vs GAIS is their first proper competitive game, that’s not until 8 April (NZT)
James McGarry - Aberdeen (Scottish Premiership)
The good news here is that James McGarry is back. He got eight minutes off the bench in a 2-0 defeat against St Johnstone and then he got a solid 26 minutes against St Mirren a few days later. Problem was they lost that one too... despite leading for more than 96 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly. Ninety-six. They scored inside the first minute of the game then held on for ages and ages until a debatable penalty was given against them in second half stoppage time. Took a long review for VAR to determine that the foul had been inside the area, then Mark O’Hara buried the spot kick on 90+6’ which still left enough time for Toyosi Olusanya to score a 90+7th minute winner against a shellshocked Dons team.
The goal they scored was an outrageous bomb from Connor Barron. But that strike eventually got buried in the late drama. And what drama it was. The penalty incident saw two blokes running away from goal, almost certainly a foul but debatable how they could prove beyond doubt that it had taken place in the area. Then for the winner, Aberdeen had been on the attack with McGarry overlapping on the left into big space except his midfielder hesitated to pass and then lost the ball, with JM caught out of position. They still had enough players back to cover it but passive defending saw a deep cross nodded back into the middle for a close-range finish. Defenders all standing around watching. Not good.
It’s been ten games without Aberdeen winning a league game, causing them to tumble down to third-to-last. At least McGarry’s back now to help them curb the downward spiral. Here’s a refereeing analyst talking about McGarry getting booked in the St Mirren game: “Aberdeen’s James McGarry was booked for his first foul, which saw him haul down his man after being beaten. In my opinion, it was a yellow – he stopped his man from moving forward and putting a dangerous ball into the box.”
Up Next: Scottish Cup quarters, Aberdeen vs Kilmarnock, Sunday at 1.15am (NZT)
Sarpreet Singh - Hansa Rostock (German Bundesliga 2)
You remember how during the winter break, Hansa Rostock hired Sarpreet Singh’s old Regensburg coach Mersad Selimbegovic and how Singh used their winter friendlies to earn his way back into the starting eleven? How things were finally trending upwards for him again? Yeah so it’s not gone so smoothly since then.
Singh started two games, the second of which they won, but then found himself back on the bench and has only gotten one start from the past five matches. In two of those he wasn’t subbed on until the dying stages. Problem is that Hansa’s results haven’t improved so they’ve gotten more defensive with a back three meaning no more high wingers, limiting the positions where he can make an impact.
Singh was subbed on at half-time of their most recent game so that was a positive twist... but that was after Kaiserslautern were already 1-0 up with Hansa Rostock having been reduced to ten men just before the break. They ended up losing 3-0 and remain second-to-bottom in the Bundesliga 2. Not a lot of fun being had there these days. Ito make matters worse, in the Kaiserslautern game they had a fan rush the field and attack an opposition player who was celebrating a goal. That fan has been arrested, though the conversation that incident sparked still endures. Bad vibes. Very bad vibes.
Up Next: Away to Eintracht Braunschweig at 6.30am on Saturday (NZT)
Tyler Bindon - Reading (English League One)
Right back to winning ways for Reading Football Club, who continue to defy the odds despite their young squad, financial struggles, and absentee owner. They’ve lost six points in deductions and are still out there banking results... with Tyler Bindon now firmly established as a key player in central defence. There are 17 players who have played in League One this season born in 2005 or later. Of those 17 players, Tyler Bindon has played the most minutes with 2499. None of the other have even reached 1000 yet. He’s played more than any of the 2004 class too. There have been some ups and downs but 19 year old defenders are simply not supposed to be this good this soon.
Up Next: Sunday at 4am, Reading vs Wycombe (NZT)
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