Matildas Abroad: Kerr and Crummer score braces; Chelsea and Lyon lift league titles

Sam Kerr and Larissa Crummer scored braces for their sides; while Chelsea and Lyon lifted the league title as the season came to an end in England and France. 

Read our review below. 

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England

Kicking off in England, Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley's Arsenal held on to their spot in third and secured their spot in European football next season, despite going down 2-0 to  Emily Gielnik's Aston Villa.

Golden boot winner Rachel Daly opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time to give the home side a 1-0 lead heading into the break. Alisha Lehmann doubled the advantage not long after the break, to seal all three points in their last game of the season. 

Catley was the only Aussie to make an appearance, playing the full match for the Gunners. While Foord and Gielnik did not appear in the matchday squad for their respective sides, Villa announced Gielnik's departure at the end of the season midweek. 

Meanwhile, Lydia Williams' Brighton & Hove Albion went down 1-0 to Courtney Nevin and Remy Siemsen's Leicester City, with the Foxes ensuring their place in the WSL next season. 

A 73rd-minute matchwinner from Ava Baker was enough for the Foxes to hold on to clinch all three points. Siemsen and Nevin both started for the visitors, while Williams did not appear in the matchday squad for Brighton. 

Over in Manchester, Mary Fowler, Hayley Raso and Alanna Kennedy's Manchester City ended their season on a high with a 3-2 win over Clare Wheeler's Everton. 

City, despite just missing out on European football next season, finished the season in fourth place and on equal points with Arsenal in third. 

A double to Khadija Shaw and a goal on the hour mark for Lauren Hemp was enough for the hosts to seal the win. Wheeler played the full game for the Toffees, and Raso came off the bench in her last appearance for City.  

Sam Kerr's Chelsea lifted their fourth consecutive WSL title after a 3-0 win over last-placed Reading FC. Kerr opened the scoring in the 18th minute, heading in Guro Reiten's cross to give the visitors the lead. 

Reiten added her own name to the scoresheet just before the break, capitalising on a mistake from the Royals and putting the Blues two goals up heading into the break. 

Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the FA Women's Super League match between Reading and Chelsea at Select Car Leasing Stadium on May 27, 2023 in Reading, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the FA Women's Super League match between Reading and Chelsea at Select Car Leasing Stadium on May 27, 2023 in Reading, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Kerr added the third in the final minutes of the second half, her initial attempt hitting the post but finished the follow-up from close range to seal Chelsea's title. 

The title wasn't the only piece of silverware the Aussie claimed, being named Players’ Player & Player of the Season, as voted for by the fans. 

Lastly, Mackenzie Arnold's West Ham United played out an exciting 2-2 draw against Kyah Simon's Tottenham Hotspur.

The Hammes took a 2-1 lead going into the break, Beth England opened the scoring for the Spurs before a goal to Emma Snerle and an own goal saw the hosts take the lead.

England found the back of the net after the interval to make it 2-2. The Hammers end their season in 8th, while Spurs finish just below them in 9th. 

Arnold picked up Players’ Player of the Season for the Hammers, recording 5 clean sheets in the WSL. 

France

Over in France, Ellie Carpenter's Lyon lifted their 16th Divison 1 title, ending their season on a high with a 7-1 win over Reims.

Lyon had six different goalscorers, with Dzsenifer Marozsán, Wendie Renard, Melvine Malard, Amel Majri, Eugénie Le Sommer and Ada Hegerberg all finding the back of the net against Reims. 

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USA

Moving over to the USA, Emily Van Egmond's San Diego Wave FC played out a 1-1 draw against the defending champions, Portland Thorns. 

Sofia Jakobsson looked to have sealed all three points with her goal in the 86th minute before Reyna Reyes scored the equaliser for the Thorns in the final minute of regular time. 

Alex Chidiac's Racing Louisville went down 2-1 to North Carolina Courage. The Courage opened the scoring early in the second half through Rikke Madsen before Kreolin made it two on the hour mark.

Jordan Baggett clawed back a goal in the 88th minute, but Racing was unable to salvage a point. Chidiac came off the bench in the game. 

Sweden

In Sweden, Aivi Luik's BK Häcken moved to the top of the ladder after defeating Piteå IF 3-0 in a 1 v 2 clash. 

An early brace to Rose Kafaji and a late goal for Clarissa Larisey sealed all three points for the visitors. Luik played out the full 90 minutes. 

Teagan Micah's FC Rosengård extended their unbeaten streak to seven games after a 2-1 win over KIF Örebro DFF.

Olivia Schough's second-half double sealed all three points for Rosengård. Micah did not appear in the matchday squad. 

Norway

Our last stop takes us to Norway, where Tameka Yallop and Larissa Crummer's SK Brann defeated Røa IL 5-2, with Crummer finding the back of the net for the first time for her new club, scoring a brace to seal Brann's fifth win of the season. 

Crummer opened the scoring in the 10th minute before she made it 3-1 right before the break.