Rise Higher

Midweek cup action resumed for some WSL sides this week, with the quarter-finals of last season’s FA cup, which was carried over due to covid-related delays.

Manchester City, fresh off a 5–0 loss to Arsenal at the weekend, sorely needed a big win over newly-promoted Leicester. Janine Beckie deputised as right-back in a makeshift backline; injuries and cup restrictions meant that City had only one defender available. After a listless first half which ended at 0–0, City came back to put six past the Foxes, securing their spot in the semi-finals at the end of October.

Off the back of this win, it would have been expected for City to dominate Adriana Leon’s West Ham side come their league match a few days later; the latter battled relegation last season, whilst the former were firmly within the title race. City’s poor league form continued, however, as they fell 2–0 to the Hammers. Beckie once again played at right-back, and put in a solid shift, creating more chances (5) than anyone else on the pitch: unfortunately, none of these were converted into a goal. Leon was absent from West Ham’s starting XI, presumably to allow her some rest, but did see thirty minutes at the end of the match.

Jessie Fleming saw her first start of the season for Chelsea in their midweek cup match against Birmingham, a game which again started slowly, likely due to a heavily rotated side. Around the sixty-minute mark, however, Chelsea’s usual dominant attacking form kicked in, and they finished with a 4–0 victory. After getting on the scoresheet last weekend, Fleming added an assist to her tally, setting up Kirby’s second goal of the night, and once again demonstrating her value to the team in the present, and the future. In their league match on Sunday, Fleming was once again available off the bench, and saw ten minutes at the end of Chelsea’s 3–1 victory over Brighton.

It was a less successful Wednesday evening for Shelina Zadorsky and Tottenham Hotspur, who lost their cup quarter final against Arsenal 5–1. Spurs began the match positively, scoring in just the third minute, but Arsenal quickly pulled it back. In the post-match interview, Captain Zadorsky sounded positive about the progress the team are making, stating that they would turn their focus back to the league. And so they did, rallying themselves to a 2–0 win over Leicester City, continuing their winning streak in league matches and taking themselves to second in the table.

Reading and Deanne Rose faced Everton in their league match at the weekend, and again found themselves on the receiving end of a loss. This marks the fourth loss in a row for the team, and leaves them at the bottom of the WSL table. On a positive note, Rose has quickly found herself to be one of Reading’s key assets, slotting into the starting XI from just her second match in the league, and playing the full 90 this week.

In the NCAA, it was yet another brilliant week for Julia Grosso. The Texas Longhorns played the TCU Horned Frogs to a 1–1 draw on Thursday, with Grosso bagging the assist on the Longhorns’ lone goal. On Saturday, Grosso once again got on the scoresheet herself, in a 4–1 win against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Gabrielle Carle also had a productive week, assisting a goal in the Florida State Seminoles’ 4–1 win against the Clemson Tigers. Jayde Riviere, meanwhile, helped the Michigan Wolverines to a 2–1 win against the Purdue Boilermakers; Riviere’s defensive unit held the Boilermakers to just six shots, despite the fact they entered the match with an average of 15 shots per game.

It was a quieter week for Canadian players in the French league, as Paris Saint-Germain’s match against Guingamp was called off due to poor weather, leaving Steph Labbé, Jordyn Huitema and Ashley Lawrence without a game to play this week. Elsewhere in the league, Vanessa Gilles and Kadeisha Buchanan faced off against each other as Lyon beat Bordeaux 4–1. As is typical of Canadian defenders, both Gilles and Buchanan found themselves on the receiving end of a booking; their enthusiasm, at least, can never be doubted.

Top performer this week: Julia Grosso

Highlights for the next week:

Chelsea v Wolfsburg: Champions League action is back, with Chelsea, PSG and Lyon all featuring in the group stage matches over the next couple of months. Whilst all three teams will play this week, the highlight will likely be Chelsea’s rematch against Wolfsburg. Last year, the Blues won their two-legged quarter final 5–1 on aggregate, but Wolfsburg are no pushovers, and will be seeking revenge for their previous losses. Wednesday 6 October, 20:00 BST, DAZN

SL Benfica v Bayern Munich: It is also worth keeping an eye on Cloé Lacasse and SL Benfica, who play Bayern Munich tomorrow. This will be a tough ask for the Portuguese champions, but Lacasse has been on blistering form lately; to see her score a goal or two would not be surprising in the slightest. Tuesday 5 October, 20:00 BST, DAZN

Manchester United v Manchester City: Another week, another derby, and this match carries more weight than most, with City desperate for a win after three league losses in a row. A fourth loss here could mean the end of the road for manager Gareth Taylor. United, on the other hand, are riding fairly high despite their recent battering at the hands of Chelsea, sitting at three wins in four so far. Saturday 9 October, 13:30 BST, BBC