Stars align for Chicago, Rosengard - WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
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USA: Red Stars shining brightly
Unexpected leaders Chicago Red Stars strengthened their hold on top spot with a 2-1 win over FC Kansas City, while their nearest challengers all faltered. The Red Stars won 2-1 thanks to Taryn Hemmings’ late winner to remain the only undefeated side in the NWSL. Second-placed Washington Spirit were felled 3-2 at Western New York Flash with diminutive striker Jasmyne Spencer grabbing the crucial goal soon after the interval. Another 14,000 crowd was on hand in Portland only for the Thorns to stumble against Houston Dash where a lone Jessica McDonald strike was the difference.
Top three: Chicago Red Stars (14 points), Washington Spirit, Kansas City (both 10)
Sweden: Star acts head to Canada
Rosengard enter the brief mid-season break unchallenged at the summit with a perfect record after seven matches. The Malmo-based side eased to a 7-0 win over Kristianstads with Marta, Ramona Bachmann and Anja Mittag just some of their Women’s World Cup-bound stars on the scoresheet for the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finalists. Five points adrift are Linkopings who experienced a much tougher encounter before prevailing 2-0 against Vittsjo with the season set to resume in mid July.
Top three: Rosengard (21), Linkopings (16), Eskilstuna (15)
Denmark: Brondby on the verge
Brondby moved a step closer to regaining their title from rivals Fortuna Hjorring thanks to a routine 4-0 win at Ballerup-Skovlunde. Still hanging on in the race for top spot is Fortuna who secured a 4-3 win at Kolding to remain five points off the pace. The league season will end in mid June with the national team having missed a ticket to the Women’s World Cup for the second successive time after Switzerland topped their group.
Top three: Brondby (52), Fortuna Hjorring (47), Kolding (35)
Elsewhere
While Eurovision was being celebrated in Vienna over the weekend, there was revelry of a different kind elsewhere in the eastern part of Austria as FSK St. Polten-Spratzern won the league with a match to spare. A 2-1 home win over Altenmarkt did the trick as St. Polten-Spratzern were crowned for the first time, ending an incredible 12-year reign of SV Neulengbach who are set to finish second. Similarly, Glasgow City’s eight-season reign is under some threat although it is still relatively early days in Scotland. The champions share top spot with Edinburgh’s Hibernian after seven rounds with the latter collecting an important win over Rangers.