Matildas Abroad Review: Raso scores for City in dominant display; Lyon and Montpellier start the Coupe de France Féminine with wins

With a number of COVID enforced postponements wreaking havoc on the return of the FA WSL in the new year, only a handful of Aussies were in action abroad. 

With the international window just around the corner, our Aussies played their last club games before departing for the United Arab Emirates for the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup pre-camp. 

Journey to 2023 - Thin Banner


Hayley Raso and Alanna Kennedy made the start as Manchester City travelled to take on Brighton & Hove Albion. After a slow start in the first half both sides went into the half-time break at a stalemate. 

Brighton's 48th-minute own goal would open the floodgates for the visitors, with Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway, and Laura Coombs all adding their name to the scoresheet before the hour mark. 

Alanna Kennedy of Manchester City is tackled by Inessa Kaagman of Brighton and Hove Albion during the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Brighton & Hove Albion Women and Manchester City Women (Photo: GettyImages)
Alanna Kennedy of Manchester City is tackled by Inessa Kaagman of Brighton and Hove Albion during the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Brighton & Hove Albion Women and Manchester City Women (Photo: GettyImages)

Raso would score the fifth for City, a ball over the top from returning skipper Steph Houghton had the slightest of touches from Ellen White to find the speedy winger in behind her defender to score her third goal in as many games. 

Vicky Losada made it six for City. Kennedy played the entire game in the centre of defence, helping City to keep just their third clean sheet of the WSL season. 

Manchester City leapfrogs Brighton into fifth place with a 6-0 showing for Gareth Taylor's side. 

Over in Birmingham, Arsenal faced their first defeat of the WSL season after going down 2-0 to eleventh place Birmingham City. 

Arsenal was without their trio of Aussies with Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Lydia Williams preparing for their trip to Dubai for the pre-camp before the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup. 


City opened the scoring through Libby Smith in just the third minute with Veatriki Sarri adding the second before half-time to seal the 2-0 win. 

This win moves Birmingham off the bottom of the table and marks their first win over the Gunners in four years. 

Moving over to France, Ellie Carpenter's Lyon had a dominant win in their Coupe de France Féminine round of 32 game against Bordeaux.

Carpenter started in defence for the reigning Coupe de France Féminine champions, playing the whole game in Lyon's 4-0 win. 

Olympique Lyonnais starting XI against Bordeaux (Source: @olfeminin Instagram)
Olympique Lyonnais starting XI against Bordeaux (Source: @olfeminin Instagram)

Wendie Renard opened the scoring at the 12-minute mark from a Selma Bacha corner. Dzsenifer Marozsan added the second for Lyon, marking her return from loan at OL Reign with a long-range goal. 

Ada Hedberg had the third just two minutes later. A spot-kick in the 30th minute would seal the 4-0 win for Lyon with Renard making no mistake from the spot. 

Mary Fowler's Montpellier HSC secured a dominant win over Saint-Etienne. A nine-goal thriller saw Montpellier walk away with a 7-2 win. 

A hat-trick to Dominika Škorvánková and a brace to Lena Petermann sealed a spot in the next stage. 

Fowler did not appear in the match day squad as she prepares for her first appearance at the AFC Women's Asian Cup.