Matildas Abroad: Arsenal and City clash headlines WSL weekend

With the Commonwealth Bank Matildas returning to their clubs across the globe, a clash between Arsenal and Manchester City headlines the action coming up. 

A handful of Aussies will face one another in this weekend's action, while the race to see which club will be crowned champions in Sweden also heats up. 

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After downing Everton 4-0 before the international break, Chelsea are looking to make it two in a row when they travel to take on Manchester United. Sam Kerr opened her account for the Blues with 2 goals in their last fixture and will be hoping to get on the scoresheet early against an undefeated United side. 

Manchester sits in third place on the table after two wins, however, are without starting centreback Millie Turner, who is out with injury. The forward trio of Kirby, Kerr and Harder will be hoping to capitalise off Turner's absence.

The game will kick off on Sunday at 9:30 pm (AEST).

Emily Gielnik's Aston Villa are looking to upset the top of the table, Brighton & Hove Albion. After Villa's late equaliser against West Ham, they so far only have one win to their name. 


Gielnik made her debut for Villa in their last game, troubling Mackenzie Arnold in West Ham's goal several times. 

The game will kick off on Sunday at 11:00 pm (AEST).

Kyah Simon made her debut for Tottenham Hostpur in their 2-1 win over Manchester City before the international break. She will be looking to notch her first goal for Spurs when they welcome 11th placed Reading on Sunday at 11:00pm (AEST). 

Mackenzie Arnold and Tameka Yallop's West Ham are still searching for their first win of the season, after almost having the win over Gielnik's Villa but concerning late in the game. They are hopeful their first win will come against WSL newcomers Leicester City. 

Yallop has yet to make her debut for West Ham, while Arnold has started both games in goals. 

The game will kick off on Monday at 12:00 am (AEST).

The last fixture of the WSL will be a treat for Aussie football fans, with Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Lydia Williams' Arsenal hosting Alanna Kennedy and Hayley Raso's Manchester City. 

Arsenal have two wins in a row after beating Chelsea and Reading, while City uncharacteristically fell to Spurs last game.

City are without a number of starting players due to injury. Catilin Foord will be hoping to make her first appearance of the WSL season, after an injury during warm-ups in their opener against Chelsea saw her sidelined. 

The game will kick off on Monday at 3:45 am (AEST).

READ: CommBank Matildas debuts for talented trio

In France, Ellie Carpenter's Lyon are attempting to make it four in a row when they host Guingamp, OL sit at the top with a better goal difference than last year's winners PSG. 

Lyon host Guingamp on Saturday at 2:30 am (AEST).

Meanwhile, Mary Fowler will be looking to continue the sublime form she showed against Ireland on Wednesday morning, when Montpellier travel to take on Stade Reims. The game will kick off on Saturday at 10:30 pm (AEST).

In Sweden, a handful of CommBank Matildas continue their Damallsvenskan season, Clare Polkinghorne's Vittsjö will travel to take on Piteå on Sunday at 10:00 pm (AEST).

Winonah Heatley's Växjö remain at the bottom of the table and hope to secure some crucial points when they take on Dylan Holmes' second placed BK Häcken. The game will kick off on Sunday at 1:00 am (AEST).

Teagan Micah and Charli Grant's  FC Rosengård sit at the top of the table, with Grant making her debut for the CommBank Matildas in their 3-2 loss against Ireland earlier in the week. 


Rosengård take on Kristianstads DFF on Monday at 12:00 am (AEST). 

Moving over to Denmark,  Indiah-Paige Riley, Alex Huynh, Angela Beard and Clare Wheeler's Fortuna Hjørring have been knocked down from first place and take on current first place HB Køge, with Beard and Wheeler also making their CommBank Matildas debut against Ireland.

The Australian quartet will be hoping to help Fortuna reclaim top honours.

After Hjørring dropped their first points of the season before the international break, in an 0-0draw against KoldingQ, the side will be looking to take their place back at the top of the table, with the game kicking off on Saturday at 9:00 pm (AEST). 

Jenna McCormick's AGF will travel to take on seventh place Farum. McCormick has started the last three games for her new side and will be at the heart of defence during their game against Farum, kicking off on Sunday at 12:00am (AEST).

Our final destination takes us a little closer to home, with Alex Chidiac's Japanese side JEF United playing their second game of the season, after a bye in the first round Chidiac made her debut in JEF's mid week 1-1 draw. 


JEF United will travel to take on INAC Kobe Leonessa, who sit in fourth place with one win, on Sunday at 2:00 pm (AEST).