Women’s Asian Cup starts on Sunday and all games will be available to watch live on the tournament’s YouTube channel for those in the UK (and those in territories without a broadcast deal).
Starts March 1, 9am GMT, as Australia face the Philippines.
youtube.com/@afcasiancup...
I wonder if Martin Ho might be considering looking at a back three, as he does have some players who could adjust to playing in a centre-back role but that shape might just give them an extra layer of comfort. Does require adapting in several areas though
The Asian Cup and AFCON promise to be fascinating this month - but similarly intriguing is how both will impact ongoing club competitions.
It's the Asian Cup which will really hit the WSL hard, though there are some key AFCON absentees too. Who will struggle most? I had a run through each team...
Half time here in Leigh where the score in this Champions League knockout play-off tie second leg reads Man Utd 2-0 Atletico Madrid.
Atleti started well but United have extended their aggregate lead to 5-0 thanks to goals from Julia Zigiotti Olme and Jess Park. Park's in particular was a beauty.
A whopping 16 WSL players in Japan’s squad for the Asian Cup, which begins March 1. On top of the actual tournament itself being a spectacle, it’s going to be fascinating to see how teams cope with those absentees and how it could impact the race for UWCL, for example.
www.jfa.jp/women/news/0...
As Man Utd enter a period of five huge games in 16 days, the squad depth that their January business has added is going to be vital. I'm particularly intrigued to see what that looks like in attack, where the Red Devils now appear to have the variety and quality to cause real problems.
Tottenham finished second-from-bottom in the WSL last season. Their top-flight record against Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City & Man Utd is two wins, five draws, 42 losses. Financially, they are nowhere near the ‘big four’. And yet, Spurs are right in the fight with all of them for a Champions League spot
Loved this bit with Sky Sports that I reference in the piece. Such great insight into the deadly duo Miedema and Shaw have become
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSK0...
Vivianne Miedema was a star in the last team other than Chelsea to win the WSL title. Now, in a totally different position, and after a rough couple of years, her world-class quality is playing a key role in the side that is about to end Chelsea's six-year dominance of this competition
Sonia Bompastor says Lucy Bronze was missing for Chelsea today having felt pain in her shin, the same one she fractured at Euro 2025
FT: Man City 5-1 Chelsea
Chelsea's biggest WSL defeat in over seven years comes as a result of a Kerolin hat-trick, plus goals for Shaw and Miedema. City now 11 points clear at the top of the table with eight games to go, and surely on the brink of a first WSL title in 10 years.
Great moment here for Mary Fowler, who comes on for her first appearance since April of last year, when she suffered a devastating ACL injury
Kerolin subbed off to a standing ovation after an oustanding performance. Blindkilde Brown also replaced, as Fujino and Coffey come on.
Chelsea make another sub, too, as James is replaced by Rytting Kaneryd.
4-0. Kerolin hat-trick. Wow
Bompastor reponds with two subs. Cuthbert and Buurman off, Nusken and Kerr on
Game, set and match! 3-0 to Man City, thanks to an outstanding individual goal from Kerolin. The forward runs from inside her own half on a one-woman counter attack and dinks it over Hampton in style.
HT: Man City 2-0 Chelsea
City good for their lead and hold a result that would put them 12 points clear at the top of the WSL. Chelsea had shots from range and tested Yamashita but not created any particularly big chances.
GOAL! Shaw doubles Man City's lead after racing onto Miedema's through ball and finishing clinically.
Gets around Girma to get onto the pass and the defender wants a foul for a pull but doesn't get it. Bompastor absolutely livid here on the touchline.
Kaptein thinks she's levelled the scores with a header that Yamashita really should save, but her blushes are spared by a correct offside flag. Nice cross from James, too. Still 1-0
Comes after a flurry of pressure via set pieces from City on the Chelsea goal. The final one isn't a great delivery but it causes chaos in the box before the ball falls to Kerolin just inside the area, and she smashes it in through a sea of bodies. Hampton has no chance. 1-0!
GOAL! Kerolin gives City the lead!
Man City subs: Keating, Clinton, Coombs, Fowler, Ouahabi, Coffey, Fujino, Beney, Prior.
Chelsea subs: Spencer, Peng, Nüsken, Reiten, Kaneryd, Kerr, Potter, Beever-Jones, Sarwie.
Mary Fowler back in a Man City squad for first time since April. No Lucy Bronze for Chelsea.
Team news 🚨
Man City XI: Yamashita; Casparij, Rose, Knaak, Greenwood; Hasegawa, Blindkilde Brown, Miedema; Kerolin, Shaw, Hemp.
Chelsea XI: Hampton; Bright, Buurman, Girma; Carpenter, Cuthbert, Walsh, Kaptein, Baltimore; Thompson, James.
Skinner: "Those are four players that we're having constant conversations with behind the scenes. They've been fantastic for us and the club will continue to work to try and find solutions for extensions, hopefully, for them."
Marc Skinner confirms that all of Ella Toone, Elisabeth Terland, Lisa Naalsund and Gabby George have had options for another year exercised in their deals.
All four now under contract until the summer of 2027, having been set to become free agents at the end of this season.
Bethany England interview 🗣️
On ‘the hardest six months’ after swapping Chelsea for Tottenham, thriving under pressure, the cultural shift at Spurs and loads more ⬇️
As the WSL hits its halfway point this weekend, a look at the state of the title race.
Is Chelsea's incredible run as champions of England coming to an end? Or will Man City let them back in? Still plenty of twists and turns to come, for sure...
FT: Man Utd 0-3 Lyon
Scoreline reflects the game better in the end. United didn't have a shot on target all game and struggled to really lay a glove on Lyon, even if they got into the game more after the break. Melchie Dumornay was outstanding.
3-0, Dumornay. Clinical stuff. She's been outstanding, again
