Melbourne City contenders again, Fiorentina flying high - WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
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The season is drawing to a close in Australia, and after the weekend's semi-finals the two contenders for the W-League crown have been confirmed. The title race remains exciting in France, while in Italy Fiorentina underlined their championship credentials. FIFA.comrounds up the latest action in women's club football.
Australia: Perth Glory and Melbourne City into the final
And then there were two: Perth Glory and Melbourne City will go head to head for domestic supremacy when they meet in the final in Perth on Sunday. Melbourne, who only announced in May 2015 that they would be registering a women's team for the first time ahead of the 2015/16 season, have reached the title-decider for a second successive year. In the 2014/15 final Perth lost out to Canberra United, who Melbourne faced in the semi-finals this time. It was a nerve-wracking encounter in which the decisive goal was only scored in extra time through Jessica Fishlock's strike in the 107th minute to give her side a 1-0 victory. Perth recorded a much more comfortable win in their last-four tie against Sydney FC, with efforts from Vanessa DiBernardo (two), Rosie Sutton, Shawn Billam and an Alanna Kennedy own goal paving the way for a 5-1 triumph. Kyah Simon netted the consolation for Sydney.
Final:
Perth Glory – Melbourne City
Sunday 12 February (14:30, local time)
nib Stadium, Perth
France: Top two win again as title race intensifiesWho will come out on top at the end of the season in France? There is currently no clear answer to that question. On Matchday 13 both Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyon stayed on course for the title by earning their next victories. PSG beat Rodez AF 3-0 after Amandine Henry's 48th-minute strike broke the deadlock, before Irene Paredes' header doubled their advantage ten minutes later and Brazil's Cristiane sealed the points with her side's third. Lyon scored four without reply against Olympique de Marseille, with efforts from Saki Kumagai, Camille Abily, Eugenie Le Sommer and Ada Hegerberg swelling Lyon's goal tally for the season to 59.
Top three: Paris Saint-Germain (36 points), Olympique Lyon (33), Montpellier (31)
Italy: Fiorentina remain unbeatenFiorentina Women’s FC's record so far this season makes for impressive reading: 13 games, 13 wins, 39 points and first place in the standings. Last Sunday bottom club Jesina CF were swept aside 5-0 thanks to Tatiana Bonetti's brace and further goals from Ilaria Mauro, Alice Parisi and Deborah Salvatori Rinaldi. The victory underlined the current dominance of a club that was only founded in summer 2015 and went on to finish third in their maiden Serie A season. Elsewhere, Brescia registered their 11th win of the campaign with a 6-2 thrashing of San Zaccaria.
Top three: Fiorentina (39), Brescia Femminile (33), ASD Verona (28)
Other leaguesThere was plenty of action in other countries too. In the Netherlands, where the UEFA Women's EURO will be staged, AFC Ajax remain out in front after beating SC Heerenveen 1-0. Coach Ed Engelkes' charges are now eight points clear of closest pursuers FC Twente. In the Belgian Super League, leaders Standard Liege are on track to defend their title after posting their 12th victory of the season in the 3-0 defeat of Oud-Heverlee. In the Czech Republic, Slavia Praha eased into the semi-finals of the cup with a comfortable 6-0 thrashing of Slovan Liberec. They are joined in the last four by AC Sparta Praha, FC Viktoria Plzen and 1. FC Slovacko, who all progressed to this stage of the competition back in November.
Australia: Perth Glory and Melbourne City into the final
And then there were two: Perth Glory and Melbourne City will go head to head for domestic supremacy when they meet in the final in Perth on Sunday. Melbourne, who only announced in May 2015 that they would be registering a women's team for the first time ahead of the 2015/16 season, have reached the title-decider for a second successive year. In the 2014/15 final Perth lost out to Canberra United, who Melbourne faced in the semi-finals this time. It was a nerve-wracking encounter in which the decisive goal was only scored in extra time through Jessica Fishlock's strike in the 107th minute to give her side a 1-0 victory. Perth recorded a much more comfortable win in their last-four tie against Sydney FC, with efforts from Vanessa DiBernardo (two), Rosie Sutton, Shawn Billam and an Alanna Kennedy own goal paving the way for a 5-1 triumph. Kyah Simon netted the consolation for Sydney.
Final:
Perth Glory – Melbourne City
Sunday 12 February (14:30, local time)
nib Stadium, Perth
France: Top two win again as title race intensifiesWho will come out on top at the end of the season in France? There is currently no clear answer to that question. On Matchday 13 both Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyon stayed on course for the title by earning their next victories. PSG beat Rodez AF 3-0 after Amandine Henry's 48th-minute strike broke the deadlock, before Irene Paredes' header doubled their advantage ten minutes later and Brazil's Cristiane sealed the points with her side's third. Lyon scored four without reply against Olympique de Marseille, with efforts from Saki Kumagai, Camille Abily, Eugenie Le Sommer and Ada Hegerberg swelling Lyon's goal tally for the season to 59.
Top three: Paris Saint-Germain (36 points), Olympique Lyon (33), Montpellier (31)
Italy: Fiorentina remain unbeatenFiorentina Women’s FC's record so far this season makes for impressive reading: 13 games, 13 wins, 39 points and first place in the standings. Last Sunday bottom club Jesina CF were swept aside 5-0 thanks to Tatiana Bonetti's brace and further goals from Ilaria Mauro, Alice Parisi and Deborah Salvatori Rinaldi. The victory underlined the current dominance of a club that was only founded in summer 2015 and went on to finish third in their maiden Serie A season. Elsewhere, Brescia registered their 11th win of the campaign with a 6-2 thrashing of San Zaccaria.
Top three: Fiorentina (39), Brescia Femminile (33), ASD Verona (28)
Other leaguesThere was plenty of action in other countries too. In the Netherlands, where the UEFA Women's EURO will be staged, AFC Ajax remain out in front after beating SC Heerenveen 1-0. Coach Ed Engelkes' charges are now eight points clear of closest pursuers FC Twente. In the Belgian Super League, leaders Standard Liege are on track to defend their title after posting their 12th victory of the season in the 3-0 defeat of Oud-Heverlee. In the Czech Republic, Slavia Praha eased into the semi-finals of the cup with a comfortable 6-0 thrashing of Slovan Liberec. They are joined in the last four by AC Sparta Praha, FC Viktoria Plzen and 1. FC Slovacko, who all progressed to this stage of the competition back in November.