X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

[Sits]

And he's out.

I've blocked the team for a couple of days so,if anyone wants in, let me know.

[Etienne]

My goodness, mine and VA's official team division just gets closer and closer.

[delicatemoth]

And he's out.

I've blocked the team for a couple of days so,if anyone wants in, let me know.

OK matey, colour me Human.

[Antepli Ejderha]

OK matey, colour me Human.

Yey. Welcome back delicatemoth.

[SouthdownRebel]

Huzzah!

[nmrfox]

Nice one!!

[Sits]

The day hadn’t started well but that’s made it much better. I’ll open the team up.

[Janik]

X11 Ladies League matchday 2 report. INSERT 11 POINT SPLASH TITLE HERE

Division 2b

Viking South Utsira	1 - 2	Mighty Aphrodite
B.Austrheim 85'			Knighton 57'
				Atalaia 73'


Division 4h

Drakaina		0 - 1	Pinkie Pie
				Okuno 92'


Division 4i

Coxy Ladies Wulpen	1 - 2	FC Sprezzatura
Mahony (pen) 66'		Sundin 47'
				Oxeröd 79'


Division 4k

Venus			3 - 0	Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC
Meldahl 48'
Trulsen 80'
Moldoveanca 84'


Division 5:16

LNWR Locomotive		1 - 0	Chelsea Ladies FC
Ryman 82'


Division 6:4

Meakins Minahs 		0 - 3	Erbil
				Lister 58', 93'
				Solaun 61'


Division 6:39

Sockford Emollient	1 - 1	AFC Wimbledon
Parks 3'			Torpey 50'


Division 6:41

Future Girls 		0 - 0	Invisible Ladies


Division 6:42

Marselle 		1 - 1	Solent Sirens
Mäki 92'			Cruchaga 49'

Twin Peaks Owls 	2 - 0	Witches of Chiswick
Richardson 16'
Agnrud 92'


Division 6:56

Empire Of The Sun 	0 - 3	Menywod Maeshafn
				Westerberg 28'
				Lydell 63'
				Corleone 89'


Division 6:57

Dublin City Womens FC	1 - 4	Charlton Ladies
Cruz 76'			Nestor 14'
				Yates 58'
				Pontes 85'
				Dunne 89'


Division 6:62

Barca Ladies FC		1 - 2	Csiki Girls
Nilsson 57'			McInns 44'
				Gränsmark 69'

There was trouble coming from the sea for Viking South Utsira as they took arms against Mighty Aphrodite.
The Blood Eagles found the Daughters of the Foam too hot to handle for much of the game, though it took until 57 minutes for Aphrodite’s star midfielder to opening the scoring. The visitors made it two on 73 and though Birgit Austrheim pulled one back for Viking, there would be no leveller as the mythological battle when Greece’s way.
Defeat left Velvet Android’s side with just one point from their opening two Division 2b fixtures, which has them in sixth place in the nascent table.

Also looking to kick their season into gear were Drakaina, who took on My Little Pony weirdoes Pinkie Pie.
Dozing in Delphi was the theme of this game, as Etienne’s side were cancelled out by their visitors. The first 91 minutes produced just one unconverted goal attempt, but in stoppage time there was a second. It went to the visitors, and was score to send The Dragons spinning to an undeserved defeat as if ever a game ought to have finished nil-nil it was this one.
The Greeks sit seventh in Division 4h, but should get off the mark tomorrow as they face the local zombies.

Getting off the mark? Hmm, yeah, that would be nice for Coxy Ladies Wulpen after their fell to their second defeat out of two, this one coming against FC Sprezzatura.
The Waders did show flashes of promise, and pegged their visitors back with a 66th minute Moreen Mahony penalty, which levelled out Sprezzatura’s opener two minutes into the second half. However Janik’s side couldn’t hold on for the draw, shipping a second on 79 minutes as they also found themselves on zero points from their opening two games.
This record has Wulpen bottom of Division 4i, with a big one coming tomorrow against their sections other pointless outfit.

Could Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC break the litany of woe at Venus? Erm, next...
Not that the final outcome was obvious at half-time following an opening period in which the Sea Spirits had shown up well. They weren’t out of it even when Venus went ahead soon after the restart. In fact it was an injury that apparently did for SeanoftheShed’s outfit, midfielder Adèle Pailloux limping off with a 9-day knock on 77 minutes and Venus adding two more quickly after to give the final scoreline a rather heavy look.
Kanjeng sit bottom of Division 4k, and like all the others have a big one tomorrow against a fellow early season struggler.

Maybe more cheer will be in evidence down a tier, where LNWR Locomotive were taking on Chelsea Ladies FC.
The visitors turned up in their first choice kit, hot pink with a Playboy bunny on it. How could anyone think to associate Chelsea with behaviour so sexist? The Steamers appeared, well, steamed by this, as they steamed into their opponents creating chance after chance. Not that Gayane Zakarian was around to take the opportunities, after she picked up an utterly horrible 26-day knock in the 8th minute. Instead Viktor Boskovic had to rely on Lisa Ryman, who raced on to a through ball after 82 minutes to get the very overdue winner.
The win means Locomotive sit fifth in the nascent Division 5:16 table.

Matchday 2 sees me finally welcome Erbil to the OTF Ladies League fold. Manager Jdsx has actually been in place since near the start of last season [why does nobody tell me these things] and his side were rather unlucky not to be promoted last season as their form without a manager proved too much of a handicap for automatic, despite an 11-match winning streak, and then they suffered a shock defeat in the play-off.
An opening day win was the first step in righting those wrongs. The next would be winning at Meakins Minahs. A strong first half performance from Erbil was unrewarded, but simply by weight of shots they were also going to break through eventually, Harmony Lister doing the honours in the 58th minute. Just 180 seconds later it was two and the game was dead and buried, Alanza Solaun heading home.
Lister nodded a third in injury-time, just to prove she could, as Erbil moved up to second in Division 6:4, one of just two sides left in this section to still hold 100% records.

Our other newbies, Sockford Emollient were taking on AFC Wimbledon.
Sockford offered a hot welcome to Framleyshire as they opened the scoring inside three minutes, Monica Parks firing home. This didn’t prove a harbinger of a dominant home performance, though neither was it one the away side controlled. Instead it was pretty even-steven, the Lady Dons (or Dons as such people are called) equalising similarly early in the second half, and the teams exchanging chances for the winner, all unfulfilled.
Foxy265’s side sit third in Division 6:39, two points off the leaders, after two rounds of games.

Something of an impossible meeting took place when Invisible Ladies made the trip to Future Girls.
The See-Throughs shaded this game, but not really by enough to seriously claim to be hard done by not to have score a winner. Indeed Pebblethefish’s side had just one shot in the game, and though that was infinitely more than their opponents, it was hardly many.
Invisible will have to step it up a notch next time out if they want to climb from the seventh place in Division 6:41 that they currently occupy.

Solent Sirens got off to a flyer on the opening weekend and were looking to build on that at annoyingly misspelled outfit Marselle.
The Sirens survived a tricky first-half that saw them outshot three to zip and also lose defender Ragnhild Utstumo to a 7-day injury. The advantage of being level was that Angela Cruchaga put Andrew7610’s side ahead, a lead they were so close to holding on to, Mars striking an equaliser from a direct free-kick in stoppage time.
Witches of Chiswick went to Twin Peaks Owls looking to end their long winless run.
Things started badly for The Bewitched when a 16th minute direct free-kick was blasted past Miyuki Kurihawa, and got worse when when veteran midfielder Kathryn Flinn suffered a career threatening 26-day knock late in the first half.
The second was also one-way traffic, but hope sprung for Wiblflbil’s side up until it was all extinguished by a second Twin Peaks goal in stoppage time.
Solent have claimed third spot in Division 6:41 according to first official league tables. Chiswick, meanwhile, are slumbering down in sixth.

Two sides with opening wins under their belt collided when Menywod Maeshafn took on Empire Of The Sun.
The Welsh led by one at the interval thanks to Ada Westerberg’s strike from a Monalisa Corleone cross. That had been the only shot IsThatcherdeadYet’s charges would muster in the first half, though they were much more liberal in their efforts after the break. Two more strikes came then, Ellinor Lydell heading in a Westerberg cross and finally Corleone getting her moment in the sun when she headed in from Lydell’s corner to make it 3-0 on the night.
A second win on the spin leaves Maeshafn comfortably atop in Division 6:56. They are the only side in their section still boasting a 100% record.

Two sides with opening day wins clashed as Dublin City Womens FC took on Charlton Ladies.
The first half was cautious, with just one shot all 45 minutes. It came from the London side, who found themselves ahead by it. However probably the decisive action of the match took place after 51 minutes when Dublin keeper Kim Arvhage suffered a minor injury, but, following the pre-game instructions from manager Mortal Joe, attempted to solider one with a knock for the rest of the day. This didn’t prove a particularly clever move as within few minutes of Arvhage’s knock, Charlton had made it two.
Rita Cruz pulled one back following a corner after 76 minutes, but that was a mere drop in the ocean of Charlton’s lead.
Defeat didn’t cost Dublin any spots in the Division 6:57 table as they remain in fourth spot.

It feels like there have been a fair few meetings between Csiki Girls and Barca Ladies FC in recent seasons. Not enough though, so here is another!
The Csiki’s looked much the more creative of the teams, forging chances, one of which was taken by Saoirse McInns just before half-time. However one is a narrow lead and with Barca not put to bed the inevitable happened as they equalised against the run of play. ‘No matter’ said Ad Hoc’s girls, ‘We will just get another.’ Which they promptly did, Emelie Gränsmark racing away from the Barca defence to score the clincher after 69 minutes.
Despite the win, Csiki Girls lost a place in the Division 6:62 table to now occupy third. They are one of three sides in this section still in retention of a 100% winning run.

[Sits]

Welcome back delicatemoth, foundation member of the Human League.

[Auntie Beryl]

Yes, welcome back delicatemoth.

[nmrfox]

Wild scenes at Whoft as Fluffopolis secure back to back wins over AFC Harford without conceding a goal and I got manager of the round both times. With the exception of the ever struggling Framley Okapi XI in the Heineken been a good week so far with Sockford Emollient, Flapton Nogley and Ghastly St Michael all winning to be in the top 2 of their respective divisions and Nyth Wobbegong getting a point too in a tough looking fixture in the Brythonnic.

[Sits]

<swiftly becomes supporter of Ted's Wombles>

[Sits]

Today's PR from Lincolnshire Curly Coats in the Golden League sums up a gripping finale for the suids of Baston Fen:

Ravens win give Curlies hope
Lincolnshire Curly Coats' 3-1 win over Blood Ravens combined with Celtic United's unexpected draw with Hanover 96 to allow the Fenland side to edge into top spot on goal difference.

But the battle with their Scottish Div3b title rivals is sure to go all the way to the last minutes of the last match. The two teams' records are almost identical:

LCC: 11-7-3-1 22-6 +16 24
CU: 11-7-3-1 20-5 +15 24

then an eight point gap to Brum in third. Exciting doesn't even begin to describe it.

[Sits]

Meanwhile in the Heineken, cash-strapped Gloucester Old Spots are delighted to receive a saleable youth in 17/4 defender Walerian Zimecki. He has the Mark of Koeman and is valued at 1.6m, every Econ Penny of which we need.

Mind you, whoever buys him is in for an exciting time: he also has Cone, Hulk and Cheat. Oh, and the Sickbag of Dyer.

[Etienne]

Is he on the market yet, Sits. I might have a home for him.

I just had possibly the most dramatic 0-0 I've ever endured in the MLX Cup, featuring a goal apiece disallowed in normal time, me being reduced to 9 players in extra time with a second yellow and an injury but clinging on for penalties. Both teams then scored their first seven kicks (both the players I lost would have been in my first 5) but then both sides missed two in a row. However this meant I was back to my top takers and they had their worst two and their 11th player missed his for a 9-8 win. ZZ are flying the OTF flag in the Cup, so thank goodness we did.

We now have four players out for our next match though.

[Sits]

Yep, here he is Etienne. No bids as yet, add to the SQ Hulk, Cheat, Cone and Sickbag.

Valued at 1.866m as the seller, which by my reckoning is 2.186m to a buyer. But I'll do you a DT for 2m. Or if you prefer, bid now and see how you go. I'll get bids soon though as I always list just above the 10% minimum allowed.

[Sits]

Oh and nice one in the cup.

[Etienne]

Ah, I thought the mark of Koeman meant free kicks rather than hard shot. He's poor compatibility for the team I would like him for, so I will pass. Sorry.

[Sits]

No probs Etienne, someone will buy him. They'd better. Which team was it for, as a matter of interest?

[Kevin S]

Hard shot players are still very good free kick takers FWIW. Take Lester Scyles for example.

[Etienne]

It would have been for Amwythig.

[Janik]

X11 Ladies League matchday 3 report.

Division 2b

Wælcyrie 		2 - 3	Viking South Utsira
Asinga 13', 58'			B.Austrheim 15'
				A.Austrheim 63'
				H.Hovland 78'


Division 4h

Angels of Harlem 	1 - 3	Drakaina
Strand (pen) 78'		Barry 16'
				Winter 18'
				Heggarty 50'


Division 4i

Liverpool FCL 		1 - 2	Coxy Ladies Wulpen
Lyubimtseva 90'			Mahony 47'
				van Sttenberghe 64'


Division 4k

Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC	1 - 1	Arsenalgas
Farisy 69'			Walmesley 17'


Division 5:16

Gazzas Gals 		2 - 0	LNWR Locomotive
Ackland 49'
Holden 58'


Division 6:4

Erbil			4 - 0	Lökene Gård
Besen 15'
Brundin 29'
Hinton 56'
Solaun 70'


Division 6:39

Fire Babes 		2 - 3	Sockford Emollient
Beiriz 48'			Batistuta 12'
Arruda 61'			True 56', 77'


Division 6:41

Invisible Ladies	3 - 1	Monkey Tennis
Crouch 39'			Rogerson (pen) 41'
van der Kwast (pen) 60'
Neves 82'


Division 6:42

Witches of Chiswick	2 - 3	Marselle
Altstrand (pen) 67'		Guignard 29'
Ota 89'				Mäki (pen) 45'
				Kuivikko 80'


Zenit Odenplan Ladies 	1 - 3	Solent Sirens
Jarvário 42'			Högardh 5'
				Cruchaga 70'
				de Beauvoir 82'


Division 6:56

Menywod Maeshafn	0 - 0	Ricipetti F.C


Division 6:57

Harley Quinns		3 - 0	Dublin City Womens FC
Ehlin 8', 61'
Milar 79'


Division 6:62

Csiki Girls		1 - 1	Sekler Femina FC
Smet 42'			Axier (pen) 72'

Historical Norse opposing the mythological in Division 2b as Viking South Utsira traveled to Fólkvangr Field to take on Wælcyrie.
The match between the realms was an extremely lively one, with both happy to attack in search of glory. Chances were exchanged at both ends throughout, and also goals, Wælcyrie taking the lead on 13 minutes only for The Blood Eagles to swoop straight back two minutes later with Birgit Austrheim’s header.
The same pattern repeated around the hour mark, with five minutes between the goals this time and Viking’s coming from Asta rather than Birgit Austrheim (Birgit did register the assist for her sister). What the Blood Eagles needed was to end their opposition, to put them at least to sleep if not the battlefield death that is traditional to get to Fólkvangr. This was something the managed, Heidi Hovland striking in the 78th minute.
That put Velvet Android’s side ahead for the first time, and this time there would be no response. A first three point plunder of the campaign was loaded on to the Long Boat and taken back back across the metaphorical seas to Utsira. It lifts Viking up to third in the table.

Week 3 brought a must win game for Drakaina as they traveled to New York to face an Angels of Harlem side that were alongside The Dragons on zero points from their opening two games.
This was a ‘must win’ rather a huge occasions as the hosts are currently managerless, and Etienne’s side were quick to exploit their lack of preparation with Susanna Barry and Grace Winter striking after 16 and 18 minutes respectively. Former Dublin City player Gael Heggarty added a third on 50 minutes to completely seal the win, with Harlem’s lone response, from the spot after 78 minutes, just a blip on the Greeks fine day.
Victory lifted The Dragons up to fifth in the standings.

Things were a little more fraught for Coxy Ladies Wulpen as their equally important bottom-of-the-table clash came against actively managed Liverpool FCL.
The first goal in matches like this is crucial. Having a high quality free-kick specialist with diva tendencies is definitely a good thing in situations like that, and The Waders Moreen Mahony delivered two minutes after the break. Janik’s charges went further ahead on 64 minutes when Eva van Sttenberghe powered in a header from a corner. Liverpool’s sole response came in the last minute and was no more than a consolation.
Just like with Drakaina, the win lifted Wulpen out of the drop zone and up to fifth in the Division 4i table.

Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC were also looking for a first win against a fellow struggler as they took on Arsenalgas [which is not a pleasant thought].
The first half was basically one-way traffic, Kanjeng have all but one of the chances. Therefore the interval score of 1-0 to the visitors was a complete travesty. Sea Spirits boss SeanoftheShed must have told his players not to panic, they were playing well and the next chance would go in. If he did he was right, as Tia Farisy netted in the 69th minute. Unfortunately that was the only opportunity that either side created after the break, forcing Kanjeng to settle for a draw when they clearly merited rather more.
Fairsy goal did break two ducks for her side, scoring a goal and gaining a point. It wasn’t enough to lift them from the foot of the Division 4k table though.

It’s been a stop-start campaign for LNWR Locomotive so far, which isn’t really what Steam Engines are designed for.
Their latest attempt to build up momentum came at Gazzas Gals, but it never really got out of the siding. The Steamers can point to an early 8-day injury suffered by Taleen Tashdjian as a partial reason for the flat performance, but in truth Viktor Boskovic’s side were being outplayed long before two second-half strikes gave Gazza Gals all the points.
It was a result that saw Locomotive drop a spot to sixth in the Division 5:16 standings.

[Janik]

Erbil were looking to build on two wins from two when they took on Lökene Gård.
The home crowd didn’t have too long to wait for something to cheer, young forward Tülin Besen netting her first in an Erbil shirt after her summer transfer on 15 minutes. Following that, the goals came at regular intervals for Jdsx’s girls, Sandra Brundin making it two after 29, Caroline Hinton adding a third on 56 and Alanza Solaun nodding the fourth and final strike with 70 on the watch.
Erbil’s 100% record is the only one left in Division 6:4, so naturally they are top. The head of the chasing pack sits three points back.

A warm one for Sockford Emollient as they traveled to the Burning Flames to take on Fire Babes.
Sockford found the hosts hard to stamp out, taking the lead twice through Alexia Batistuta in the 12th minute and Lise True in the 56th (both following corners) only to be pegged back each time. The Framleyshire side were well on top in all other terms, so when they went back in front through True’s second of the game with 13 to play that was perfectly inkeeping with the match. And this time Foxy265’s charges held firm to claim the win.
The three points lifted Emollient to second in the Division 6:39 table, just two points adrift of the leaders.

Invisible Ladies were looking to put their patchy start behind them as they welcomed a Monkey Tennis outfit that had won two from two to The San Seethrough.
Invisible were clearly the better side in the first half, dominating possession and chances and taking a deserved lead on 39 minutes through Rachel Crouch. However, just two minutes later, referee Luke Bribe proved he needed glasses as he awarded Monkey Tennis a contentious penalty, which was converted to make the half-time score an unfair 1-1.
Pebblethefish’s troops emerging burning to right their sense of injustice, and were handed the perfect way when Bribe pointed to the Monkey Tennis spot on 60 minutes (a make-up call? Maybe...). Alva van der Kwast took the responsibility and made no mistake. The match was sealed in the last ten minutes when Sofia Neves turned in a third for the hosts.
The win lifted Invisible Ladies up to fifth in the Division 6:41 table.

When X11 decides your luck is out, there doesn’t seem to be anything a manager can do to change things. This is the situation that Witches of Chiswick find themselves in, with their match against Marselle being a case in point.
The Bewitched had more of the ball in the first half, but somehow failed to create an opening whilst their opponents fashioned four, and scored two, the second of which was a penalty in the dying embers. The luck continued to run against Chiswick after the break, Terumi Ota having a goal disallowed and, following Sarah Altstrand pulling one back from the spot on 67 minutes, which was part of a barrage of Witches shots in the period, Marselle restoring their advantage on a rare sortie forwards.
Even an injury to the visiting ‘keeper wasn’t the break it should have been for Wiblflibl’s side as it happened on 87 minutes; the lightly used back-up immediately conceded to Ota, but there wasn’t the time to pepper her goal and get any points.
Solent Sirens were on their travels as they headed to Zenit Odenplan Ladies, a side with a 100% record in the league coming into the game.
This didn’t faze The Sirens in general or Evelyn Högardh in particular as she nodded an opening goal after just five minutes. Zenit equalised towards the end of an even first half, but after the break it was Andrew7610’s side who took control, raining in shots and netting twice more through Angela Cruchaga after 70 and Simone de Beauvoir after 82 minutes, de Beauvoir’s strike being a trademark direct free-kick.
The win lifted Solent over their vanquished foes and into second in the Division 6:42 table, just two points from the summit. Meanwhile Chiswick sit sixth, three points from safety.

Two of last season’s promotion chasers, Menywod Maeshafn and Ricipetti F.C met again at the level they didn’t want to be at this week.
A certain sullenness hung over both sides as the match turned into a stalemate. Maeshafn had what chance (singular) there was, but couldn’t convert. IsThatcherDeadYet also had to cease celebrating when a Simone Kjellberg first half effort was called back.
Despite the draw meaning the first points dropped this season for the Welsh side, they remain top of Division 6:56.

Following a first defeat of the campaign last week, Dublin City Womens FC face a tough one at a Harley Quinns side that had won both their previous matches without conceding a goal.
The chances of MortalJoe’s side getting anything from the day were slim following falling behind in the 8th minute, and just kept getting slimmer as the hosts added a second and then Dublin midfielder Rita Cruz suffered a horror 19-day injury.
Possibly affect by this Dublin shipped a third. The iota of consolation from the day is that in limiting Quinns to three Dublin had kept their opponents to their lowest score of the season to date! Like playing Man City... the loss drops The Dubs to sixth in Division 6:57, but that is a slightly false position as they have played Harley and most of the other sides in the Division have not as yet.

Csiki Girls were looking to keep pace with their fellow 100% sides in Division 6:62 when they took on Sekler Femina FC.
The match proved to be a pretty even contest, though one Csiki Girls would argue they shaded. They certainly led at the break, Floriane Smet turning in Trudy Woozley’s assist on 42 minutes. However Ad hoc’s side were pegged back inside the last 20 minutes, which continued the theme of the week as it came from the penalty spot.
The match stayed level until stoppage time, but in the second minute of that the ball fell kindly for Woozley who finished gleefully. The A kertem crowd erupted... for two seconds until they notice referee Dick Tator was not giving it! So instead of filing out joyfully seconds later, the crowd went home mumbling and grumbling.
The draw didn’t alter the Csiki’s position, they remain third, but they are now two points adrift of the leaders.

[Janik]

Ah yes, it’s the traditional giant killing X11 Official Ladies Cup Round 2 day(s)! All thirteen OTF sides were involved, some looking to topple, others trying to avoid this fate. And others still playing sides from their own tier, which were toss-ups.

Algonquin Park Rangers	0 - 1	Viking South Utsira
				H.Hovland 88'

Viking South Utsira	4 - 2	Algonquin Park Rangers
N.Austrheim 3'			Levet 26'
Fevereiro 24'			Hadlova 71'
Fudida (pen) 85', 92'

VSU win 5-2 on aggregate


Ansvarsfulla Divor	3 - 0	Dublin City Womens FC
Oatway 25'
Dickens 72'
Manuel 76'

Dublin City Womens FC	0 - 0	Ansvarsfulla Divor


Ansvarsfulla win 3-0 on aggregate


Baywatch FC		0 - 0	Drakaina

Drakaina		3 - 1	Baywatch FC
Winter 31', 85'			Schuesmann 64'
Petit 54'
Atum (missed pen) 35'

Drakaina win 3-1 on aggregate


Erbil			1 - 1	Purple FC
Hinton 23'			Tickle 82'

Purple FC		1 - 1	Erbil
McCullough37'		A.E.T.	Brundin 27'

1-1 on aggregate. Erbil win 9-8 on penalties


Great Horned Owls	0 - 0	LNWR Locomotive

LNWR Locomotive		2 - 0	Great Horned Owls
Heart 42'
Vergueiro 84'

Locomotive win 2-0 on aggregate


JK Heitukat		0 - 3	Solent Sirens
				de Beauvoir 18'
Ryder (sent off) 78'		Stieglecker 21'
				Hyeong 42'
				Abbiati (sent off) 56'

Solent Sirens		1 - 0	JK Heitukat
Cruchaga 71'

Solent win 4-0 on aggregate


Invisible Ladies	2 - 0	SAMCRO
Nádasdy 54'
Crouch 64'

SAMCRO			1 - 2	Invisible Ladies
Roarke 55'			Björkgren 76', 83'

Invisible win 4-1 on aggregate


FBC Luja		0 - 0	Sockford Emollient

Sockford Emollient	1 - 0	FBC Luja
Ericson 54'

Sockford win 1-0 on aggregate


Menywod Maeshafn	0 - 2	Danis Ladies
				Louise McCartney (pen) 16'
				Coppinger 56'

Danis Ladies		2 - 1	Menywod Maeshafn
van Hijde (O.G.) 75'		Boye 33'
Ekarna 78'

Danis win 4-1 on aggregate


F.C U Mobitelco		0 - 2	Csiki Girls
				McInns 43'
				Clevan 76'

Csiki Girls		1 - 0	F.C U Mobitelco
Gränsmark 28'

Csiki Girls win 3-0 on aggregate


The Pretty Reckless	2 - 2	Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC
Hirdwall 67'			Dalmiya 17', 34'
Kristoffersson 88'

Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC	1 - 0	The Pretty Reckless
Farisy 82'

Kanjeng win 3-2 on aggregate


Club Ragazze		0 - 2	Witches of Chiswick
				Herrlin 18'
				Ota 67'

Witches of Chiswick	0 - 2	Club Ragazze
			A.E.T.	Buscemi 79'
				Pessotto 85'

2-2 on aggregate. Ragazze win 6-5 on penalties


Royal Ladies FC		0 - 3	Coxy Ladies Wulpen
				van Sttenberghe 37'
				Wostijn 78'
				Kerckhoeven 80'
				Kerckhoeven (sent off) 86'

Coxy Ladies Wulpen	2 - 0	Royal Ladies FC
Vandenbergh 12'
Beyen 44'

Wulpen win 5-0 on aggregate

[Janik]

Viking South Utsira may harbour high ambitions for the Cup this season. They began their campaign Under the Maple Trees [good stadium name!] against Division 6 opposition in Algonquin Park Rangers.
The opening leg in Canada was heavy on Blood Eagles possession, but light on chances. And also on goals. The possibility was growing of a goalless draw in fact, until Heidi Hovland receiving a pass from sister Kristin to blast home a very late winner. So a good day for the Hovland clan, but less so for the Kvalvik’s as the latest player of that production line, midfielder Olivia, was carried off with an injury.
The good news was this was just a seven day knock, and Kvalvik was back on the bench for the return at Ragnar Rock. This looked like being a formality when Nina Austrheim and Magda Fevereiro struck early, on 3 and 24 minutes respectively, to put Viking into a strong 3-0 aggregate lead. However if Velvet Android was expecting an armchair ride from here, he was in for rather a shock as Algonquin boss DonnaGP chose to stake the house on an all-out attacking 3-4-3 formation, which looked like it might pay off when two goals, both rather against the run of play it’s true, pulled the score back to 2-2 on the day and 3-2 on aggregate with around 20 minutes left.
One more Rangers strike would have had them ahead on away goals, but then Manuças Fudida (and referee Al Beback) kicked into gear as The Blood Eagles eked out a cushion again with an 85th minute penalty. Fudida added another in stoppage time to make the final margin look more comfortable than the reality had been.
Next up for The Blood Eagles are a quasi national team, Ykraina, who ply their trade in Division 5:31. The first leg is at the Olyimpiyskiy in Kiev.

With promotion the main aim for Dublin City Womens FC, would the Cup matches against Ansvarsfulla Divor, who operate a Division higher than the Phoenix Park outfit, prove a welcome diversion was an annoying distraction?
The evidence of the opening leg was that it wasn’t something the Dublin players particularly cared about as they turned in a truly flat performance. Mortal Joe’s side didn’t manage a single shot in the match, whilst the hosts not only fashioned six, but also converted three.
The return was in Ireland as Dublin had the higher seeding despite their lower league standing. An early goal was essential in any attempt to overturn the large opening leg deficit, and Dublin did at least manage a shot in the first half. But just the one, and it didn’t register. Apparently that counted as enough, with no more home attempts logged after the interval as The Dubs exited the tournament with rather a whimper.

Drakaina found themselves even more the good guys (dolls?) than usual as they took on Division 6 side Baywatch FCFFS [my embellishment].
The opening leg saw The Dragons hold the vast majority of the ball but without particular cutting edge. In fact Etienne’s side managed just one shot from their 60% possession across the piece. Maybe they would have been more threatening if they had played with 11 fit players throughout, rather than dropping to 10 just past the hour when Sandrine Petit was forced to departed with a 7-day injury, and that being cut further to 9.5 with twenty to play after Elena Gitsis picked up a niggle. Indeed, given this, Drakaina did well to avoid defeat in the opener.
Once back home in Delphi and also back to full strength playing numbers it was a different story, Grace Winter putting the Greeks ahead on 31 minutes. They had a chance to extend that advantage four minutes later when Sten Koll pointed to the spot, but Silvia Atum blew the chance. No matter, a few minutes into the second period and Petit was not only back to full fitness but also back in amongst the goals, heading home a corner.
Two up sounds a good lead, but following the away draw one back was going to really open up the game, which is precisely what the visitors managed on 64 minutes. That opened a ‘stick or twist’ question for The Dragons. They went with twist, which earned them a less tense last five minutes plus stoppages when Winter nodded home her second.
Victory takes The Dragons through to a Round 3 meeting with Division 5:28 outfit Transmontanas Babes. Second leg at Delphi.

A new Cup tradition (oxymoron) is what Erbil offer. Our first peer in that them was not exactly an easy tie, as they had been paired with Purple FC, who, as a Division 4b side, operated two levels higher than Jdsx’s charges.
The opening leg at the Erbil Arena was a case of taking turns. First Purple suffered an injury, then the same for Erbil as Mellissa James was carried away with a 13-day issue. Also a card a piece. And finally, a goal for each, Caroline Hinton putting the hosts in front only for Purple’s Tess Tickle to nod a leveller that they probably merited. Both Hinton and Tickle had come on as subs for the badly seriously players, Hinton scoring within three minutes of joining the fray.
A one-all home draw meant that Erbil had to score in the return game, an issue that got dealt with inside half-an-hour when Sandra Brundin fizzed a direct free-kick into the bottom corner. However, in keeping with the tie Purple swiftly responded to makes things absolutely all-square on aggregate. That was how it stayed through the rest of normal time and all of the extra half hour, with each side having few chances.
That meant penalties, and early on we had a symmetry break when Brundin missed an Purple didn’t However this was just setting up a wider mirror between the first and third penalties as on that it was Purple’s turn to miss and Erbil’s to score. And then we were back to tit-for-tat, with 13 consecutive spot-kicks converted to take the score to 8-all. Both teams nominated their ‘keeper for penalty no.10, with Purple going first and Piper Everett seeing her effort saved by Ella Sahlström. The ‘keepers then switched positions, and outcomes as Sahlström scored to send Erbil through to Round 3, where they will meet Independiente of Division 5:3, with the first leg being held in Kurdistan.

A familiar name fallen on sadly hard times was who LNWR Locomotive encountered as they ran into Great Horned Owls, who now operate in the bottom tier.
The opening leg at the Tongass Forest Stadium was a pretty open and evenly balanced affair. The Steamers had more of the ball in each half, but slightly fewer of the chances. Despite the seven opportunities, there were no goals however.
Does a nil-nil away draw make the home side the favourites for the return, or does it aid the away side most? There is surely a bias toward home teams in the overall stats, but whether this is compensated for by any away strike meaning the hosts must win on aggregate or go out on away goals is a subject for anyone who can be bothered to study. What it did mean was that Phrigit Heart’s go ahead goal on 42 minutes managed the weird trick of putting Viktor Boskovic’s team in front in the tie, whilst still leaving them just one goal conceded from elimination! It needed a second from Adozinda Vergueiro to make things safe, this arriving after 84 minutes.
The Steamers next challenge will be ZFK Nase Taksi of Division 5:28, with the first leg away from Wales.

A fellow Division 6 side awaited Solent Sirens, but a zombiefied one as they took on JK Heitukat.
The opening half of the first leg was pretty well perfection from Andrew7610’s outfit as they struck on 18 and 21 minutes through Simone de Beauvoir’s speciality free-kick and Marlene Stieglecker close-range strike. When Jin-Ae Hyeong added a third from range before the interval, that should have been enough for The Sirens, who will have wanted to close out the game quietly.
They reckoned without referee Frank Redkard in that, though. He had already disallowed a home strike prior to Geovana Abbiati hurling herself into a 56th minute ‘tackle’. Abbiati received her marching orders for this (straight red) but any advantage the hosts might have accrued disappeared when Jackie Ryder, possibly still fuming about Abbiati’s challenge, collected two yellows in five minutes to also be getting first run at the showers.
The return at Mayfield Park was a rather more placid affair, Solent keeping a tight rein on things at the back (they didn’t allow so much as a shot) and Angela Cruchaga nodding the games only after 71 minutes. Stronger opponents await in the next game as Solent have landed the Wenches of Doom from Division 3C. Despite the large gap in status, The Sirens are the higher seeds, meaning it’s leg one away and a conclusion at Mayfield Park.