There was drama and mixed results for the CommBank Matildas over the weekend, with Australians playing their part in games that featured late equalisers and winners, and consequential red cards.
Read our recap of all of the Matildas Abroad action.
England
A late goal to new signing Cloe Lacasse gave Arsenal their first points of the season as they shared the spoils with Manchester United. Steph Catley started the game for the Gunners, and provided the assist for their first goal, while Caitlin Foord was introduced off the bench in the second half. Kyra Cooney-Cross was an unused substitute.
Mackenzie Arnold’s West Ham defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 in the early kick-off on Sunday. The CommBank Matildas shot-stopper was forced into several fantastic saves as Brighton pressed to get back into the game and was rewarded with a clean sheet.
There was drama aplenty in Manchester, as Guro Reiten’s late equaliser rescued a point for Chelsea against a City team down to nine players. Mary Fowler looked bright for the Citizens but was substituted at half-time after a first-half red card to Alex Greenwood meant that coach Gareth Taylor was forced to shuffle the deck.
A goal up from the seventh minute, a titanic defensive effort from City was required, one compounded when they went down to nine players with ten minutes of regulation time still to be played. Alanna Kennedy was at the heart of defence for the full game, including twelve minutes of stoppage time, and almost succeeded in helping her side to all three points.
Meanwhile, Sam Kerr came off the bench for Chelsea at half-time to play her first minutes of the WSL season as she continues to build to full fitness.
Everton missed a penalty and had a goal disallowed as they fell to Leicester City 1-0. Courtney Nevin continued her run in the team who now sit top of the WSL table after two games, starting at left-back. Remy Siemsen remains unavailable due to injury.
Clare Wheeler came off the bench for Everton in the latter stages of the second half.
Liverpool became the second team with a perfect record from two games with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa. Goals to Maria Hobinger and Natasha Flint sealed the three points for the Reds. Teagan Micah was an unused substitute in the winning side.
Sweden
A late equaliser to Lainey Burdett to make it 1-1 saw Vittsjö GIK rescue a point against BK Häcken. Katrina Gorry, Charli Grant and Clare Polkinghorne all started and played the full game for Vittsjö while Aivi Luik was an unused substitute for Häcken.
That result sees BK Häcken top of the league after Hammarby were defeated by Amy Sayer’s Kristianstads DFF 2-1. Sayer started, before being substituted off in the dying moments of the game.
France
Clare Hunt’s PSG continued their winning ways as the French team defeated Saint-Etienne 1-0. Hunt was not in the matchday squad.
Meanwhile, Ellie Carpenter’s Lyon were utterly dominant as they defeated Bordeaux 4-0. The defender started and played the full game at right-back for the defending D1 champions.
Spain
Real Madrid continued their perfect start to the season, defeating Villarreal 1-0 thanks to a 90th-minute Signe Bruun goal. Hayley Raso started again for Las Blancas before being substituted in the second half.
USA
The North Carolina Courage held Emily van Egmond’s San Diego Wave to a scoreless draw in the penultimate regular season game, a result that opened the door for the Portland Thorns to overtake the Wave on top of the table, with the race to see which side lifts the NWSL shield going down to the final matchday of the regular season. Van Egmond started and played the full game in midfield.
Mexico
Alex Chidiac’s Tigres UANL were held to a scoreless draw by Club Tijuana in a blow to their title aspirations. Chidiac was an unused substitute.