Manchester City Women have put themselves in a good position to make it to the UEFA Women's Champions League Last 16 after a 2-0 home victory over Russian league runners-up Zvezda 2005. After playing 120 minutes to win the Continental Cup at the weekend, City fought hard to win at the Academy Stadium. Nick Cushing made two changes from the side that beat Birmingham on Sunday, with England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley replacing Marie Houlihan and 2015 Champions League runner-up with PSG Kosovare Asllani coming in for Nikita Parris.
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Chelsea Ladies face an uphill battle if they are to reach the Last 16 of the UEFA Women's Champions League after a 3-0 home defeat to last seasons runners-up Wolfsburg. Playing in their first ever match at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were able to match the Germans but were ultimately beaten by the better team. The two sides had also met in Europe last November, in the last 16, when two own goals from England defender Claire Rafferty saw Chelsea beaten 4-1 on aggregate. But this year, a round later, Chelsea were optimistic about learning from their experience and responding after loosing their FA WSL title to Manchester City at the weekend.
Birmingham City Ladies leapfrog Liverpool to move into fourth in the FA WSL1 table, after a win between the two teams in front of over 1,300 supporters at Damson Park. The win sees them equal on points with third place Arsenal going into the last few weeks of the season, although the London team have a game in hand. The visitors started well, testing goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley inside fifteen minutes when Emma Lundh hit an effort towards goal, although play was stopped for a foul. Liverpool had two more good chances, Rosie White's shot was deflected just wide after she turned her marker in the box and Baggaley saved well from Laura Coombes long range shot.
Manchester City Women are assured of winning the FA WSL1 title for the first time after a dominant win over rivals Chelsea at the Academy Stadium. City only needed to draw against last seasons champions, but sealed the title in emphatic style with a 2-0 victory. Last seasons, Chelsea pipped the Manchester club to the title, but throughout the season City have been the top team in the league, yet to loose a match and conceding just one goal at home all season. Top scorer Jane Ross almost gave the hosts the lead on the ten minute mark, but her header was saved well by Chelsea goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer.
Reading claimed a vital victory away to WSL1 bottom side Doncaster Rovers Belles, their first since being promoted to the top flight of women's football last season. The defeat sees the Belles, historically a top side in English women's football, without a point with five matches to play. The two teams, who were both promoted from WSL2 last season, were both looking for their first win of this campaign, although Reading had a six point lead over their hosts.
Notts County Ladies secured a come from behind victory at Meadow Lane to move ahead of Reading to sixth in the FA WSL1 table. The hosts conceded just before half-time, before goals from Rachel Williams and Jess Clarke sealed The Lady Pies' first league victory since May. It took until first-half stoppage time for the opening goal, with Sunderland taking advantage of the latest in a succession of free-kicks. Victoria Williams with a left footed shot past Megan Walsh after captain Laura Bassett committed the foul.
England women will travel to the Netherlands in November to play the Euro 2017 hosts as preparation for next summers tournament. The news comes after The FA also announced a home friendly against world number three France, to be held at Doncaster Rovers Belles' Keepmoat Stadium in October. The two teams last played each other at the 2015 Cyprus Cup, a 1-1 draw including an amazing solo goal from Chelsea striker Eni Aluko. That year, Mark Sampson's team went on to win the title for the third time.
England striker Eniola Aluko has signed a new contract with FA WSL1 club Chelsea Ladies ahead of the last few weeks of the women's football season. Aluko, who is in her second spell at Chelsea, returned to the Blues in 2012 from Birmingham City Ladies after playing professionally in America for three seasons. Across her two spells, she has scored a total of 57 goals in 125 appearances and was a key part of the team that won the league and FA Cup double in 2015.
Wales finished their Euro 2017 qualification campaign with a strong performance against Austria in Newport. Despite being unable to qualify for next summers tournament in Holland, the hosts fought hard to limit Austria's chances and end the campaign on a positive. Head coach Jayne Ludlow made two changes from the team that beat bottom of the group Israel 3-0 last week, with defender Rhiannon Roberts and goalkeeper Laura O'Sullivan featuring in the starting eleven. And O'Sullivan was called into action straight away, as Carina Wenninger hit the post after just three minutes.
Having already sealed a spot at the first major tournament in their history, Scotland ended their successful qualifying campaign in style with a win over Iceland. In the reverse fixture in Falkirk in June, Scotland were outplayed as Iceland won comfortably 4-0, but Scotland matched their higher ranked opponents physically and deserved the win. Iceland entered the match having not lost during the qualification campaign, keeping a clean sheet in all seven matches. But Scotland seemed determined to avenge the defeat of the last time the two sides met, and Manchester City striker Jane Ross opened the scoring after just 24 minutes, heading home from left-back Emma Mitchell's pin-point cross.
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October 2016
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