National Team and Transfers
This week the roster for the CONCACAF W Gold Cup was released. Congratulations to Megan Reid and Laurence Gladu for their first CANWNT/CANXNT senior call up! Reid and Gladu will participate in pre-camp training before returning to Angel City and University of Pennsylvania respectively. For those curious, Reid is eligible for Canada as her mother was born in Ontario. On that note, as it has been a year since Victoria Pickett received a call up Rise Higher will no longer be tracking her. The Rise Higher crew wishes Pickett the best in her pro career and we hope to see her called up again in the future.
The mystery of where in the world Lysianne Proulx went was solved. Congratulations to Proulx for her transfer to NWSL’s Bay FC from the A-Leauge’s Melbourne City. Melbourne City announced that the transfer broke the A-League record!
The U17s failed to qualify for the 2024 U17 Women’s World Cup after falling 2-1 to Mexico in added extra time. Annabelle Chukwu scored Canada’s lone goal in the semi-final game. At only seventeen years of age Chukwu, now with 25 youth goals, sits second for international youth goals for Canada – only two goals behind Christine Sinclair. In the third-place game, the Baby Reds defeated Haiti 4-1, Chukwu played the first 45 minutes. This will be the first time the Canadian U17 will not feature in the U17 Women’s World Cup. However, it should be mentioned that due to the Dominican Republic hosting the World Cup this year, only two teams from CONCACAF will advance from qualifying instead of three.
WSL
The League Cup
Both Aston Villa and Chelsea advanced to the League Cup semi-finals. Aston Villa defeated Brighton 2-0 in penalties after the game ended 1-1. Leon played the entire game and converted her penalty in the shootout. Kadeisha Buchanan played the full 90 for Chelsea in their 5-0 win over Sunderland AFC, while Ashley Lawrence was an unused substitute.
The FA Women’s Cup 5th Round
Deanne Rose came on in the 66th minute for Leicester in their 6-2 win over Birmingham City. Rose scored the 5th goal, seconds after being subbed on. Sabrina D’Angelo was in net for Arsenal in their 1-0 loss against Manchester City. Cloé Lacasse was an unused substitute.
Ashley Lawrence played the full 90 for Chelsea in their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace. Lawrence earned the assist on the game winner and only goal of the match. Kadeisha Buchanan was an unused substitute.
Jayde Riviere was not available for Manchester United’s game against Southampton. Manchester United did win their game 3-1. It appears that Riviere’s absence is due to an injury she picked up earlier; she has now been removed from Canada’s Gold Cup roster.
NWSL
The NWSL pre-season is officially underway, with the clubs taking part in various friendlies as they prepare for the season to kick-off next month. Jordyn Huitema and Quinn took part in the Reign’s 4-0 win over Costa Rica’s Women’s National Team. Huitema scored the fourth goal, a penalty kick after she was taken down in the box, and Quinn earned an assist on the second goal.
Liga BPI
In Portugal, Marie Alidou and Benfica defeated Torreense 3-1, with Alidou scoring one goal. Benfica now sit at the top of the table, three points above Olivia Smith’s Sporting CP.
In the first leg of the Taça de Portugal de Futebol Feminino Quarter Finals, Benfica defeated Valadares 4-0, Alidou had one goal in the game. Meanwhile Olivia Smith and Sporting defeated Melissa Dagenais’s Damaiense 1-0 in added extra time. Smith earned the assist on the game winning goal while Dagenais acted as back-up keeper.
DIV 1
Latifa Abdu was once again not available for Dijon this week in their 2-0 loss to Saint-Étienne.
Vanessa Gilles played the full 90 for Lyon in their 1-1 draw with PSG. The draw keeps Lyon undefeated this season.
Serie A
Evelyne Viens played the entire game in Roma’s 1-0 win over Napoli. Julia Grosso played 62 minutes for Juventus in their 5-0 win over FCF Como. Roma sits at the top of the table with 45 points while Juventus sits second with 37.
The second leg of the quarter finals for the Italian Women’s Cup took place, Evelyne Viens came on in the 67th minute for Roma in their 3-0 win over Napoli. The three goals were enough to make up for their 2-0 loss in the first leg, and Roma will advance to the semi-finals. Julia Grosso was not in the squad for Juventus in their 1-0 win over Sampdoria. Grosso’s absence may be due to rest as Juventus defeated Sampdoria 4-0 last month. Grosso and Juventus will also advance to the semi-finals, which will take place in March.
Player of the week: Ashley Lawrence for earning the assist on the game winning goal to send Chelsea through to the next round of the FA Women’s Cup
Goals: 4 (Alidou x 2, Chukwu x 1, D. Rose x 1)
Assists: 2 (Lawrence x 1, Smith x 1)
Rise Higher 
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