Matildas Abroad Review: Kerr scores a brace; Catley, Fowler and Polkinghorne find the back of the net

The final day of action in the WSL saw Chelsea and Arsenal go down to the wire in the title race, with a Kerr double helping Chelsea claim their third consecutive WSL title. While three other Aussies found the back of the net across Europe. 

Sam Kerr is a WSL Champion for the second season in a row, claiming back-to-back WSL Golden Boots in the process with 20 goals in 20 games. 

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Kicking off in England, Emily Gielnik started for Aston Villa as they took on Birmingham City. Despite being destined for relegation after this game, City got the scoring underway just 10 minutes in through Veatriki Sarri. 

Villa was unable to find an equaliser, finishing 1-0 with Gielnik's return to the WSL seeing her new side finish in ninth place. 

Meanwhile over in London, Sam Kerr's Chelsea was made to sweat against Manchester United, going behind just 13 minutes into the game with Martha Thomas firing the visitors in front.

Erin Cuthbert equalised just five minutes later, however, United was able to find their second of the day before the half-hour mark through Ella Toone to give the visitors a 2-1 lead going into the break. 

With the WSL trophy slipping out of their grip, Kerr found the equaliser on the other side of the break, sending a perfect volley into the top corner to make it 2-2.


Not long later Guro Reiten found the third for the defending champions before Kerr sealed the win with her 20th goal of the season - and perhaps her best so far in the WSL. Taking the ball on her chest and sent another volley into United's net, with the keeper Mary Earps caught off her line. 

Kerr claims her second WSL golden boot, finishing the season on 20 goals for the Blues. 

Over in Reading, Manchester City was looking to claim third place on the ladder, and thus secure a spot in the UWCL next season, when they took on Reading FC. 

Alanna Kennedy made the start once again, and just like last weekend City were in the mood for a goal galore. 

Lauren Hemp and Khadija Shaw were on the scoresheet before the half-time whistle to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. Ellen White and Alex Greenwood made it 4-0 with goals in the 85th minute and 91st minute.  


Hayley Raso came off the bench in the 74th minute to see out the win. City will now play their final game of the season this weekend when they meet Chelsea once again in a cup decider, playing out the Women's FA Cup. 

Kyah Simon was not in the matchday side for Spurs' last game of the season. Tottenham finished off their season with a 1-0 win over Leicester City, recording their ninth win of the season and securing the club's highest-ever finish in the WSL of fifth place. 

Arsenal's last game of the season saw them go toe-to-toe with the defending champions, with only one point splitting the two teams going into the final day of WSL action. 

Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley both started for Arsenal, while Mackenzie Arnold and Tameka Yallop started for West Ham. 

Both sides went into the break at a 0-0 deadlock, unbeknownst to the Gunners that Chelsea was going into the break down 2-1 and if the results stood Arsenal would claim the title. 


Stina Blackstenius came off the bench to replace Foord, and with her first touch of the game scored the opener on the stroke of the hour mark. 

Catley doubled the advantage with her first WSL goal, an impossible strike from just inside the box, impossible for Arnold to save in the Hammer's goal. 

With Chelsea and Arsenal playing simultaneously and despite winning their game, they were unable to leapfrog Chelsea to claim the WSL title. 

Moving over to France, Mary Fowler came off the bench to score for Montpellier in their 3-0 win over ASJ Soyaux-Charente.


Fowler scored the third and final goal of the afternoon, finding some space inside the box and firing her shot into the bottom corner. 

Over in Lyon, Ellie Carpenter's first placed Olympique Lyonnais hosted third-placed Paris FC, with Carpenter making the start. 

Lyon took the lead just before the half-time break through Ada Hegerberg, showing fine form before the UWCL final at the end of the month. 


Delphie Cascarino doubled the advantage just after the hour mark to secure a 2-0 win over Paris FC, increasing Lyon's lead to five points with just two games remaining. 

Moving over to the USA, Emily van Egmond's San Diego Wave FC were looking to make it back-to-back wins in the NWSL regular season when they hosted Gotham. 

Van Egmond played the entire game as Wave recorded a 4-0 win over Gotham, with Alex Morgan scoring all four goals. 

Alex Chidiac's Racing Louisville was in search of their first points of the season when they faced OL Reign. 

Chidiac was not named to the matchday squad, however, in her absence, Lousiville was able to collect a single point in a 2-2 draw with OL Reign. 

Over in Sweden, Courtney Nevin started for Hammarby and Clare Polkinghorne and Katrina Gorry started for the visitors. 

Vittsjö GIK got the scoring underway in the 6th minute through Sarah Strtigakis. Hammarby responded before the interval with Emilia Larsson finding the back of the net. 


Hammarby looked to have sealed it with an 80th-minute goal from Madelen Janogy, however, Polkinghorne responded for the visitors in the 82nd-minute to end it 2-2. 

Meanwhile, Teagan Micah and Charli Grant's FC Rosengård recorded a 3-0 win over Umeå IK.

Micah started in goals, getting a clean sheet while Grant came off the bench in the 89th minute. 

Remy Siemsen's AIK suffered a 4-2 loss at the hands of Djurgårdens.

Siemsen started as AIK, who will be hoping to climb off the bottom of the ladder next weekend when they take on Eskilstuna.

In Denmark, Clare Wheeler, Angie Beard and Indi-Paige Riley's Fortuna Hjørring sealed a 4-0 win over FC Thy-Thisted Q, extending their unbeaten streak to three. 

This game will be a preview of the Danish Women's Cup, with these two sides vying for silverware this weekend. 

Our last stop in Scandinavia takes us to Norway, with Karly Roestbakken's LSK Kvinner holding Rosenborg to a 0-0 draw.