USA PLAYERS SUE FEDERATION
American players marked International
Women’s Day by filing a class-action
lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation
alleging gender discrimination and
calling for equal pay. The USA women’s
team, uniquely, is not only more
successful than the national men’s team
but also generates similar revenues.MILICIC TO LEAD MATILDAS
Former Socceroo Ante Milicic will
take Australia to this summer’s World
Cup on an interim appointment
following the shock sacking of Alen
Stajcic. Milicic, who has been working
for the Australian federation on the
men’s side since 2014, made a good
start as the Matildas hosted and won
the Cup of Nations, ahead of South
Korea, New Zealand and Argentina.VAR FOR WORLD CUP
FIFA is planning to use video assistant
referees at the World Cup after trials
at a boys’ tournament in Qatar using
female officials this summer. VAR
has not previously been used in the
women’s game and is likely to be
adjudicated by men, though the
on-pitch officials will be female.ENGLAND, NORWAY AND NORTH
KOREA WIN
England lifted the prestigious
SheBelieves Cup – their first success
in four attempts – by defeating Japan
and Brazil, and drawing with hosts USA.
The Algarve Cup was won by Norway,
still without Ada Hegerberg, who beat
Poland 3-0 in the Final.
In the Cyprus Cup, North Korea –
who were banned from this year’s
World Cup – beat Italy on penalties
after a 3-3 draw during which they
were reduced to nine players.FAST START FOR VOSS-
TECKLENBURG
Germany enjoyed a winning start under
new coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg,
with an impressive 1-0 victory over
France in Laval. France had won their
previous eight matches including
inflicting the first loss for 18 months
on the United States in January.KOREAS CONSIDER JOINT BID
FOR 2023
North and South Korea revealed plans
to make a joint bid to host the 2023
Women’s World Cup. Other candidates
are Australia, Japan, New Zealand and
South Africa.SYDNEY ON TOP DOWN UNDER
Sydney won Australia’s W-League Grand
Final, beating Perth Glory 4-2 with
two goals from American Savannah
McCaskill. In the semi-finals, Perth
had defeated regular-season winners
Melbourne Victory by the same score,
with Sam Kerr scoring a hat-trick.the club and other parents and appear
to consider the matter closed. Burke has
considerable experience in youth football,
including coaching the daughter of
Spirit’s majority owner Steve Baldwin.
Also under the microscope are
Sky Blue, who faced severe criticism
last season for providing inadequate
facilities for players, both in terms of
accommodation, transport and training.
Promised upgrades came too late for
draft picks Hailie Mace and Julia Ashley,
who chose to play abroad rather than for
the New Jersey club, while many fans are
waiting to see what is actually delivered.
Much work is also required on the pitch,
given the only victory of 2018 was in the
final week.
Like other women’s leagues, the
NWSL will hope for a Women’s World
Cup bounce, especially if the US team
live up to their billing of favourites.
Attendances are growing, with the
6,000-plus average in 2018 more than
40 per cent up on the inaugural 2013
campaign. That aids the chances of
a 2020 expansion team returning
the league to 10 clubs. A club in Los
Angeles, possibly with the involvement
of Barcelona, remains favourite.Round-up
WORLD SOCCERWORLD SOCCER 5959New signing...Marta
Final...England’s Beth Mead
scores against JapanChampions...SydneyGood start...
Martina Voss-
Tecklenburg