Women’s game takes stage

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This article was published 13/11/2020 (2103 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Six games, three local derbies, some of the world’s best players showcasing their talent for TV audiences all over the world — it’s all part of the second annual Women’s Football Weekend, put on by England’s Barclays FA Women’s Super League today and Sunday.

First up on the staggered schedule of matches is the Manchester Derby between league leaders United and fifth-place City at Leigh Sports Village (today, 6:30 a.m., Sportsnet). United, in only their second Super League season, went top of the table the last time out, edging three-time champions Arsenal 1-0 thanks to an 83rd-minute strike from England Under-21 international Ella Toone.

With the fewest goals scored of the division’s top five, United rely on their two Turners in the centre of defence, Amy and Millie (no relation, although Amy’s sister Lucy is Barnsley captain). Heroic in holding off the vaunted Gunners attack, they’ll next be tested by a City side that put eight past Bristol City on Nov. 7. Canada’s Janine Beckie rounded out the scoring in that match with a goal in the 81st minute.

Jessie Fleming, another Canada international, came off the bench for Chelsea in last weekend’s 4-0 triumph at home to Everton. Still looking to establish herself in the Blues midfield, she’ll likely be among the substitutes once more when the reigning champions visit Arsenal in a London showdown on Sunday (8:30 a.m., Sportsnet).

Expect goals in that one.

Arsenal, with 29 tallies from six matches, have by far the best offence in the Super League and will be looking to set the record straight following their blank at United. Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema might be the best player in the world at the moment and leads the top flight with 10 goals. Teammate Jill Roord, also of the Netherlands, is second with six. Australia’s Caitlin Foord is third, and her five assists have her level atop the chart with teammates Beth Mead and Katie McCabe.

Super League winners most recently in 2019, Arsenal will look to return to the form that saw them beat North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 in late October. Miedema bagged a hat trick that afternoon at Meadow Park and is now the Super League’s all-time leading goal-scorer, having overtaken Nikita Parris.

Sunday’s first match of Women’s Football Weekend will feature another Canadian, Adriana Leon, in action for West Ham at home to Brighton (6:30 a.m., Sportsnet). With a goal and two assists so far this term, Leon will operate to the left of Martha Thomas in a three-pronged attack, providing pace on one flank while Alisha Lehmann supplies skill in abundance on the other.

Just a point back of the eighth-place Seagulls, the Hammers can pile even more misery on their guests, who were shocked 2-0 by promoted Aston Villa on Nov. 8.

The victory was Villa’s first and only so far this season after going unbeaten in the Championship in 2019-20. Intriguingly, their maiden Super League campaign means they’ll contest a Birmingham Derby for the first time in England’s top tier of women’s football (today, 8:30 a.m., FA Player).

Birmingham City, for their part, narrowly avoided relegation back in May when the schedule was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re coming off a 2-1 loss to West Ham but can leapfrog sixth-place Reading with a win at Bescot Stadium.

Rounding out the weekend is the mid-table clash of Reading and Everton (today, 10:30 a.m., Sportsnet) and a relegation contest between Bristol City and Tottenham Hotspur (today, 12:30 p.m., FA Player), both of whom are winless after five and six matches respectively.

A year on from the inaugural Women’s Football Weekend, which was launched after record attendance for the 2019-20 season’s opening day, the second installment will unfortunately go ahead without supporters in stadiums due to coronavirus.

That said, while the men’s game pauses for the international break, and with other sports in the midst of unusual autumn off-seasons, elite-level women’s football will have the spotlight to itself, however briefly.

Fans will be well served. They’ll be treated to top-notch football played by exciting superstars — the sort of product that can compel attention on its own merit, on its own terms.

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