Italy, Julie-Ann Russell and why Tijuana have work to do - your women's football roundup
Whilst the Olympics will be at the forefront of many fans’ minds, with the women’s football tournament commencing in just under a day’s time, there has been plenty to enjoy in other environments too, with the Euro 2025 group qualifiers coming to an end last week and some league and tournament action to take in over the weekend.
As always, this newsletter will bring you all of the very latest from around the women’s game, highlighting the key talking points from on the field and providing a selection of carefully chosen reading and listening material to allow you to go into more depth on those topics that might have sparked your interest.
3 key talking points….
Italy put on a complete performance to end a mixed Euro 2025 qualifying campaign
With Italy sitting in the top tier of the European international game, their chances of reaching next summer’s Euro 2025 finals in Switzerland were always going to be high, with the worst case scenario being that they would have to navigate two play-off rounds (in which they would be seeded) in order to secure their place.
They were drawn in a tough qualifying group and needed to find ways to keep the Netherlands, Norway and Finland at bay, which is not an easy task given how dangerous all three can be when on top form. However, Italy managed to emerge as group winners and that in itself will have given them a lot of belief that they are moving in the right direction under head coach Andrea Soncin.
Whilst there were some games in which they had to show grit and determination and to scrap for results, there were others when they could play at their expansive and free-flowing best. Their final match undoubtedly fell into that second category, with Finland the visitors on that occasions and simply unable to get into their usual rhythm as Italy’s attacking variety and solidity in defence kept them firmly at bay.
For a closer look at Finland’s style of play, have a look at my article for Total Football Analysis here:
Italy will be under no illusions that they cannot sit still over the next year and will need to keep developing tactically, but the way that they ended their qualifying campaign will give them a lot of confidence that they can be among the main challengers when the action does get underway. They could certainly be tough opposition for those who do cross their path.
Why Julie-Ann Russell’s Republic of Ireland inclusion should not be a one-off
When Republic of Ireland (RoI) head coach Eileen Gleeson made the decision to recall Julie-Ann Russell ahead of the last two Euro 2025 qualifying matches, there might have been a few people raising their eyebrows, with her now 33 years old and not featuring in the international setup since 2020, whilst also only rejoining Galway United last summer.
However, any doubts over her inclusion were quickly put to bed once the action got underway, with her coming off the bench to score a late consolation goal against England before being arguably the best player on the field against France, helping her side to pick up a dominant and unexpected win and to ensure that they could enter the play-offs on a positive note.
As the game went on, it became increasingly apparent that France simply couldn’t deal with her, and the way that she harassed their back line, slotted into gaps and connected the play really highlighted what she can bring quality to the table. Her pass to set up Denise O’Sullivan for the opening goal indicated how her vision for a clever pass has never evaporated during her years away from the game and the fact that she scored a goal of her own just ten minutes afterwards highlighted how dangerous she can be when given space in front of goal.
https://x.com/SportingGalway/status/1813291025554940257
There is no doubting that the RoI have a tough task ahead if they are to make it to a second consecutive finals, with them facing Georgia in the first two-legged play-off round before potentially coming up against a resurgent Wales. However, the fact that Russell has been brought back in and looks as sharp and as confident as ever will give them a huge boost, and she could prove to be the key if they are to seal a berth in Switzerland.
Tijuana leave a lot to be desired in their NWSL/Liga MX Summer Cup opener
When Tijuana’s opening day defeat in the 2024 Liga MX Apertura campaign to Querétaro had been confirmed, despite them having had more of the ball, it was thought that the players would use last weekend’s opening game of the NWSL/Liga MX Summer Cup to respond and to show that it was simply a case of them having an off-day.
However, as the match against Portland Thorns went on, it became apparent that that was not going to be the case, with the Mexican team lacking energy and fluidity and making themselves far too easy to beat as the Thorns dominated play and were in full control from start to finish.
It wouldn’t have been so bad a result if there had been a sense that Tijuana, perhaps accepting that they were not going to have much possession, had made themselves tough to beat and had looked to at least secure a draw, but they didn’t and instead they constantly invited pressure and left gaps open that allowed Portland to flourish. The final score was 5-0 but it could have so easily been more than that and it was a scoreline that provided a true reflection of how the match had gone.
If Tijuana felt that a reaction was necessary against Portland, then it is now imperative that they do get one when they face Necaxa in the league tomorrow and next weekend when they take on Seattle Reign. There were some aspects of the match against Querétaro that they can be pleased about, but the overall package has not been good enough so far and not altering things quickly could leave their league and tournament hopes at a very real risk of fading away before their eyes.
Read all about it….
An unpredictable Olympic Games tournament - there are a number of reasons that the upcoming women’s football tournament in Paris could provide a number of surprises and shocks, and Rich Laverty has detailed some of the things to look out for as the action unfolds in this article on his Substack page, Women’s Football Chronicles.
The developing WSL transfer trend - away from the Olympics, Emma Sanders has written a really interesting article on BBC Sport that looks at the developing trends in the WSL transfer window, highlighting how things have changed with regards to free transfers, paid transfers and loans and how more clubs are looking to pay for players rather than to wait for contracts to expire.
Michelle Heyman’s Australia comeback - in one of the more remarkable stories of the Olympic women’s football tournament, Australia striker Michelle Heyman is set to feature after it had appeared for a long time as if her career on the international stage was long over. Tiffanie Turnbull has looked back at her fascinating story in this article on the BBC News website.
Lend me your ears….
Paris Olympics preview | Carle replaces Collins on CANWNT | Zambia's Mwape allowed in to France - there are plenty of Olympic preview podcast episodes out there, but the one published earlier this week by CBS Sports’ The Attacking Third is certainly worth a listen.
That’s all for now - back next week!!