Matildas Abroad Review: Rosengård crowned Champions; Polkinghorne scores

With the international break upcoming, it was another promising round of action for our Matildas Abroad, with Micah and Grant's Rosengård crowned Champions and Polkinghorne on the scoresheet.

As we head into next week's international break - with the Commonwealth Bank Matildas set to host a two-game series against Brazil  - our Matildas abroad wrapped up their club action before flying home to face Brazil for the first time in 19 months. 

Thin Banner AUS v BRA with CTA

 

Teagan Micah and Charli Grant's FC Rosengård clinched the Damallsvenskan Champions after their 3-2 win over Piteå. 

Micah and Grant both started for Rosengård, Micah was subbed off for the second half after getting a slight knock and Grant was subbed off in the 90th minute. 


Rosengård opened the scoring at the eight-minute mark through Olivia Schough, Piteå scored just 10 minutes later to even things up.

A goal to Stefanie Sanders just before the halftime break gave Rosengård the advantage, Piteå again found the equaliser but a second goal to Sanders wrapped up the points and the Damallsvenskan championship for Rosengård. 

Elsewhere in Sweden, Clare Polkinghorne signed a two-year contract extension throughout the week with Vittsjö GIK and repaid the favour by finding the opener in their 3-1 win over Hammarby. 

Polkinghorne found the back of the net just before the half-hour mark, rising highest in the corner to head the ball home. 


Hammarby got a goal back in the dying minutes of the second half but it wasn't enough to beat a Vittsjö GIK side that is building steam. 

With the race to see which side will claim third place in the league and take a UWCL spot for next season heating up, Polkinghorne's Vittsjö sit in fifth place just three points behind the current third place.  

Dylan Holmes' BK Häcken played out a 0-0 draw with AIK, Holmes remained an unused substitute in the game. 

Over in Norway, Karly Roestbakken made her first appearance of the season for LSK Kvinner in their 3-1 win over Stabæk. Roestbakken had been sidelined for six months with injury and was subbed into the game in the 83rd minute. 


In Denmark, Clare Wheeler, Indiah-Paige Riley and Angie Beard all started for Fortuna Hjørring in their 2-2 draw with  FC Nordsjælland. This draw puts Fortuna six points behind current ladder leaders HB Køge. 

Jenna McCormick played 90 minutes in AGF tight 3-2 loss to FC Thy-Thisted Q, a goal to the visitors in the 83rd minute sealed all three points for Thisted. 

Moving over to France, Ellie Carpenter's Lyon welcomed Mary Fowler's Montpellier with both starting in the game. 

Carpenter's Lyon opened the scoring just after the 30-minute mark through Selma Bacha, a corner in first-half stoppage time doubled the host's advantage going into the break. 


Carpenter's dangerous cross into the box set up the third for Lyon, with Montpellier unable to clear the ball and Melvine Malard finishing.

Two more goals in the second half sealed the 5-0 win for Lyon, they remain at the top of the table with a goal difference of +27. 

In The Netherlands, Amy Harrison's PSV were defeated 2-1 by Feyenoord, Harrison came off the bench in the 83rd minute to try and help her side fight back for a draw. 

Our last stop in Europe takes us to Spain, Beattie Goad's UD Granadilla Tenerife held Atlético Madrid to a 1-1 draw at home, Goad was subbed on in the 76th minute to help Tenerife see out the draw. 

Journey to 2023 - Thin Banner

In the USA, Emily van Egmond made her first appearance for Orlando Pride since re-signing with them last week. Pride were looking to seal their spot in the playoff when they faced ninth-placed Racing Lousiville in Kentucky. 

Jodie Taylor opened the scoring just three minutes in for the Pride and it would be one of the only shots on goal Orlando would register for the whole game. 

Lousiville equalised just before half-time through Ebony Salmon. Racing would go on to score two more goals in the second half to hand Pride the upset.

Van Egmond was substituted into the game in the 76th minute but was unable to help Pride seal the win and thus Pride were eliminated from playoff contention. 

Our final destination takes us to Japan, where Alex Chidiac's JEF United Chiba secured their first-ever win in the WE League. 

Goals to Haruka Osawa in both halves sealed the 2-0 victory over AC Nagano Parceiro. Chidiac remained an unused substitute on the bench in the win.