Women’s international round up
Arsenal Women fans were treated to a lot of action from our Arsenal Women last night in the last round of international games of the year. A lot of our Gunners got minutes for their countries and were amongst the goals and assists. Here’s a run down of everything that happened on Tuesday night.
Katie McCabe’s Ireland thumped Northern Ireland 6-1 and McCabe herself was back to her very best, picking up a brace of goals and assists and helping her country end the group stages without a loss and steamrolling into the next stage. McCabe assisted the opening goal for the girls in green and then went on to assist the third goal with a pinpoint perfect cross onto the head of Irish teammate Carusa. Only 3 minutes later McCabe was on the scoresheet herself with a very typical McCabe goal, cutting inside and thumping a shot from the edge of the box into the top corner.
Next Lia Walti and Noelle Maritz’s Switzerland faced off against Italy and walked away 3-0 losers after a dominant game from Italy. Both Walti and Maritz played for a full 90 minutes but couldn’t walk away with the win. Switzerland finished last in the group and won’t be going into the next stage of the tournament.
Then we had a Arsenal vs Arsenal clash when Spain faced off against Sweden in an eight goal thriller, with Laia Codina’s Spain walking away 5-3 winners. Stina Blackstenius walked away with a goal and an assist, knocking the ball into the path of Swedish teammate Asllani in the 14th minute to make it 2-1 and then got herself on the score sheet 15 minutes later after a ball was cut back into the box and calmly finished by Blackstenius. Amanda Ilestedt also started and played a full 90 minutes for Sweden but didn’t look in her best form throughout the game. Codina came on in the second half and looked solid when on the pitch and helped her country walk away with the win and go into the next stage while Sweden face a relegation playoff. Lina Hurtig picked up an injury and returned to Arsenal early for assessment.
Another Arsenal vs Arsenal clash when Frida Maanum’s Norway faced off against Manuela Zinsberger’s Austria in what was a tight game, Zinsberger’s Austria walked away 2-1 winners after an impressive game from our Arsenal keeper, making 4 important saves and keeping her country in the game. Maanum started and played a full 90 minutes for Norway but didn’t see much of the ball and walked away defeated. Austria now face playoffs while Norway will compete in relegation playoffs.
The Netherlands then faced off against Belgium in what was a must-win game for them, with group A being tight and everything coming down to the last game. Victoria Pelova started and played a full 90 minutes, picking up an assist for the opening goal, holding up the ball and then knocking it into the path of Dutch teammate Beerensteyn who, after a slow start, put The Netherland 1-0 up. Netherlands walked away 4-0 winners after a dominant display and top the group for the next stages.
England then faced off against Scotland in what was a another must-win game. Beth Mead started her first game since coming back from injury and managed to get on the scoresheet just before half time to make it 4-0 with a lovely finish from our Arsenal attacker, playing 65 minutes before being taken off and have a great game down the wing. Alessia Russo also came on late but didn’t see a lot of the ball. Although they walked away 6-0 winners it just wasn’t enough, with The Netherlands topping the group in goal difference and knocking England out. Lotte Wubben-Moy made the bench but didn’t get any minutes.
Australia then faced off against Canada in a friendly and walked away defeated 1-0. Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross all started and played a full 90 minutes but weren’t able to help get the win.
Did you enjoy the international break Gooners?
Next up for our Gunners is Emirates Stadium on Sunday 10th December, when they face top-of-the-table Chelsea in the WSL..
Daisy Mae
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To many Arsenal girls playing before the most important game of the season.
Matilda’s and Canadians half way around the world.
Wonder if Kerr makes a recovery in time ?