CanWNT News
As earlier announced, Emma Regan departed HB Køge. Her arrival at AFC Toronto was announced on 12 December. Regan is the first current senior team member to sign in the NSL.
Additionally, Olivia Smith and Vanessa Gilles were both honoured with CSA’s annual year-end awards: Smith won Women’s Young Player of the Year, and Gilles was named Canada Soccer’s Women’s Player of the Year for 2024.
Confederation Play: UWCL
Vanessa Gilles was rested for Lyon in their fifth group stage match, a 6-0 win over Galatasaray. Unfortunately, despite being projected to be returning from injury, Evelyne Viens was not available for Roma in their critical group stage match against Wolfsburg. It was not to be for the Italian side as they were defeated by a score of 6-1, effectively eliminating them from the competition. Chelsea won easily against FC Twente, winning 6-1. Kadeisha Buchanan unfortunately was unavailable due to her ACL injury, and Ashley Lawrence entered in the 63rd minute. In the last match of round five, Lysianne Proulx was on the bench for Juventus as they lost 4-0 to Bayern Munich.
Chelsea won their final group stage match, a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid. Lawerence entered in the 71st minute as a late substitute. Viens was again absent as Roma defeated Galatasaray 3-0. Lyon also won their last match: 1-0 against Wolfsburg. Gilles played the full match, helping to keep the clean sheet. Proulx started for Juventus against Vålerenga and earned a clean sheet in their 3-0 victory.
Only three Canadians will progress to the quarter-final stage of the UWCL tournament: the injured Buchanan and Lawrence with Chelsea, and Gilles with Lyon. The draw will occur on 7th February.
England
In the third round of the Women’s League Cup group stage play, Olivia Smith played the second half for Liverpool in their 4-0 win over Everton. For Leicester City, Deanne Rose had her most impressive showing in a while: in 71 minutes, she had two assists and almost had another (it was eventually credited as an own goal). D. Rose helped her team to a 5-2 victory over Birmingham City. Simi Awujo earned another start for Manchester United, playing 73 minutes in a 5-3 win over Newcastle United. Jayde Riviere was unavailable for the fixture. Shelina Zadorsky scored for West Ham after entering at the start of the second half, notching the game-winner in a 3-0 win over Southampton.
Finally, Sabrina D’Angelo was in net for Aston Villa as they won 4-1 over Charlton. Adriana Leon made an appearance off the bench, entering in the 54th minute. The quarter final match-ups have been set for January: Chelsea v Durham, Manchester United v Manchester City, Brighton v Arsenal, and Tottenham v West Ham.
The weekend of the 14th-15th saw the last WSL action of 2024. D. Rose earned the start for Leicester City against Chelsea after her impressive Cup match; however, she was unfortunately subbed off in the 11th minute due to injury. Lawrence played the first half for Chelsea as they dropped their first points of the season: the match ended in a 1-1 draw. In another Canadian Clash, Aston Villa got the better of West Ham, winning 3-1. D’Angelo once again was in net for the Villans, and Leon had perhaps her best game of the 2024-2025 season thus far, scoring two goals in 88 minutes.
For the Hammers, Zadorsky played the full match. Manchester United also won their last match of 2024–a slim 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Riviere played the full 90, having an impressive match, and Awujo was an unused substitute. Lastly, Smith played the full match for Liverpool in a 1-0 loss to Arsenal.
France
Gilles continued her impressive season with another goal for Lyon, scoring in their 5-1 win against Nantes. She played the full match.
Italy
Viens remained unavailable for Roma’s Serie A match against S.S.D. Napoli, a 2-1 win, and Proulx served as backup keeper for Juventus in a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina.
Portugal
Marie Alidou was an unused substitute for Benfica in their 2-0 win against Marítimo in the Taça da Liga Feminina QF (first leg). On the 22nd, she was not in Benfica’s squad for their regular league match against Clube de Albergaria, which they won 3-1.
Player of the Week: Adriana Leon
Goals: 4 (Gilles x 1, Leon x 2, Zadorsky x 1)
Assists: 2 (D. Rose x 2)
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