In another busy weekend of women’s football across Europe, Wolfsburg’s defeat to Hoffenheim was a major upset. Elsewhere, Chelsea hit back at Arsenal, Levante were held to another draw as the second leg of the Italian season began.
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Nusken fills the gap for Chelsea’s striker
One of Chelsea’s problems this season has been a lack of balance, following the loss of star striker Sam Kerr to an ACL injury when they do not have a natural center forward on the pitch. Emma Hayes’s first choice as a false number 9, Lauren James has shown some good adaptability in goal, but ultimately she is the wrong type of player to keep opposition centre-backs busy because of her natural play with freedom. Have to wander here and there.
Since the loss of Mia Fishel to her ACL injury and the club-record signing of Mayra Ramírez with an unspecified groin/abductor problem, Chelsea have again found themselves without a clear striker and their form has deteriorated. Has gone.
In Friday’s 3-1 win over Arsenal in the Women’s Super League, Hayes chose utility player Sjoke Nusken – who was filling in at centre-back just last week – as the focal point up front. The ploy was successful and not only did Nusken get a bizarre brace, including a shot that deflected off his back, he also allowed his teammates to take up positions which kept the Gunners under pressure, leading to the league’s It was an important and major victory. Leader.
Liverpool is back to winning ways on home soil
Liverpool’s home form took a blow after last week’s FA Cup defeat to Leicester City at Prenton Park, extending their run to four matches without a win. In fact, the Reds had not won at home since November – although that was largely due to the schedule that had kept them on the road this calendar year.
But returning to winning ways on home soil on Sunday, Liverpool beat West Ham 3-1 in what was a disappointing day for the Irons.
Barring the impact of summer signings Sophie Roman-Hogg and Mary Hobinger, this was a win that felt a lot like last season’s Liverpool, with Ceri Holland and Missy Bo Keens shining for the hosts. And it was a win that kept the Reds level on points with Manchester United in fifth place, sealing their development since their return to the league and suggesting there was more to come next season.
Villa is in seventh place
It has been a season to forget for Villa so far, as the team that challenged at the top end of the table last season have slipped even further short of a European finish this time around. Call it a drastic improvement from an over-achieving season (as we’ve seen so often from WSL teams over the past few years), but the Villainess’ comeback this year has been difficult and unforgiving.
Yet Villa still managed to find moments to get ahead and against an Everton team plagued by persistent injuries, the visitors secured their sixth win of the season and moved up to seventh and away from danger. Kenza Daly, one of last season’s top performers, scored his first goal of the season, which shows how disconnected the Villa attack has been this year and how much work needs to be done over the summer.
wolfsburg faltered
Having fallen one point behind Bayern Munich at the top at the weekend, with a home clash against the Bavarians the following Saturday, Wolfsburg handicapped itself with a 2–1 defeat at third-placed Hoffenheim.
After going 11 competitive games without a defeat – including a 2–1 defeat to Bayern in November – Shea Wolves had regained some momentum and re-established themselves as one of Germany’s top two sides. Yet the defeat to Hoffenheim is another sign of Wolfsburg’s weakening position, with the team deeply polarized between those who are eyeing retirement and those who are promising for the future.
Wolfsburg have plenty of emerging talent, but most of those players have yet to live up to their potential and Bayern have invested well – including €450,000 to sign Wolfsburg midfielder Lina Oberdorf this summer Is – and is the team making all the noise at the moment Frauen in the Bundesliga.
Levante lost
It was always going to be a difficult season for Levante due to budget cuts and players either leaving (like Ramírez to Chelsea) or getting ready to leave in the summer. Against the backdrop of everything going on off the field, it was always going to be a question of maintaining form and winning consistently to keep their hopes of European qualification alive.
But against bottom-placed Sporting Huelva, who have won just one in their 20 league matches this season, Levante once again faltered and were held to a 1-1 draw, leaving them without a win in their last four games. Did not win.
Still in third place, the gap to fourth-placed Madrid CFF has been reduced to one point and the Frogs will feel both them and Atlético Madrid breathing down their necks for the remainder of the season. Next up at home to Real Betis, Levante will have to dig themselves out of a difficult situation before slipping further.
PSG back in gear
Returning to Champions League action in midweek and almost falling short in a 3-3 draw against Paris FC in the Coupe de France last time out, Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Saint-Etienne 5-0 this weekend. Recorded victory. ,
Amidst a season of ups and downs, the clean sheets will be a boost and seeing Marie-Antoinette Couto, Tabitha Chavinga, Grace Gayoro and Jade Le Guilly on the scoresheet, ensuring their attacking partnerships are working, will be vital ahead of a Is. BK Hacken’s difficult journey.
Hacken thrived on his defensive prowess in the Champions League group stage and will likely look to frustrate PSG and restrict the areas they like to attack. But with PSG on a healthy winning streak, the French giants should feel comfortable asserting themselves and picking apart the Haken defence.
DellaPeruta sublime for Sampdoria
In the first week of the Serie A relegation and championship mini-season, Sampdoria were the big winners, pipping Pomigliano, with 19-year-old Victoria DellaPeruta scoring in a 5–0 win against her former team.
With a 14-point lead over bottom-placed Napoli and Pomigliano, Sampdoria are certainly not in danger of being relegated. But DellaPeruta made it safe as he scored four goals in the second half, his first start for the club since signing in January. The icing on the cake for DellaPeruta was that her older sister Talia, who signed at the same time, was the one who prepared her for the fourth game.
