Matildas Abroad Preview: Women's FA Cup fifth round kicks off in England

With the international break now over it's back to club action for our Matildas Abroad. The Women's FA Cup fifth round kicks off in England, while Ellie Carpenter could be set to make her home return for Lyon. 

Fans in Australia will be able to watch Chelsea's clash with Arsenal in the round of 16 via Optus Sport.

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England

Kicking off in Brighton, Lydia Williams' Brighton & Hove Albion will take on Coventry United for a place in the next round of the competition. 

The Seagulls will be looking to bounce back from the 6-2 defeat to Aston Villa they sustained before the international break. 

Lydia Williams (25 Brighton) warming up ahead of the Barclays Womens Super League game between Brighton and Aston Villa at Broadfield Stadium, Crawley. (Tom Phillips/SPP)
Lydia Williams (25 Brighton) warming up ahead of the Barclays Womens Super League game between Brighton and Aston Villa at Broadfield Stadium, Crawley. (Photo: Tom Phillips/SPP)

Coventry United currently occupy the bottom place in the second-tier Women’s Championship but has recorded three wins in their last five outings to start the year.

This game will kick off on Monday morning at 1 am AEDT. 

Next up, Mary Fowler, Hayley Raso and Alanna Kennedy's Manchester City will take on Bristol City for the second time this year, vying for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Manchester will be looking to replicate their 6-0 Conti Cup win over Bristol City they recorded earlier in the year, with Raso and Fowler both getting on the scoresheet in the victory. 

Khadija Shaw of Manchester City celebrates with team mate Mary Fowler after scoring their sides third goal during the FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup match between Bristol City and Manchester City at Ashton Gate on January 25, 2023 in Bristol, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Khadija Shaw of Manchester City celebrates with teammate Mary Fowler after scoring their side's third goal during the FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup match between Bristol City and Manchester City at Ashton Gate on January 25, 2023, in Bristol, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Since then, Gareth Taylor's 16-game unbeaten streak has been broken by Arsenal, knocking the Citizens out of the Conti Cup at the semi-final stage. 

This game will kick off on Monday morning at 1 am AEDT. 

Perhaps the most nailbiting of the round of 16 fixtures, will see Sam Kerr's reigning champions Chelsea hosting Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord's Arsenal.

This game will replay the 2020/21 Women's FA Cup final, where the Blues recorded a 3-0 win over the Gunners, Kerr scoring a brace to secure their third title. 

Sam Kerr celebrates with teammates Fran Kirby and Guro Reiten of Chelsea after scoring their team's second goal during the Vitality Women's FA Cup Final between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Wembley Stadium on December 05, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Sam Kerr celebrates with teammates Fran Kirby and Guro Reiten of Chelsea after scoring their team's second goal during the Vitality Women's FA Cup Final between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Wembley Stadium on December 05, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Arsenal, the most successful side in this competition, has lifted the trophy 14 times but will have their work cut out for them against the side that is back-to-back Women's FA Cup champions.

This game will kick off on Monday morning at 1 am AEDT. 

Kyah Simon's Tottenham Hotspur will face Reading FC in the round of 16, with this game also kicking off at 1 am on Monday morning. 

Lastly, fresh off being named Player of the Tournament in the Cup of Nations, Mackenzie Arnold's West Ham United will host Emily Gielnik's Aston Villa for a place in the next stage.

Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold (1 West Ham) holding ball during the Barclays FA Womens Super League game between West Ham United v Arsenal at Dagenham and Redbridge s Chigwell Construction Stadium.England. (K Hodgson/SPP)
Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold (1 West Ham) holding the ball during the Barclays FA Womens Super League game between West Ham United v Arsenal at Dagenham and Redbridge s Chigwell Construction Stadium.England. (Photo: K Hodgson/SPP)

The Hammers are back in action for the first time since their 7-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Conti Cup, while the Villans recorded a dominant 6-2 win over Brighton in the WSL before the international break. 

This game will kick off on Monday morning at 1 am AEDT. 

Sweden

The Swedish Women's Cup group stage kicks off, with our Matildas Abroad in action around Sweden. 

Clare Polkinghorne and Charli Grant's Vittsjö GIK take on Växjö DFF at 1:00 am AEDT on Monday morning.
Kyra Cooney-Cross' Hammarby face IF Brommapojkarna at 1:00 am AEDT on Monday morning.
Teagan Micah's FC Rosengård host Kristianstads DFF at 1:00 am AEDT on Monday morning.

France 

Our last stop takes us to France, where Ellie Carpenter could be set to make her home return for Lyon when they host Bordeaux.

Carpenter made her return for Lyon earlier in the month, coming off the bench in their 5-0 win over Rodez, marking almost six months since rupturing her ACL in the UWCL final.


Lyon currently has a one-point advantage at the top of the table, with PSG hot on their tail. 

This game will kick off on Monday morning at 12:45 am AEDT