The UEFA Women's Champions League league stage got underway midweek, with Kyra Cooney-Cross named Player of the Match in Arsenal's 1-0 victory over HB Køge.
CommBank Matildas also featured for Chelsea and Manchester City, as well as in the Europa Cup, where teams are competing over two legs to reach the competition proper.
This coming weekend will see the Serie A Women get underway while it's crunch time in leagues in Sweden, the United States and Canada as they head towards their conclusions.
UWCL
Chelsea scraped past Austria Vienna, defeating them 1-0 to get their UWCL campaign off to a winning start. Vienna defended well in a low block but were unable to find the equaliser after the Blues scored early. Ellie Carpenter played the full match, making four key passes and creating a big chance in the win.
Manchester City drew 2-2 with German champions Bayern Munich. City found themselves two goals down before half-time and had to fight their way back into the contest, with a late equaliser rescuing a point. Mary Fowler played 27 minutes off the bench.
Arsenal defeated Danish side HB Køge 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time penalty. The game followed a similar pattern to others, with Køge digging deep and making it challenging for the Gunners to advance, but they managed to find the goal they needed at the last. Kyra Cooney-Cross was named Player of the Match for her two key passes, 9/10 duels won and 12 progressive carries as she played the full game. Steph Catley also played the full match, while Caitlin Foord was a second-half substitute.
Europa Cup
Swedish side Malmö FF have gotten off to a winning start in their two-legged qualification tie, defeating Austrian side St Pölten 2-0. Charli Grant and Amy Sayer both started, while Courtney Nevin was a late substitute.
Eintracht Frankfurt required a penalty to get the job done, but got off to a 1-0 victory over Icelandic side Hafnarfjordur in the first leg of the tie. Jamilla Rankin started and played the full match – her second start for the club, after starting in the Frauen-Bundesliga earlier in August – while Hayley Raso was an unused substitute.
Vålerenga fell 4-1 to Dutch side Feyenoord in the first leg, leaving them with it all to do in the second. Hana Lowry started before being withdrawn in the second half for the Norwegian side.
England
League Cup
Brighton & Hove Albion defeated Charlton 4-0 to begin their League Cup campaign in comprehensive fashion. Charlie Rule is currently unavailable for the Seagulls due to injury, while Emily van Egmond and Leah Davidson were unused substitutes in a rotated Charlton side. CommBank Young Matilda Grace Johnston started her first game for the club in the fixture.
London City Lionesses defeated Leicester City 2-0. Alanna Kennedy was unavailable for the Lionesses due to injury.
Everton defeated Birmingham City 2-0. Holly McNamara and Clare Wheeler were both unused substitutes in a heavily rotated side.
Nottingham Forest put up a good fight, but were ultimately defeated 2-0 by WSL side Aston Villa. Alana Murphy started and played the full match for Forest while Leticia McKenna made her debut off the bench.
Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham played out a scoreless draw, with the Hammers earning the bonus point with a penalty shootout victory. Clare Hunt remains unavailable for Spurs due to injury.
WSL
The WSL gets back underway this weekend.
Charlton host Manchester City on Saturday, 10.30pm AEST. Charlton are yet to register a point this season, while defending champions City are already three wins from three. Mary Fowler will be available to continue her fantastic form for City, while Emily van Egmond and Leah Davidson will be available for Charlton.
London City Lionesses clash with Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, 2am AEST. The Lionesses will be hoping this is the kind of game they can win to establish their top three credentials this season. Both CommBank Matildas involved in this clash, Alanna Kennedy and Charlize Rule, are unavailable with injury.
It’s the Merseyside Derby as Liverpool take on Everton on Sunday, 11pm AEST. Holly McNamara and Clare Wheeler will both be available for the Toffees as they hope to turn Merseyside blue this season.
Tottenham Hotspur host Aston Villa on Sunday, 11pm AEST. Spurs have shown fantastic signs this season and will hope to continue those this weekend. Clare Hunt remains unavailable due to injury.
The round ends with a blockbuster between Chelsea and Arsenal. The two juggernauts of the WSL haven’t been entirely convincing yet this season and three points for either side would be massive in the context of the campaign. Ellie Carpenter is expected to start for Chelsea while Kyra Cooney-Cross, Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley are all available for Arsenal.
You can watch the WSL on Stan Sport.
WSL2
Bristol City travel to take on Burnley on Saturday, 9pm AEST. Both sides are looking to turn their form around after some early season wobbles. Alexia Apostolakis will be available for Bristol.
Newcastle United host Leicester City on Sunday, 11pm AEST. The Magpies are three wins from three to start the season but it will be a big test against the recently relegated Foxes. Kaitlyn Torpey is expected to start for Newcastle.
Finally, Nottingham Forest take on Southampton on Sunday, 11pm AEST. Both sides are still undefeated to start the campaign and will hope for three points to rocket them up the table. Alana Murphy and Leticia McKenna will be available for Forest.
You can watch select WSL2 games on YouTube.
Sweden
Swedish Cup
FC Rosengård defeated Eskilsminne 4-0 to secure their place in the group stage of the Swedish Cup. Bryleeh Henry was on the scoresheet, starting alongside Isabel Gomez, in the comprehensive victory. Remy Siemsen was a second-half substitute.
Damallsvenskan
Daniela Galic’s Vittsjö GIK travel to take on Kristianstad on Saturday, 9pm AEST. Galic has been in fine form for Vittsjö and will hope to continue that as her team harbours ambitions of rising as high as fifth with a win.
FC Rosengård take on Piteå on Sunday, 9pm AEST. It is another massive game for Rosengård, who are currently in the relegation play-off place by one point. Remy Siemsen, Bryleeh Henry and Isabel Gomez will all be available.
Malmö FF take on IF Brommapojkarna on Sunday, 9pm AEST. Amy Sayer, Courtney Nevin and Charli Grant will all be available as they hope to maintain their five-point gap in third.
United States
Sam Kerr’s Gotham FC play Chicago Stars on Saturday, 10am AEST. It’s a top versus bottom clash, with Gotham five points clear at the top of the ladder and Chicago with very little to lose at the bottom.
The Portland Thorns take on the Houston Dash on Sunday, 10.45am AEST. The Thorns are in fifth, and a win could see them jump back into the top four. Mackenzie Arnold will be available for Portland.
You can watch the NWSL on Stan Sport.
Germany
Eintracht Frankfurt take on Karlsruher in the DfB Pokal Women on Sunday, 10pm AEST. Hayley Raso and Jamilla Rankin will both be available for that clash.
Italy
The Serie A Women gets underway this weekend.
Como travel to play Ternana on Sunday, 10.30pm AEST. Alex Chidiac will be available for a Como side hoping to get their season off to a positive start.
Defending champions AS Roma start their season with an away trip to Sassuolo on Sunday, 11pm AEST. Winonah Heatley will be available for a Roma side hoping to bounce back after last week’s pre-season cup final loss.
Canada
Tori Tumeth will play her first game after being called up to the CommBank Matildas for the first time against Kahli Johnson’s Calgary Wild on Monday, 6am AEST. Vancouver are currently fourth, but in a precarious position for finals, and will hope to secure three points against bottom-placed Wild to help cement their place.
The game can be streamed live and free via the Northern Super League YouTube Channel.
Norway
Vålerenga will look to bounce back after their midweek Europa Cup defeat when they take on Molde FK on Saturday, 9pm AEST. They are currently fourth, on a four-game winning run in the league. Hana Lowry will hope to make her mark in midfield.
