The 2022/23 Barclays WSL finally got underway on Friday evening as Arsenal cruised past 10-player Brighton. Over 3,200 fans turned out at a packed Meadow Park to watch Jonas Eidevall’s side register their first three points on the board.
It seems surreal that a little over a month ago, Leah Williamson was leading out the Lionesses to lift the Euro 2022 trophy at Wembley. A magical end to a script that England fans are not used to reading. In that moment, women’s football in this country changed, propelling it and the members of the England team into the hearts and minds of the nation.
The FAWNL entered its second month on Sunday afternoon with almost a full array of fixtures. Wolves and Oxford both maintained the perfect week in the Northern and Southern Premier Divisions respectively. Meanwhile in Division 1, Hull battled from behind to beat Newcastle [North]; Lincoln City cruised to their first win of the season [Midlands]; Ashford Town (Middlesex) won their first ever FAWNL game [South East]; and Exeter City scored a last minute winner to break Southampton hearts [South West].
“You never get bored with winning,” stated an elated Sarina Wiegman as her England team maintained their unbeaten run to book a coveted spot at the 2023 FIFA World Cup. A 2-0 victory against a resilient Austrian outfit saw the Lionesses top Group D with a game to spare.
The Lionesses return to competitive action this afternoon for the first time following their European Championship winning summer. With retirements and injuries, Sarina Wiegman has made changes to her squad, with Lauren James, Ebony Salmon and Jordan Nobbs all coming in.
Vera Pauw praised her “special group'” of players as the Republic of Ireland claimed a FIFA World Cup play-off spot for the first time in their history. Pauw’s team dug deep and never stopped running to earn three points off a tough Finland side in front of a record-breaking 6,952 spectators in Dublin.
The FA Women’s National League continued on Sunday as teams across the divisions looked to build on their opening weekends. Find out more:
The FA Women’s National League kicked off with a bang on Sunday afternoon. 34 matches took place across all six divisions with goals, red cards and comebacks galore. Catch up on the action:
Sunday 21 August sees the start of the FAWNL season. 36 games across 4 divisions. Find out how to watch: