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Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sermanni mounts Canberra defence ahead of final game
Tom Sermanni's 151st and final game at the helm of the Matildas will be about setting the team up for its next coach. But he also used his final pre-match press conference to go in to bat for Canberra United, whose A-League Women future remains constantly under threat. Sermanni is set to finish up his eight-and-a-half-month stint as interim coach after Monday night's clash with Argentina in Canberra, with Joe Montemurro poised to be announced as full-time coach. The women's football stalwart last week fired up about a lack of professionalism within the A-League Women. On Sunday, he said of the sold-out Matildas game at GIO : "It's a great indication that we need to keep Canberra United in the A-League Women's competition. "This is a critically important team in A-League Women's football, and a critically important team for the development of football. "Because what we want to see is more players coming out of places like Canberra, and going through the A-League Women's, and then coming into the international arena. "So I will certainly make sure I do my best to make sure Canberra stay in the competition." When asked how exactly he planned to make that happen, Sermanni said: "I will try and make sure that I use, if I have some influence, the people that are part of the decision-making process. "I think I caused a little bit of controversy apparently recently just talking about the A-League Women, and I intend to continue doing that to make sure that our competition stays vibrant, stays national, and that we have a team in it from Canberra." Arsenal trio Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross are poised to start their first game since their Women's Champions League triumph. Sermanni will likely test more young players to build depth for the incoming coach ahead of the Asian Cup. "Since coming into the job it's just really been important to try and keep everything stable, everything ticking along so that hopefully the new coach comes in and can then really start to take the program forward in the direction that he or she wants to take it in," Sermanni said. "For me it would just be business as normal, and I think we're in the situation with a squad where a lot of players are looking forward towards the Asian Cup, and there's a lot of competition for places in that final 23-player squad. "So these games are important for us to continue hopefully a winning momentum, hopefully continuing to play better football. "But at the same time they're important for individual players too, like Kahli (Johnson) to come into the team and put pressure on other players for selection in the squad next year." Canberra United star Michelle Heyman will have plenty of fans on hand. "I told her I'm expecting at least a goal," Sermanni said. "She's playing in front of her home crowd. She'll play tomorrow night at some stage in the game."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
England take victory in six-goal thriller against Portugal
England produced a dominant performance as they defeated Portugal 6-0 in a UEFA Women's Nations League fixture at Wembley last night. The reigning European champions blew their opponents away in a rampant first half performance which saw them net five goals. Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones was the star of the show, netting a 33-minute hat-trick. Advertisement Sarina Wiegman's side took the lead inside the first three minutes with Beever-Jones capitalising on a defensive mishap from Portugal, allowing her to place the ball beyond Inês Pereira and into the bottom corner of the net. The Lionesses' lead was then doubled by Lucy Bronze, just a minute later. She headed into an open goal after Pereira had blocked Beth Mead's initial shot. Portugal's first attempt on goal came in the 10th minute as Andreia Norton's close range header clipped the outside of the post. Beever-Jones netted her second of the match in the 26th minute after a period of attacking momentum from England, the Chelsea youngster heading the ball past Pereira. Advertisement Mead then pushed the advantage to four just before the half-hour mark as she beat her defender and fired into the far corner of Pereira's goal. Beever-Jones claimed her first senior England hat-trick within the opening 33 minutes when she expertly picked out the bottom corner with her right-footed strike. After a dominant first half, the Lionesses continued their attacking play in the second period with two early chances produced for Mead and Grace Clinton. However, neither were successful in adding to the scoreline. Second half substitute Chloe Kelly was able to give the Lionesses a sixth goal of the night when her header from close range beat Pereira. Advertisement England continued to look for more goals but were unable to take advantage as the game ended 6-0 in their favour. Wiegman's side complete their UEFA Women's Nations League campaign with a fixture against Spain in Barcelona on Tuesday evening.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Are you not entertained? 'Vintage England' deliver under pressure
All eyes were on goalkeeper Hannah Hampton after a rocky week for the England squad - but just half an hour in, it was someone else taking the spotlight at forward Aggie Beever-Jones was star of the show, scoring her first England hat-trick in the 6-0 thumping of Portugal in the Women's Nations 21-year-old's treble came in just 33 was a scintillating performance from Beever-Jones and the Lionesses just five weeks out from Euro 2025 when they will attempt to defend their European had been building pre-match following goalkeeper Mary Earps' shock international retirement. How would they cope without one of their talismanic leaders? Could Chelsea's Hampton handle the pressure?Clearly, they coped extremely well, and newly confirmed number one Hampton barely had to move a muscle. "Are you not entertained?," said former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley on BBC Radio 5 Live."I'm running out of rubber on my eraser because I keep having to change [goalscoring] tally marks."It's been so fun to watch, with so much fluidity, and the enjoyment this England team has been playing with."Ex-England defender Lindsay Johnson described it as a "Friday night funfest" and even manager Sarina Wiegman celebrated more than usual in the so much attention on matters off the pitch over the past week, this was a performance that emphatically shut out the noise and lifted the was "back to business" as Wiegman claimed afterwards. 'Wonderful to see the girls with smiles on their faces' She had fielded questions regarding Earps' retirement on Thursday, admitting it had been a "hard" start to the was visibly emotional, reflecting on the good times they shared together and unwilling to discuss how frustrating the sudden departure of the 32-year-old may only 13 caps for Hampton prior to kick-off, and none for the other two goalkeepers in the squad, fears were raised about their when the team in front plays so well, it quickly becomes less of a concern. Hampton spent the majority of the second half stood still, watching on as her team-mates tried to add to their five first-half goals, managing one more through Chloe hero Beever-Jones gave some insight into Wiegman's talk before the Group A3 tie, saying. "She said before the game, 'it's a new kit, it's a new England, we have a new squad'."But it wasn't a new England, it was a "vintage" England, according to Bardsley, who was waxing lyrical by the time the fifth goal came in only the 33rd minute, sealing a treble for Bronze nodded in England's second, while Beth Mead joined in on the action and substitute Kelly added the finishing touch with the sixth in the 62nd minute."This is reminding me of vintage England, casting myself back to 2022," said Bardsley, who made 81 appearances for the Lionesses. "Portugal have been poor, but among the noise, it is so wonderful to see the girls with smiles on their faces."They were not the only ones with smiles on their faces as supporters danced and celebrated at full-time, clearly encouraged by what they had form has dipped throughout the last 18 months. Just seven weeks ago they were beaten in Leuven by Belgium - who are bottom of the Women's Nations League group - and two months after picking up a victory over world champions Spain at the Lionesses showed they were up to the task when the pressure was on, buoyed by the return of key players Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood from injury."There has been a lot of noise [this week] and players wanted to put that to bed," added Johnson."Questions in the press conference were relentless and they are going to be. They just want to talk about football and they made it all about the football."Mary [Earps] will be missed, but when you score six goals in the fashion they did, we are just talking about the football and how good England were." 'Beever-Jones is a baller' "Aggie Beever-Jones is a baller," was also Bardsley's statement at full-time as she lauded the Chelsea forward has given her chances of selection for Euro 2025 a significant boost and Wiegman couldn't help but laugh when asked the question."I think she did really well…" said the Dutchwoman with a smile."She is a goalscorer. She scores goals very easily and very well. She has such quick feet. She is also really tight on the ball, she played really relaxed."Team-mate Kelly said it was great to see Beever-Jones "firing" in an England shirt and Bardsley said she was a "pesky" forward to play for a starting role will be hard to come by though. Arsenal's Alessia Russo was watching from the bench, rested for this match after picking up a minor calf injury, while Chelsea's Lauren James has still to return from was impressive too on her first England game since knee surgery in November, while Mead was on the scoresheet and Kelly proved her worth off the bench."She really announced herself and put her case forward to Sarina Wiegman so she knows she is capable of starting at the Euros this summer," added Bardsley of Beever-Jones."Knowing there's that weapon, whether it's on the bench or from the start, is so lovely to know that she's in Sarina Wiegman's tool kit."Beever-Jones looked over to her family to celebrate and revealed the team had signed the match ball to take home whatever her role is at the Euros, she is ready to make an impact."In football it's never just a straight line. I've had to be patient in this set-up and that just shows the quality the team has," Beever-Jones told BBC Radio 5 Live."I got the opportunity and I am grateful to everyone who helped me get into this place. I couldn't have hoped for a better day."I wouldn't want anyone else for competition. Alessia [Russo] is an incredible player, I learn so much off her and the whole frontline. Hopefully I can contribute where I can."Whenever I'm playing for England I just hope I'm giving the right people the right headaches." Head here to get involved
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Favourites England, Germany and Spain to all win in 90 minutes is 1/1 - as the Women's UEFA Nations League headlines tonight's action
Sky Bet are offering a Featured Enhanced Accumulator for tonight's Women's UEFA Nations League action. The three games included in the bet are England vs Portugal, Germany vs Netherlands, and Belgium vs Spain. Valued at 1/1 - the accumulator requires England, Germany and Spain all to win in 90 minutes. Regarding the above bet - all three teams enter their respective fixtures as huge odds-on favourites according to Sky Bet. England and Portugal both shared a point in their reverse fixture in Portimao in February - as a goal to Kika Nazareth in the final 15 minutes helped Portugal salvage a 1-1 draw at home. Meanwhile, Germany and Netherlands also had to settle for a draw in a shootout - with that particular fixture ending 2-2 in Breda. However - with England and Germany both at home this evening - they are heavily backed to get the job done on their own turf. Spain managed a win in their reverse fixture against Belgium, with two goals in stoppage time securing them a 3-2 victory. Lastly, if you're anticipating a couple of upsets tonight - there is a much wider price of 66/1 available for Portugal, Netherlands and Spain all to win in 90 minutes. England, Germany and Spain all to win in 90 minutes 1/1 Alternate Enhanced Accumulator for the same fixtures: Portugal, Netherlands and Spain all to win in 90 minutes 66/1
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Debutant Kahli Johnson shines in comfortable win for Matildas over Argentina
It felt rather appropriate, all things considered, that Tom Sermanni marked his 150th in charge of the Matildas by making Kahli Johnson the 237th player to represent Australia. Because while the 2010 Asian Cup may have provided the 70-year-old with his crowning achievement, his is a more than three-decade legacy built upon the stories and achievements of those who he has given an opportunity. So many of the pathways that are found in the women's game in Australia wouldn't exist without his guidance, and of the current golden generation alone, the likes of Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Katrina Gorry were all given intentional debuts under his charge. It became even more fitting when Johnson headed home the 38th-minute goal that kickstarted the Matildas to a 2-0 win over Argentina at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium on Friday evening, a game lacking in much of the way of fireworks but in which the hosts never looked in danger of falling. Kaitlyn Torpey put the result beyond doubt in the 69th minute, the winger's second international goal blessed by the footballing gods when her shanked attempt to send in a cross from the right floated right over the head of Abigaíl Chaves and inside the far post. But it's Johnson who people will be talking about after tonight. The 21-year-old took a leap into the unknown during the middle of the A-League Women season, moving from Western United to newly launched Canadian competition the Northern Super League and has kicked on with three goals in six games for the Calgary Wild. Now, having scored a goal every other game in Canada, she's become a senior international, with a goal under her belt, and the latest in a long line of players whose stories include Sermanni. The ball to find Johnson was delivered with pinpoint accuracy by Charli Grant, who galloped down the flank before sending in a perfectly weighted cross for her teammate – who replays showed may have strayed just into an offside position – to send across the face of Chaves. Though not all that much older than Johnson, the defender is something of a grizzled young veteran in the current setup given she is still only 23 years old but she is now in her fourth year in the national setup, with 34 appearances in green and gold under her belt. Probably helped by not needing to do much defending – Argentina would fail to register a shot on target until the 80th minute – the Spurs flanker was one of the Matildas best on the evening. So, too, was Johnson, who flashed intent early on when she won the ball on the left and whipped in crosses in the sixth and seventh minutes and who put a shot just wide in the 49th in search of a brace. Given the chance to start as the nine once more, clearly being positioned by Sermanni as the heir-apparent for Kerr, Holly McNamara showed off her determined, angry worth as well: sending a volleyed attempt from a Grant cross wide in the first half and fizzing an effort outside the post in the 61st. Clare Wheeler got in on the act, too, firing off a 72nd minute attempt that Chaves did incredibly well to get down and keep out. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Indeed, with the likes of Kerr, Gorry, Ellie Carpenter and Hayley Raso all absent from this squad and the Arsenal trio of Catley, Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross staying on the bench after their late arrival into camp after winning the Champions League, Friday was an evening for the unheralded and rising members of the squad. It almost had to be, given that Football Australia has indicated a new coach will be coming in next month, rendering these games as something of an audition. But it was also a celebration of an underappreciated legend in Sermanni, delivered in fitting fashion.
