Matildas Abroad Preview: Women's FA Cup semi-finals begin

The International break is over, and it's back to clubland for our Matildas Abroad, and a spot in the Women's FA Cup finals is on the card for several Aussies.

After two wins over our Trans-Tasman rivals in Townsville and Canberra, the club action is coming thick and fast. The Women's FA Cup semi-finals begin on Saturday night while several young talents could make their debuts in Sweden. 

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In England, Mackenzie Arnold and Tameka Yallop's West Ham United host Alanna Kennedy and Hayley Raso's Manchester City are kicking things off in the Women's FA Cup semi-finals.

This game is a repeat of the last WSL game before the international break began, with City walking away 2-0 winners on the night. 

West Ham will be looking to repeat their run to the 2019 final and are now just one more win away from heading back to Wembley Stadium. 

Hayley Raso and Alanna Kennedy of Manchester City celebrates with The FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup trophy following their side's victory in the FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup Final match between Chelsea Women and Manchester City Women at The Cherry Red Records Stadium on March 05, 2022 in Wimbledon, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Hayley Raso and Alanna Kennedy of Manchester City celebrates with The FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup trophy following their side's victory in the FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup Final match between Chelsea Women and Manchester City Women at The Cherry Red Records Stadium on March 05, 2022 in Wimbledon, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

Manchester City has already collected the Conti Cup trophy this year and will hope a trip to Wembley is on their cards.

The Hammers have beaten Sheffield United, Reading and Ipswich Town to reach the last four. In contrast, City has beaten Everton, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest to book a spot in the semi-finals.

This game will kick off on Saturday night at 9:15 pm AEST.

The other Women's FA Cup semi-final tie will see a rematch of last season's FA Cup final with Arsenal hosting defending champions Chelsea. 

The fixture, set for Sunday night, will be an enthralling one for neutral fans, with Arsenal determined to avenge their 3-0 loss in last year's final while Chelsea will be looking to claim the title back-to-back for the first time. 

Millie Bright, Erin Cuthbert, Carly Telford, Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrates winning the Vitality Women's FA Cup Final between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Wembley Stadium on December 05, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Millie Bright, Erin Cuthbert, Carly Telford, and Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrate winning the Vitality Women's FA Cup Final between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Wembley Stadium on December 05, 2021, in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Arsenal has beaten Coventry United, Liverpool and the London City Lionesses to reach the last four. While defending champions, Chelsea has beaten Birmingham City, Leicester City and Aston Villa to book a spot in the semi-finals.

Jonas Eidevall and Emma Hayes side are neck and neck in the WSL title race, and fans will be in for a blockbuster game when they meet on Sunday night. 

This game will kick off on Sunday night at 9:30 pm AEST.

Moving over to the USA, Emily van Egmond's San Diego Wave FC will be hoping to bounce back from their 3-1 defeat to OL Reign when they travel to take on the Portland Thorns. 

Wave FC currently sits in third place in Group A, with one win and one draw to their name. The side from San Diego has their work cut out for them if they want to progress to the semi-finals, having to be the best second-placed team from the group stage.

This game will kick off on Monday morning at 9:00 am AEST. 

Alex Chidiac could be in for a debut for Racing Lousiville when they host Group C leaders Chicago Red Stars on Sunday morning. 


The midfielder made the move to the USA in the international break, joining a youthful Racing side. 

This game will kick off on Sunday morning at 9:30 am AEST. 

Over in France, Mary Fowler's Montpellier will be hoping to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat before the international break began when they take on Paris FC. 

Montpellier's opposition sits in third place on the table while they are in fifth place, just five points behind the top four. 

With the end of the season just insight, this game will be the last one when Montpellier play a team above them on the ladder, with their last three games against teams occupying the bottom of the table. 

This game will kick off on Saturday morning at 2:30 am AEST. 

Ellie Carpenter's Lyon will be attempting to increase their lead at the top of the table when they take on Fleury 91.

Carpenter has missed Lyon's last two games across all competitions, serving a suspension in both D1 and the UWCL. 


Lyon has five points of breathing room at the top of the ladder, with rivals PSG looking to claim the D1 trophy in back-to-back seasons.

Fleury 91 sits in fourth place on the table, just outside of a UWCL spot for next season. 

This game will kick off on Sunday night at 10:45 pm AEST. 

Moving over to Sweden, Remy Siemsen's AIK Fotboll host BK Häcken; however, Siemsen has not been named in the matchday squad after just arriving from international duty. 

 


In Siemsen's absence, her new side has recorded one win and one loss. 

This game will kick off on Friday night at 11:00 pm AEST.

Teagan Micah and Charli Grant's FC Rosengård have had an unusually rocky start to their season, collecting one win one draw. 

Rosengård will be looking to bounce back from the 1-1 draw before the international break when they take on second-last placed Djurgårdens.

This game will kick off on Saturday morning at 12:00 am AEST.

Clare Polkinghorne and Katrina Gorry's Vittsjö GIK will take on Umeå in their third game of the season.

Gorry has yet to make her debut for her new side, flying over to Sweden after making her international return and joining the flurry of Australian faces in Sweden. 

This game will kick off on Saturday morning at 12:00 am AEST.

The last game featuring Aussies in Sweden will see Hammarby host Piteå IF. 

Hammarby has yet to record a point this season and is currently on the bottom of the table, and could be in desperate need of new faces Kyra Cooney-Cross and Courtney Nevin to make their debuts.


The Aussie duo missed out on Australia's two-game series against New Zealand, Cooney-Cross being ruled out of the squad due to an injury while Nevin tested positive for COVID-19 and took no part in the camp.

This game will kick off on Sunday night at 11:00 pm AEST.

Over in Denmark, Fortuna Hjørring have two games to play in three days,

Kicking off with a match against Brøndby IF, Fortuna sits at the top of the Championship table with two wins out of two. 

Their opposition, Brøndby IF sits in fourth on the table, while Fortuna's game on Monday night will be the harder of the two games, taking on second place HB Køge.

Fortuna Hjørring's first game kicks off on Friday night at 9:00 pm AEST, and their second is on Monday night at 9:00 pm AEST. 

Our final destination takes us to Italy, where Aivi Luik and Ella Mastrantonio's Pomigliano Calcio host Lazio. 

Lazio currently sits in eleventh place, with three games remaining in the season.

This game will kick off on Saturday night at 10:30 pm AEST.