Matildas Abroad Review: Foord and Grant pick up assists; Chelsea hold on to first place

Arsenal and Chelsea both picked up wins as the WSL title race is going until the final game of the season. While FC Rosengård continued their unbeaten streak in Sweden. 

Sam Kerr was on the scoresheet in England to keep Chelsea's title hopes alive; while Caitlin Foord and Charli Grant picked up assists in their side's win. 

Journey to 2023 - Thin Banner

England

Kicking off in England, Sam Kerr netted her 40th WSL goal in Chelsea's 2-1 win over Spurs. Watch the historic goal now!

Alanna Kennedy and Hayley Raso's Manchester City hosted Brighton & Hove Albion, with a chance to keep in touch with the top 3.

Kennedy started the game in what would be an eventful win for City. Four goals for Khadija Shaw and one goal for Caroline Weir, Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp sealed the 7-2 win over the Seagulls. 

Raso entered the fold at the 63rd minute; while Kennedy was substituted off in the 73rd. 

On the Red side of Manchester, United hosted Mackenzie Arnold and Tameka Yallop's West Ham United. Both Aussies made the start but it would be the hosts who drew first blood through Martha Thomas. An own goal to skipper Grace Fisk and Leah Galton clinched the 3-0 win for Manchester. 

Meanwhile, in London, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Lydia Williams' Arsenal hosted Emily Gielnik's Aston Villa. 

All four Aussies made the start for their respective sides, with the Gunners finding the opener early through Vivianne Miedema. Foord set up Miedema's second of the day just five minutes later to double the lead and send the hosts into the sheds 2-0 up at halftime. 

Nikita Parris of Arsenal celebrates scoring their side's seventh goal with teammates during the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Arsenal Women and Aston Villa Women at Meadow Park on May 01, 2022 in Borehamwood, England. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)
Nikita Parris of Arsenal celebrates scoring their side's seventh goal with teammates during the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Arsenal Women and Aston Villa Women at Meadow Park on May 01, 2022, in Borehamwood, England. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

An own goal to Rachel Corsie and goals to Beth Mead, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Stina Blackstenius and Nikita Parris rounded out a convincing 7-0 win over Aston Villa.

This win still sees Arsenal sit four points behind Chelsea, with one game in hand.

Chelsea had their second game in less than a week when they took on last-placed Birmingham City.

Kerr went close to finding the opener early, with her attempt rattling the crossbar. 

Despite Birmingham's spot at the bottom of the table, they made the Blues work hard for their win. Chelsea was finally able to seal a crucial three points when Pernille Harder went to the spot after a handball in the box, with Harder perfectly dispatching from the spot. 

READ: Sam Kerr named Football Writers’ Association Women’s Footballer of the Year

Spurs also played their second game, with a quick turnaround after their defeat to Chelsea.

Everton hosted Kyah Simon's Spurs side, with the Aussie starting on the bench after a 74-minute shift during their midweek clash with Chelsea. 

Spurs took an early lead through Asmita Ale, going into the break 1-0 up. Danielle Turner equalised for the Toffees in the 85th minute, before Josie Green came off the bench and took back the lead for Spurs.

A goal in the dying minutes of the game from Megan Finnigan saw the game end a 2-2, with Simon coming off the bench in the 79th minute. 

USA

Alex Chidiac's Racing Louisville went down 2-1 to the Chicago Red Stars in their opening regular-season game. 

A disjointed game, held up by a thunder strike nearby, saw Red Stars take a 2-1 lead before the game was halted for a weather delay. 

Chidiac is still awaiting her debut for her new side but has arrived in Lousiville to meet her new teammates and begin training. 

Emily Van Egmond's San Diego Wave played their inaugural game in the NWSL regular season, taking on Houston Dash in Texas. 


Van Egmond started, and played the entire match, in a historic victory for Wave.

A goal to Jodie Taylor sealed the first-ever win for San Diego Wave in the NWSL regular season. 

France

Ellie Carpenter's Lyon booked a spot in their tenth UEFA Women's Champions League Final after beating PSG 2-1. Watch all the highlights from the second leg of the semi-final! 

Sweden

Over in Sweden, Teagan Micah and Charli Grant's FC Rosengård were looking to extend their unbeaten streak to six when they hosted Courtney Nevin's Hammarby. 

Micah and Nevin started for their respective sides. Rosengård opened the scoring through Stefanie-Antonia Sanders before Hammarby evened things out just two minutes later through Emilia Larrson. 


Olivia Schough scored in first-half stoppage time before Bea Sprung had the third for Rosengård in the 85th minute. 

Grant entered the field and immediately was in the thick of the action, picking up an assist on Schough final goal of the game with a lovely backheel, giving Rosengård a 4-1 win. 

Remy Siemsen's AIK faced a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Umeå, seeing them maintain their spot on the bottom of the table with only one win.

Siemsen started the game for her new side, still looking for her first goal in Sweden. 

Clare Polkinghorne and Katrina Gorry's Vittsjö GIK finished off the action in Sweden when they hosted BK Häcken.

Both Aussies made the start and were able to hold on for a crucial point in the 0-0 draw against Häcken, doing a favour for their fellow Australians in Micah and Grant whose side now takes over first place on the ladder. 

Denmark

Our last stop takes us to Denmark, as Clare Wheeler, Angie Beard and Indi-Paige Riley's Fortuna Hjørring played Brøndby IF.

Fortuna got the scoring underway quickly, with Signe Baattrup finding the back of the net in the third minute. Riley was on the scoresheet in the 64th minute to wrap up the 2-0 win for Fortuna Hjørring.