Kaitlyn Torpey started her San Diego Wave career in the best possible fashion, as her side defeated Gotham FC to win the NWSL Challenge Cup. Elsewhere, Mary Fowler scored a goal and got an assist for Manchester City against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Read our review of all of the Matildas Abroad action below.
England
Chelsea dealt a huge blow to title rivals Arsenal on Saturday morning, three first-half goals ensuring that the defending champions won 3-1. Lauren James scored first before a brace to Sjoeke Nüsken took the game out of the Gunners' reach. Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord both started the match for Arsenal before Kyra Cooney-Cross came off the bench for the last 20 minutes.
Aston Villa secured an important three points against Everton, winning 2-1. A goal to Everton’s Elise Stenevik halved the deficit in the 85th minute after Kenza Dali and Ebony Salmon gave Villa a two-goal lead. However, the Toffees were not able to rescue a point, with goalscorer Stenevik given a red card in stoppage time. Clare Wheeler played the full match for Everton in midfield.
Liverpool delighted their home fans on Sunday, defeating West Ham 3-1. Leanne Kiernan, Missy Bo Kearns and Sophie Román Haug were on the scoresheet for the Reds, relegating Riko Ueki’s 87th-minute goal to a consolation. Mackenzie Arnold and Katrina Gorry both started for the Hammers, while Teagan Micah was an unused substitute for Liverpool.
Manchester City kept pace with Chelsea at the top of the table with a 4-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. Mary Fowler started her second match in a row and rewarded coach Gareth Taylor with a goal and an assist. Charlie Rule was unavailable for Brighton, while Alanna Kennedy came off the bench for City for the last ten minutes.
A second-minute goal to Matilda Vinberg helped Tottenham Hotspur secure a 1-0 victory over Leicester City. The result sees Spurs move three points clear in sixth – a top-half finish well and truly in their sights. Courtney Nevin was a second-half substitute for Leicester, coming on in the 85th minute. Remy Siemsen and Charli Grant were unused substitutes for the Foxes and Spurs respectively.
France
Lyon immediately hit back after their French Cup defeat, smashing Fleury 4-0 on Saturday. Goals to Griedge Mbock, Melchie Dumornay and a brace to Sara Däbritz were enough to keep their unbeaten league record alive. Ellie Carpenter started and played the full match at right-back.
A Gaëtane Thiney brace helped Paris FC to a win of the same scoreline, 4-0, against Guingamp. Paris FC are now third, five points behind PSG, but with a game in hand. Sarah Hunter was not named in the matchday squad.
PSG had no issues getting the three points on the weekend, defeating Saint-Étienne 5-0. Grace Geyoro scored a brace while Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Tabitha Chawinga and Jade La Guilly also found themselves on the scoresheet. Clare Hunt came onto the pitch in the 60th minute.
United States
Kaitlyn Torpey and Emily van Egmond are NWSL Challenge Cup champions, with their San Diego Wave side defeating Gotham FC 1-0. A late second-half goal to USA international Alex Morgan sealed the result in the one-off game against the NWSL Shield winners, and NWSL champions.
Van Egmond played the full match in midfield for the Wave, while Torpey made her Wave debut in the 61st minute.
Sweden
BK Häcken breezed past Lidköping in the Swedish Cup on the weekend, walking away with a 7-1 victory. They are now three points clear on top of their group and a point in the final game will be enough for them to win the group. Aivi Luik started and played the full match for Häcken.
Kristianstads DFF lost their first competitive game of the season, falling to Växjö DFF 3-1. Clare Polkinghorne and Amy Sayer both started the match for Kristianstads. Their place in the Swedish Cup knockout stage now depends on defeating Häcken in the next game.
Spain
A fourth-minute goal to Ivana Adrés helped Real Madrid squeeze past Eibar 1-0. Hayley Raso came off the bench in the 58th minute. Madrid remain comfortably in second place but will have to rely on the unlikely scenario of Barcelona dropping at least 9 points in order to catch up.