Matildas Abroad: Gielnik & Chidiac score; Foord & Catley pick up assists for Arsenal

Emily Gielnik found the back of the net for Aston Villa; while Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley notched assists for Arsenal in a record-breaking win over the Spurs in the North London Derby. 

Catch up on all the action in our Matildas Abroad wrap!

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England

Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley's Arsenal collected their second win of the season in front of a record-breaking home crowd when they hosted Kyah Simon's Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby at Emirates Stadium. 

All three Aussies started for their respective sides, and it was the Gunners that got the scoring underway early through Beth Mead. Foord almost doubled the advantage, with her header going just wide of the upright.


Foord played her part in setting up Arsenal’s second of the game, playing through Vivianne Miedema before the break. 

Another Aussie bagged an assist in the game as Steph Catley sent a cross in that found Miedema to finish the game 4-0. This marks Arsenal's eighth consecutive clean sheet in the WSL, the first time this has ever been achieved in the league. Foord was named Player of the Match in the win. 

Meanwhile, Emily Gielnik's Aston Villa also recorded their second win of the season, beating Leicester City 2-0. Gielnik started on the bench, with the Villans opening the scoring from the spot in just the third minute through Rachel Daly. 


Gielnik came off the bench in the 70th minute and immediately made an impact doubling Villa's advantage and wrapping up the three points with her first goal of the season. 

Meanwhile, Mackenzie Arnold's West Ham United were on the other side of a 2-0 result, going down to Manchester United. 

Arnold started between the sticks for the Hammers but was unable to keep out a quick-fire double from Manchester, with the visitors scoring two goals in just five minutes to seal the win.

Moving back to London, Sam Kerr's Chelsea hosted Alanna Kennedy, Hayley Raso and Mary Fowler's Manchester City with both teams aiming to bounce back from opening round defeats when they faced off at Kingsmeadow.

Kerr was the only Aussie to start in the game and went close to helping find the opener, with the dynamic duo of Kerr and Fran Kirby up top for Chelsea almost squeezing the opening goal for the hosts.


"Kirby" found the back of the net in the 42nd minute to give the Blues the lead going into the break. A handball in the box from Leila Ouahabi saw Maren Mjelde have the chance to double the Blues' lead from the spot, with the Norwegian international making no mistake to beat the City keeper. 

Raso entered the game for the visitors but was unable to help her side claw back a goal. Fowler remained an unused substitute on the bench.  

Lastly, Clare Wheeler's Everton recorded their first win of the season, beating rivals Liverpool 3-0 in the Merseyside Derby.

Wheeler was not named in the matchday squad, however, goals to Megan Finnigan, Jess Park and Hanna Bennison sealed all three points. 

USA

Moving over to the USA, Chloe Logarzo's Kansas City Current booked their place in the post-season with a 3-0 win over the reigning NWSL Champions, Washington Spirit.

Kansas scored three goals in the opening half to seal the win, with Logarzo remaining on the bench for the win.

Meanwhile, Emily Van Egmond's San Diego Wave travelled to the East Coast to take on the Orlando Pride.

The Pride opened the scoring in the 33rd minute through Meggie Dougherty Howard and then doubled their lead after the break. Two late goals from San Diego saw the side clinch their spot in the playoffs, the first expansion club to do so in their first season with a 2-2 draw against Orlando. 

Lastly, Alex Chidiac's Racing Louisville closed out their last away game of the season with a 2-1 win over Angel City.


Chidiac won the game from the spot for Racing, with a 3-1 result sealing Racing's fourth win of the season and spoilt Angel City's chances of making a last-ditch attempt to qualify for the playoffs. 

France

Next up, Lydia Williams' Paris Saint-Germain made it three wins in a row with a come-from-behind victory over FC Fleury 91.

Fleury opened the scoring in the 16th minute with Batcheba Louis beating Sarah Bouhaddi in the PSG goals. Grace Geyoro found the equaliser just before the halftime break. 

With the game looking destined to remain 1-1, Kadidiatou Diani found the matchwinner in the 91st minute to see PSG collect their third win of the season. Williams remained an unused substitute on the bench in the win. 

Sweden

Moving over to Sweden, Aivi Luik's BK Häcken hosted IF Brommapojkarna, aiming to record their 13th win of the season.

Luik played the whole game as a ninth-minute winner from Elin Rubensson saw Häcken seal all three points.

Meanwhile, Teagan Micah's FC Rosengård hosted Clare Polkinghorne, Katrina Gorry and Charli Grant's Vittsjö GIK.

All four Aussies made the start and it was the defending champions Rosengård that notched the opener in the fourth minute through Rebecca Knaak. 


Vittsjö scored two quick goals to take a 2-1 lead going into the break, but Rosengård showed why they are champions scoring two of their own in the final 10 minutes of the game to record a 3-2 win.