European Super Football

Real Madrid 1 - 2 Chelsea Substitute Catarina Macario scored twice from the spot as Chelsea overturned a deficit to defeat Real Madrid and secure their place in the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals as Group B winners. Author - Peter Grainger Real Madrid appeared poised to claim top spot after Scotland forward Caroline Weir’s early strike, which deflected off Lucy Bronze , found its way past Hannah Hampton despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to it. Facing her first potential loss since taking charge of the Blues in the summer, Sonia Bompastor made a decisive half-time substitution, bringing on US international Catarina Macario for the ineffective Mayra Ramirez. Macario made an immediate impact. After seeing one effort ruled out for offside and narrowly missing the target with another, she earned and converted her first penalty in the 51st minute after being brought down by Olga Carmona. Carmona, who famously scored the winner in Spain’s 1-0 victory over England in the 2023...

Chelsea Women 3 - 0 Celtic Women Chelsea secured their spot in the Champions League quarter-finals with two games to spare after a commanding 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.  Goals from Lucy Bronze, Wieke Kaptein, and Ève Périsset sealed the win for last season’s semi-finalists, marking their 11th consecutive win. Author - Lauren W Chelsea have enjoyed a dream start to the campaign, boasting a flawless record across all competitions. They currently sit top of both the WSL and Champions League Group B. After the match, manager Sonia Bompastor expressed her delight at the team’s early qualification, which alleviates some of the pressure ahead of the winter break. Chelsea overcame an early scare in their 2-1 win at Celtic Park last week, but they ensured there were no repeats this time. From the outset, the WSL champions showed they had learned their lesson, starting with a bang at Stamford Bridge. Just 65 seconds in, Lucy Bronze unleashed an instinctive volley...

Juventus 0 - 4 Arsenal Arsenal continued their impressive form under interim manager Renee Slegers, securing a victory over Juventus in the Women's Champions League. Author - Olivia T Goals from Frida Maanum, Stina Blackstenius, Mariona Caldentey, and Caitlin Foord extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run to five matches since Slegers stepped in following Jonas Eidevall’s resignation. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, as Juventus frequently challenged Arsenal’s defence and posed a threat on the counter-attack. However, the Gunners consistently looked the more likely side to score and were finally rewarded for their attacking determination just before half-time, when Maanum finished off a well-worked passing move from close range. Click here for Women's Football news and stories Substitute Blackstenius doubled the lead with a brilliant solo effort, driving into the box after a pass from Caldentey and beating Pauline Peyraud-Magnin at her near post. Spanish forward Caldentey then mad...

Manchester United 3 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur Elisabeth Terland netted her first two goals for Manchester United, guiding them to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Tottenham in the Women's Super League. Author - Olivia T Terland, who made the switch to United from Brighton in July, opened the scoring at Leigh Sports Village by smashing in a cross from ex-Spurs forward Celin Bizet, with the ball bouncing in off the underside of the crossbar. The Norwegian duo combined once more just a minute later, with Terland nodding in Bizet's curling cross to the far post, giving United a solid advantage before half-time. Captain Maya Le Tissier rounded off the scoring, calmly converting from the penalty spot after Ashleigh Neville was penalised for handball in the box. Click here for more news and stories from the Women's Super League Terland came close to securing a hat-trick, but Becky Spencer managed to tip her low shot onto the post. The Norwegian forward left the pitch to a warm stand...

Chelsea Women 1 - 0 Aston Villa Women There was collective sigh of relief echoed around Kingsmeadow as Chelsea secured their first win of the post-Emma Hayes era. Sonia Bompastor, the woman tasked with following in the footsteps of one of football's greatest managers, was warmly welcomed on a balmy evening under the lights on the outskirts of London. Stepping into the shoes of a legend – and there’s no doubt that 14-time major trophy winner Hayes is exactly that – can be an intimidating prospect. Just ask David Moyes or Arne Slot, following last weekend’s defeat at Anfield. Aston Villa arrived determined to earn their first points in this fixture, having lost all eight of their previous encounters with Chelsea. The visitors quietly impressed during the first half. Early signs suggested they might be overwhelmed by the occasion, but they successfully navigated a nervy start – including a significant miss by Chelsea's Guro Reiten – and began to settle into the game. How the 2...

Manchester United 0 - 6 Chelsea Chelsea clinched their sensational fifth consecutive Women's Super League title in style, with a resounding victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in Emma Hayes' final match as manager. The Blues, who started the level on points with Manchester City but ahead on goal difference, knew they might need a substantial win to secure the title on the final day. With so much at stake, Chelsea's players rose to the occasion, displaying a ruthless efficiency that United couldn't match. British record signing Mayra Ramirez delivered an outstanding performance, scoring twice and setting up the other two goals, as Hayes' team went into half-time with a 4-0 lead. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Sjoeke Nusken, Melanie Leupolz, and Fran Kirby each added a goal to Ramirez's brilliant brace, sealing a commanding victory for Chelsea. It was the perfect send-off for Hayes , who was visibly emotional on this remarkable afternoon in Manchester, m...

 Manchester United 4 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur Manchester United clinched their first  Women’s  FA Cup trophy in an impressive display, comfortably overcoming first-time finalists Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium. Ella Toone, an England international, delivered a breathtaking goal just before half-time, setting the tone for the match. Spurs struggled to recover, and United further solidified their lead in the second half with goals from Rachel Williams and Lucia Garcia. This victory marked  United's  second consecutive appearance in the final, demonstrating their resilience after last  year's  disappointing loss to Chelsea.  The triumph  not only  brings home their first  major   women's  trophy  but also  marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the club. A history of women's football (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Before kick-off, the team received a personal message from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, cha...

Chelsea 0 - 2 Barcelona Barcelona won 2-1 on aggregate  Chelsea's hopes of making it to the Women's Champions League final in manager Emma Hayes' final season at the club were crushed with a defeat by Barcelona at a sold-out Stamford Bridge.  Despite leading 1-0 from the semi-final first leg, Chelsea was unable to hold onto their advantage as holders Barca turned the tide in their favour. Referee Iuliana Demetrescu made two crucial decisions that went against the Blues.  Firstly, she issued a second booking to Chelsea defender Kadeisha Buchanan within four minutes, leaving the hosts with only 10 players on the field just before the hour mark.  A history of women's football (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Secondly, she awarded a penalty to Barcelona for a contentious foul on Aitana Bonmati, which Fridolina Rolfo converted. Bonmati had earlier cancelled out Chelsea's aggregate lead with a deflected strike off Buchanan, and her dramatic fall in the box under conta...

Manchester United Women 2 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur Women In a thrilling showdown that served as a preview for next month's FA Cup final, Maya le Tissier came to the rescue for Manchester United, denying Spurs their first-ever victory over the Reds. Le Tissier, fresh from signing a new contract, nodded in a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser amidst a crowded penalty area, capitalising after Rachel Williams rattled the crossbar. Spurs seemed destined for a historic win after quickfire goals from Bethany England and Jessica Naz overturned Melvine Malard's opener for United at Leigh Sports Village. At the end of the match, Le Tissier's timely intervention salvaged a point for United.  Click here for women's football news and stories Malard broke the deadlock by meeting Gemma Evans' lofted free-kick with a powerful header, but England's equaliser, although disputed, and Naz's clinical finish threatened to steal the show for Spurs. Tottenham boss Robert Vilahamn wa...

Manchester United 5 - 0 West Ham United Manchester United extended their undefeated streak in the Women's Super League, securing a convincing victory over West Ham United. Geyse initiated a strong start with an early goal after only three minutes. Adding to the lead, centre-back Millie Turner doubled the advantage with a remarkable strike from the edge of the area, navigating through the West Ham midfield. The first half proved challenging for West Ham, losing key players to injuries, and Nikita Parris further widened the gap by converting an Ella Toone through-ball, bringing the score to 3-0. While West Ham made efforts to bounce back in the second half, with Emma Harries, Amber Tysiak, and Riko Ueki having attempts saved, their endeavours were in vain. Manchester United solidified their dominance as Lucia Garcia and Melvine Malard scored late goals, securing a comfortable win. More Women's football news and stories from European Super Football With this result, Manchester...

 It's time to explore another football icon. This time, it will be our first female player with Alex Scott. Alexandra Scott MBE is an English sports presenter, pundit, and former professional footballer. Known mainly as 'Alex Scott', she mostly played as a right-back for Arsenal. Scott made 140 appearances for the England national team and represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics. More Women's Football news can be found here Becoming an Arsenal legend At club level, Scott has had three separate spells with Arsenal, punctuated with a season at Birmingham City in 2004–05 and three years in the American Women's Professional Soccer with Boston Breakers.  Scott was a key figure in Arsenal's historic "Quadruple" season in which they won every trophy they were involved in. In fact, they are the only team in the history of English football, across the men's and women's game, to win four major competitions in the same season. This list ...

 Spain 1 - 0 England The wait for England to win its first Women's World Cup title continues after Spain won the final in Sydney. In a game full of flair and creativity, the Spanish team outplayed the Lionesses, looking to become the first England senior team to win a World Cup since 1966. After a final corner kick was dealt with by Spain in the 14th minute of nerve-wracking stoppage time, England players fell to their knees in tears at the final whistle. In the first half, Spain's Olga Carmona scored the winning goal after England's Lucy Bronze lost possession in midfield. Women's World Cup 2023 news and stories After losing two consecutive World Cup finals, Sarina Wiegman introduced Lauren James and Chloe Kelly at half-time, but Spain maintained control. Earps, who won the Golden Glove award as best goalkeeper at the tournament, made several stunning saves, none better than from the penalty spot to deny Jenni Hermoso in the second half. She moved early to her left...

 England 2 - 1 Colombia As they came from behind against a dangerous Colombia side, England set up a  Women's World Cup semi-final with co-hosts Australia. Despite not playing their best football in the tournament, the European champions showed a much more rounded performance in Sydney in front of a hostile crowd. After goalkeeper Mary Earps had been beaten by a quick-thinking lob in the first half, the Lionesses capitalised on two slices of luck after being composed in defence and hard-working in attack. After Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez spilled a routine gather in the six-yard area under pressure from Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp poked in the equalizer just seven minutes after Leicy Santos had caught out Earps. Russo, who had only scored once in four World Cup matches before Saturday's quarter-final, worked tirelessly out of possession, pounced on a kind deflection to score England's second goal. As Colombia's attacking line-up included Real Madrid's tee...

Japan 1 - 2 Sweden Another dramatic Women's World Cup encounter Sweden delivered an outstanding performance to secure a spot in the semi-finals against Spain, shattering Japan's hopes for success in the Women's World Cup. Japan were considered title contenders after advancing from the group stage and defeating Norway in the last 16. Women's World Cup: Sweden shock USA (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) 💫 @AmandaIlestedt 💫 pic.twitter.com/VfmjTxl8Ug — FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 11, 2023 In this match, Manchester City midfielder Filippa Angeldahl scored a penalty to double Sweden's lead. Japan were then awarded a controversial spot-kick. Riko Ueki's 76th-minute attempt hit the bar, before West Ham's Honoka Hayashi pulled a goal back in the 87th minute. That lifeline came moments after Aoba Fujino hit the woodwork from a free-kick, but Sweden saw the game out to make it into the last four. Arsenal defender Ilestedt has emerged as one of ...

England 0 - 0 Nigeria England won 4-2 on penalties Despite a red card from Lauren James, England made it to the quarterfinals of the Women's World Cup. Georgia Stanway fired wide with the opening penalty but Nigeria missed their next two efforts and the European champions secured their spot in the last eight when Chloe Kelly smashed in the winning kick. After losing possession, James stamped on Michelle Alozie's back in the 87th minute and was rightfully shown a red card by the video assistant referee (VAR). England were given an almighty scare but face Colombia or Jamaica next on Saturday. England stumble over the line but ultimately succeed England stumbled to the end of normal time lacking the fluidity they showed in abundance in the impressive display against China and held on to seal the deal in a shootout. Only 24 hours earlier, back-to-back champions the USA were knocked out of the competition, and England were forced to show resilience to overcome arguably the most ...

 Sweden 0 - 0 USA (Sweden won 5-4 on penalties) USA are out of the Women's World Cup as they were stunned by Sweden on penalties in Melbourne. You can watch the highlights of the match in the YouTube video below.  Highlights: Sweden knock USA out after penalty shootout | Fifa Women's World Cup 2023 - YouTube The USA side dominated two hours of football but they were denied by a fantastic and inspired goalkeeping performance from Zecira Musovic as the match finished 0-0. The drama only increased in the shootout. Three USA players missed, including their footballing icon Megan Rapinoe on her last appearance on the world stage, before Sweden won in remarkable circumstances. USA keeper Alyssa Naeher appeared to have saved Lina Hurtig's effort at the second attempt, having pushed the initial effort up before clawing it out. After checking and consulting with VAR, referee Stephanie Frappart awarded the goal and sparked wild Sweden celebrations. 🌟 Our #SpotlightofTheDay sh...

 China 1 - 6 England England won their group and qualified for the last 16 of the Women's World Cup as Lauren James delivered a sensational performance. The world was watching and will be concerned about England's display. It was a performance worthy of their status as European champions, and James once again starred with two goals and three assists. The 13,497 people in attendance on Friday were treated to a masterclass from Chelsea's James, who scored the match-winner against Denmark. Women's World Cup: England start with a win (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) More football news from across England James was on fire throughout this match. She helped England get off to the perfect start when she teed up Alessia Russo for the opener, and later slipped the ball through to Lauren Hemp to place it into the bottom corner. The game was largely one-way traffic as England dominated and overwhelmed. James struck first time and into the corner to make it 3-0 before a further...

England 1 - 0 Denmark Six minutes into her first World Cup start, Lauren James announced herself on the global stage with a stunning strike from the edge of the box. An apparent injury to Barcelona midfielder Walsh dampened what was a positive, attacking performance from the Lionesses after a scrappy 1-0 win over Haiti. Previous match report:  England start with a win (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Walsh went down under little contact and immediately gestured to the dugout that she was in pain. Over 40,000 people were in attendance in Sydney. A Sydney Football Stadium dominated by Lionesses fans was flattened by the sight of England's most crucial player injured. Despite England's deserved half-time lead, Denmark capitalised on this change of mood and created a chance for former Chelsea striker Pernille Harder, which she scuffed wide. Throughout, James showed she is more than deserving of a regular starting position with England, showing the creativity and unpredictabilit...

England  1 - 0 Haiti In their opening Women's World Cup game against Haiti, England did what they needed to do - win. The European champions were lacklustre and wasteful in their 1-0 victory, struggling to put away the chances they created while looking occasionally sloppy in defence. Haiti proved why they are in Australia among the 32 best teams in the world with a fearless performance that tested Sarina Wiegman's side. Georgia Stanway's penalty gave England a crucial three points - and it was just the third time in six World Cup appearances they had won their first match. Women's World Cup: Spain and Switzerland start with a win (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Women's World Cup: Preview (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Their most recent matches were against Portugal and Australia, and they did little to generate momentum against Haiti. There were 44,000 people in attendance, including many ex-pats living in Brisbane, supporting the English team, but Haiti did...

 The Women's World Cup has started! There has been some great action on display already, let's explore some of the interesting stories that are already developing. Before the tournament started, we published this preview:  Women's World Cup: Preview (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Spain 3 - 0 Costa Rica Spain dominated Costa Rica in their Women's World Cup opener in Wellington. They took the lead through Valeria del Campo's own goal, followed by Aitana Bonmati's second goal two minutes later. After Jennifer Hermoso headed against the crossbar, Esther Gonzalez added a third after Daniela Solera saved a penalty. Spain scored three goals despite several fine saves from Solera and Olga Carmona.Their dominance was evident in the match stats, as they attempted 46 shots at goal, including 12 on target, while Costa Rica, ranked 36th in the world, only attempted one shot. You can find more Spanish football news here Additionally, Spain had 80% possession and 22 corner...