Women’s football

SHOCKING Manchester City in the Women’s FA Cup today would be a dream come true for Durham midfielder Saoirse Noonan.Like childhood pal and Luton winger Chiedozie Ogbene, Noonan wants to keep her side’s run going.
Republic of Ireland ace Saoirse Noonan hopes Durham can give Manchester City a run for their money in their FA Cup clash laterCredit: Sportsfile
Noonan and her team-mates host the WSL title chasers in a fourth round lunchtime clash todayCredit: Alamy
Prem ace Ogbene, 26, faces a third-round replay at Bolton on Tuesday while Noonan, 24, wants to help her second-tier Wildcats to an upset against the visiting WSL giants.
The Irish pair grew up on the same estate in Cork and Noonan said: “We came through the same ranks of playing Gaelic football with Nemo Rangers and both went on to play football for Cork City.
“We grew up across the road from each other. We (my Dad and me) used to collect Chiedozie every day and bring him to training.  
We came through the same ranks of playing Gaelic football with Nemo Rangers, our local club, and then we both went on to play (football for) Cork City.
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“My Dad was coaching my brother’s (football) team, so I trained with them
“Then we both moved on from there and we both played for Championship sides.  From there, he excelled in the Premiership.
“He is one of the (league’s) fastest players beating the likes of Manchester City’s Kyle Walker.  
“I think just looking at that gives everyone a bit of hope and (that’s) definitely so for me when I speak to him.”
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This lunchtime Noonan and her pals face City in a fourth-round clash set to be attended by a sell-out crowd at Durham University’s Graham Sports Centre.
The match comes 11 months after Durham, who are sixth in the Women’s Championship and six points off promotion chasing leaders Birmingham, faced Man United in the FA Cup.
Last February the Wildcats fell to a 5-0 fifth-round loss to Marc Skinner’s aces.
However, this year Noonan hopes her team can give the Red Devils’ neighbours a run for their money.
Durham are one of only two sides left in the contest who are standalone women’s teams unaffiliated with a men’s club.
She added: “We’re Durham, and we’re a small team with no men’s team backing (us).
“That just goes to show the hard work of everyone and commitment by everyone.
“It’s 90 minutes and we have them at home which is obviously a huge help to us.
“We’re on a 4G (pitch) and maybe it’s a slightly smaller pitch than there used to. 
“This is a huge day for Durham. All our fans are coming and it’s sold-out.
“We just need to bounce off that, use their energy, feed off it and come to the game with loads of energy.
“We can’t shy away and we cannot go in with fear. We have respect for their players.
“But at the end of the day we have to try just as hard as them and not give them the respect and stand back and leave them to boss us off the pitch.”
Like Ogbene, Noonan began her senior association football playing career at Cork City in 2015 after playing Gaelic football.
And she hopes their journeys in the game can inspire young footballers back home dreaming of playing in the professional game.
Noonan said: “For me growing up, we didn’t have as many female role models playing professional football.
“It wasn’t a thing that you could say, ‘I’m going to go and make it my full-time job.
“I think I’m blessed enough that I get to wake up every morning and my job is going to kick a ball around.
Noonan hopes she and her childhood pal Chiedozie Ogbene can inspire young footballers back home in CorkCredit: Alamy
“But we’ve (Chiedozie and me) have worked hard enough to get to where we are.
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“I think it shows now when I go home, the little girls can think, ‘I can do that as a living, and I don’t have to do 101 thing is just kick a ball on Tuesday evening’.
“You can actually make it your life.” More

NATHALIE BJORN hopes to help Chelsea maintain their trophy-winning ways after sealing a transfer from WSL rivals Everton.The Sweden international, 26, was announced as the WSL leaders’ newest player on Wednesday after two-and-a-half years with the Toffees.
Chelsea reportedly beat off competition from Real Madrid to sign Nathalie BjornCredit: Getty
The former Everton centre-back has joined the club who are chasing a seventh WSL titleCredit: Getty
The league leaders, who face West Ham in the Women’s FA Cup on fourth round on Sunday, are reported to have met Everton’s release clause for the player earlier this week.
It is thought they paid a six-figure sum for the versatile, central defender who can also play in midfield.
The move saw the club beat off competition from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The LaLiga Women’s side are thought to have been keen on signing Bjorn who had made 44 WSL appearances for her former club.

Of her Chelsea switch, the ex-Toffees ace said: “It feels amazing to sign for one of the biggest clubs in Europe I can’t wait to get started to play the big games.
“This league is a really, really good league. I would say it’s the best league we have in the world right now.
“I want to help the team as much possible, I want to win as much as possible.”
Blues general manager Paul Green added: “Nathalie is a very experienced, versatile player that we have been tracking for a long time.
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“She is a leader, has good pace, is good on the ball, and knows our league very well.
“We are really pleased to get the deal over the line and look forward to seeing her make a good impact in the squad now and over the upcoming years.”
Bjorn’s arrival sees Emma Hayes’ side strengthen their defensive ranks following injuries to skipper Millie Bright and defender Aniek Nouwen.
The duo were both sidelined last November and December with Bright being treated for a knee concern and Nouwen rupturing a knee ligament while on national duty with the Netherlands.
And the six-time WSL champions were dealt another injury blow this month with stand-in captain and star striker Sam Kerr crocked.
The Australia skipper sustained an anterior cruciate ligament whilst away on a winter training camp in Morocco with her club pals.
Bjorn, who joined former club Everton in 2021 from Swedish giants Rosengard, made 44 top-flight appearances for the Toffees.
Bjorn’s Chelsea move will see her play alongside Sweden international team-mates Zecira Musovic and Johanna Rytting KanerydCredit: Reuters
And she helped them finish sixth last season.
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The centre-back, who began her career in 2012 at Vaksala SK, was part of the Sweden side that finished third in the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last August.
She also helped her national side to a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics women’s football tournament in Japan. More

A Women’s National League game was abandoned this afternoon following a “nasty injury” to full-back Megan Tinsley.The match between Derby County and Liverpool Feds was paused with just a few minutes left to play following the incident.
Derby’s match against Liverpool Feds was abandoned following a serious injury to Megan TinsleyCredit: Rex

It was later confirmed that it had been abandoned entirely.
A tweet from Derby County read: “We can now confirm the match has been abandoned. We wish Megan a speedy recovery.”
Liverpool Feds also sent well wishes to Tinsley with a tweet reading: “The game has been abandoned. All our thoughts are with the @DCFCWomen player and we wish her a speedy recovery.”
Derby later confirmed that the full-back had dislocated her ankle.
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A statement read: “As an update we can confirm that Megan Tinsley dislocated her ankle in the closing minutes of the game. She is now on her way to the hospital for treatment and in good spirits.
“Thank you for your messages and joining us in wishing her a speedy recovery.”
Derby were leading 2-1 before the match was suspended.
Chantelle Thompson opened the scoring for Feds in the seventh minute.
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However, the Rams bounced back with two late goals in two minutes from Charlotte Steggles and Eleanor Ashton.
Derby currently sit sixth in the Women’s National League North Division, two points behind Liverpool Feds.
Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to wish Tinsley well following her injury.
One person wrote: “Best wishes to Megan, I hope she makes a full recovery.”
Another said: “Sending all my love and wishing Meg a speedy recovery!”
A third commented: “Our very best wishes for Megan to recover quickly and fully from this injury. Such rotten luck.”
Tinsley celebrated her 26th birthday on Wednesday.
Last January she opened up about how a heart condition put her playing career on pause.
Speaking to BBC Radio Derby, the full-back bravely revealed that she had surgery to fix a hole in her heart as a child.
She said: “I went to the doctor about it because you are hearing about all the footballers who have collapsed on the pitch.
“With different sports people having trouble with their heart, and because I had that surgery, I was thinking ‘am I a bit of a higher risk? Could the worst happen?’
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“It got to a point where my heart was beating really, really fast, I was getting a few chest pains.
“The fact I could feel my heartbeat through my ears wasn’t the best thing. That’s when you put health before anything else.” More

CHELSEA striker Sam Kerr suffered a ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament during the club’s training camp in Morocco this week.An official club statement read: “Chelsea Football Club can confirm striker Sam Kerr has sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during our warm weather training camp in Morocco.
Sam Kerr has suffered a ruptured ACLCredit: Alamy
“Sam will be assessed by a specialist in the coming days and then begin her rehabilitation with the club’s medical team.
“The Australia international signed for the Blues in 2019 and has gone on to score 99 goals in 128 matches.
“She has played a pivotal role in four Women’s Super League title wins, three FA Cup triumphs, two Women’s League cup victories, and the Women’s Community Shield in 2020.
“Everyone at Chelsea would like to wish Sam the very best for her recovery.”
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Kerr is now set to miss the remainder of the season and could spend at least nine months on the sidelines.
Chelsea returned to training this week following the Women’s Super League winter break.
The Blues return to competitive action against West Ham next week in the FA Cup fourth round.
Kerr’s injury is a huge blow to the reigning WSL champions.
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Chelsea currently sit top of the table, three points above Manchester City.
They are also the only English team still in the Champions League this season.
Kerr’s current Chelsea contract expires in June, meaning she could leave on a free transfer.
The Blues have already confirmed the departure of manager Emma Hayes, who will become manager of the United States Women’s National Team when she leaves West London at the end of the season. More