European Super Football

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...

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...

Chelsea 2 - 1 Manchester City Chelsea claimed their first trophy under Sonia Bompastor with a narrow victory over Manchester City in the Women’s League Cup final, keeping their pursuit of a historic quadruple firmly on track. Author - Macca Stadium - Pride Park Bompastor has made an immediate impact since replacing Emma Hayes last May, winning 26 of her 28 matches in charge. Mayra Ramírez gave Chelsea the perfect start at Derby County’s Pride Park, bundling home from close range after City captain Laia Aleixandri inadvertently diverted the ball into her path. Aoba Fujino levelled after the break with a stunning strike, but an unfortunate own goal from Yui Hasegawa restored Chelsea’s advantage and ended their three-year run of heartbreak in League Cup finals. City, playing their first match under interim boss Nick Cushing following Gareth Taylor’s sacking just five days ago, dominated possession after Chelsea’s early breakthrough. READ MORE: Latest Manchester City news from our frie...

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...

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...

 Liverpool Women 2 - 1 Chelsea Women Liverpool striker Katie Stengel scored two penalties in the second half to send a record crowd at Prenton Park into a frenzy. Fran Kirby had given Chelsea the lead within three minutes of kick-off from the penalty spot before the hosts mounted a stunning comeback. Chelsea are bidding to win a fourth successive WSL title this season, while two-time champions Liverpool are back in the top flight after a two-year absence. Reaction from  The Anfield Wrap - YouTube Matt Beard's side were made to work hard for their victory but Stengel's double was cheered deliriously by over 3,000 people at Prenton Park. Chelsea seemed to be in good fortune when Liverpool debutant Gilly Flaherty clipped Guro Reiten in the box to give away a penalty in less than 60 seconds. Kirby kept her cool and Chelsea began to dominate possession, though Liverpool carried a threat in attack. Kerr had a goal disallowed for offside when she thumped in a half-volley from the...

The league phase of the Women's Champions League has begun... There were mixed fortunes for the English sides, including a defeat for last year's winner. Author | Josh T The action started at Meadow Park as Arsenal hosted Lyon.. A bad start for Arsenal in the defence of their crown Melchie Dumornay punished Arsenal’s defensive errors with two quick goals as Lyon overcame the reigning Champions League holders in the opening round of the league phase. Renee Slegers made five changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Manchester City in the Women’s Super League, but the alterations failed to have the intended impact. Arsenal had started brightly and were rewarded when Alessia Russo put them ahead. However, their attempts to play out from the back repeatedly invited pressure, allowing Lyon, eight-time winners of the competition, to seize control. Once in front, the French champions dominated possession, leaving Arsenal to rely on long balls towards Russo in a frustrated search for ...

 It's time to have a look at the history of Women's Football.  The original article was posted on GM Footy 0161 back in 2020. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. A similar game was played by women during the Han Dynasty.  The modern game of football or soccer (as it's also known) has documented the early involvement of women. It is believed that French women played a form of the sport around the 12th century. An annual competition in Mid-Lothian, Scotland during the 1790s is reported, too. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on the pitch. This made it much more socially acceptable for women to play. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of WW1, when employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for the men's game several decades earlier. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, women's footba...

It has been a successful week in Europe for three sides in the WSL Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal all picked up three points in the Champions League Author |  Josh T Let's have a closer look at how they all performed. Chelsea 4 - 0 Paris FC Chelsea produced a dominant display to claim a convincing victory, with four different players on the scoresheet in a commanding performance from the Women’s Super League champions. Sonia Bompastor’s side were gifted the opening goal when Sjoeke Nusken was fouled in the box following a VAR review, allowing Sandy Baltimore to calmly slot home from the penalty spot. Paris struggled to settle after the early setback, and Chelsea capitalised on their uncertainty. Erin Cuthbert won possession in midfield and fed winger Thompson, whose precise cross found Johanna Rytting Kaneryd to head past Mylène Chavas, doubling the Blues’ advantage. The hosts’ control and tempo left Paris chasing shadows for much of the half. Barely 90 seconds afte...

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...

With the international week taking place, England's WSL sides played at some of the countries biggest stadiums... Let's take a look at some of the biggest talking points Author |  Josh D It's still early days but it definitely feels like there will be a crazy title race this year. Manchester United and Manchester City both look like sides that can mount a serious challenge to Chelsea. Arsenal edge past Brighton in front of 27,336 fans Arsenal ended a four-game winless run in the Women’s Super League with a hard-fought victory over Brighton, though questions about their fluency remain. The hosts went in front after 15 minutes when Olivia Smith’s low strike took a deflection off Brighton defender Marisa Olislagers and wrong-footed goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. Despite the early breakthrough, Arsenal struggled to assert themselves and were indebted to goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, who denied Brighton's attacking players on several occasions. London City Lionesses co...

 Let's have a look at all the reaction as Chelsea humiliated Manchester City in the Women's Super League A goal in the first minute from Jessie Fleming was added to by Sam Kerr, Fran Kirby and Magda Eriksson as they picked Manchester City apart at the Academy Stadium. European Super Football recently posted an article on the History of Women's Football - read it by clicking the link below. A history of women's football (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) After a poor run of form, City sit eighth in the Women's Super League table. They seven points off the third Champions League spot, and have just seven points from seven games. A report in The Guardian says: "As City’s losses accumulate so does the pressure on Taylor. A staggeringly large injury list means there are some allowances to be made for their early form, but there has still been significant strength in the starting eleven each week." Social media reaction The Man City Women Twitter account posted...

Two huge derby matches and a meeting of English football giants are headlining Women's Football Weekend The event sees the women's club game become the focal point of the domestic football schedule in England during the international break in the men's game.  Birmingham City v Aston Villa Aston Villa and Birmingham City Women continue their league campaign as they face each other in the Second City derby. The match gives Villa an opportunity to open up a 10-point gap between themselves and 12th-placed Leicester City, a gap which would go a long way to seeing them secure Women's Super League status so early on in the season. 🎙️ @cwardy7 spoke to the media this morning to discuss Sunday's #SecondCityDerby ... pic.twitter.com/26dvfgOTkj — Aston Villa Women (@AVWFCOfficial) November 12, 2021 Everton v Manchester United Manchester United Women make the short trip to Everton. They are unbeaten in their last three WSL games. In October, they beat Birmingham 2-0 at S...

Six games, 18 goals, and plenty of entertainment. It's so good to have the Women's Super League back! Author | Josh D Let’s have a closer look at what happened on opening weekend. There were several talking points that we need to explore. Chelsea 2 - 1 Manchester City  The season kicked off with two of the contenders and favourites for the title. City lost at Stamford Bridge despite a promising second-half performance away against current champions Chelsea.  For all the encouraging passages of play from his reshaped City side, and a Greenwood free-kick that struck the bar, the pattern was a familiar one as Chelsea proved decisive once again when it mattered. Arsenal 4 - 1 London City Lionesses This was a positive start to the season for Arsenal. They began their WSL campaign with victory at the Emirates, though new arrivals London City Lionesses provided an early scare. Manchester United 4 - 0 Leicester City United began their Women’s Super League campaign with an emphatic...

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...

 Arsenal Women 2 - 3 VfL Wolfsburg Ladies Arsenal were knocked out in the Women's Champions League semi-finals with a crushing extra-time defeat by two-time winners Wolfsburg at the Emirates Stadium. A terrible mistake by defender Lotte Wubben-Moy gifted possession to Wolfsburg with minutes to go and unmarked substitute Pauline Bremer poked in a cross from close range. In front of a record crowd for a women's game in England, Arsenal put the 60,063 fans through an array of emotions before leaving them heartbroken after 120 minutes. Arsenal took an early lead through Stina Blackstenius after avoiding a video assistant referee (VAR) scare for a potential handball in the box by Wubben-Moy in the opening minutes. Wolfsburg then responded as returning captain Alexandra Popp - ruled out of the first leg with a calf injury - set up Jill Roord to make it 1-1 on the night and later headed the visitors in front. A Blackstenius close-range finish was ruled out by VAR shortly into the ...

Manchester City 1 - 2 Chelsea Erin Cuthbert struck a dramatic injury-time winner at Manchester City as Chelsea recovered from their midweek Champions League setback to keep their pursuit of a sixth consecutive Women’s Super League title on track. Author - Macca Stadium - Etihad Stadium The Scotland midfielder’s diving header settled a thrilling third meeting between the sides in just eight days, a contest that saw City’s Jess Park have a goal controversially ruled out after the referee failed to play advantage. Chelsea’s 31-game unbeaten run across all competitions was ended on Wednesday when City claimed a 2-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Joie Stadium. That result avenged City’s League Cup final defeat four days earlier, with the sides set to meet again in the return leg on Thursday night. Nick Cushing’s team looked on course for back-to-back victories after dominating the first half, with winger Kerolin opening the scoring in the 32nd minute wit...

Let's have a look at some of the key stories from across the continent Scotland - Celtic beat Heart of Midlothian to almost clinch title Celtic roared back to all but secure the Scottish Premiership title with a rousing victory at home to Hearts. Ellis Simms' emphatic finish stunned the home crowd early on, but the league leaders responded in relentless fashion as two goals in seven first-half minutes from Japanese duo Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi turned the game. then Matt O'Riley and Giorgos Giakoumakis sealed the win. Read the full report on the BBC  or watch the highlights below France - Nantes win French Cup Nantes lifted the French Cup for the first time in 22 years after a win over Nice. Ludovic Blas was the hero as he  scored the only goal from the penalty spot two minutes into the second half . Nice came close to equalising when Andy Delort's effort was cleared off the line by Andrei Girotto late on. It is the fourth time they have won the competition. Th...

 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...

Here at European Super Football, we are going to start covering the women's game more.  Keep reading for the first article of many as Arsenal thrashed HB Koge in the Women's Champions League. Steph Catley opened the scoring in the first half after Nikita Parris had missed a penalty. Parris and Caitlin Foord added one each in the second half but sloppy defending allowed Køge to grab a first Champions League goal through Maddie Pokorny, Anna Patten then looped in to make it 4-1 and Jordan Nobbs added the fifth.  This comfortable win means Arsenal remain second in Group C, three points behind Barcelona. You can watch the highlights of this match in the video below. More reaction to a routine Arsenal win The Arsenal head coach said: “I’ve felt from the beginning like we have been doing this together with the fans. It reminds us all of what a privilege it is to represent Arsenal.” One fan replied to the tweet posted below and compared the Arsenal Women's head coach to the on...