World Soccer - UK (2019-10)

a bad start, with a 3-3 draw in Belgium

and a 2-1 defeat in Norway. Between

those games manager Phil Neville raised

eyebrows when he said: “I have a vision

that nobody else has. I’ve got bravery

that no other coach has probably had.

So, do you know what? Thank your lucky

stars I’m here. I’m here to stay.”

In print his words seem arrogant

but his behaviour around England

does not reflect that. Nevertheless,

they have added to the focus on his

own performance – on which the

jury is still to deliver a verdict and will

probably remain out until Euro 2021.

QUALIFYING Aug 26, 2019-Sep 22, 2020

PLAY-OFFS Oct 19-27, 2020

FINALS DRAW Jan 22, 2021

FINALS STARTS Jul 11, 2021

FINAL Aug 1, 2021

EURO 2021 KEY DATES

BIG OPENING WEEKEND CROWDS

The UK attendance record for a

domestic league match was shattered

when 31,213 mostly paying spectators

attended the first Manchester derby of

the professional era held at the Etihad.

City beat United 1-0 to open the

new FA WSL season. The following day

24,564 claimed free tickets to watch

Chelsea beat Tottenham 1-0.

BARCA THRASH REAL – BUT

NOT THE REAL REAL

The new Real Madrid women’s team

made the worst possible start to life,

beaten 9-0 by Barcelona.

But, confusingly for historians, this

was not the first clásico femenino as the

Real team – though owned and funded

by Real, wearing all white and playing

at Real’s training ground – are still

known as CD Tacon.

The game at the 6,000-capacity

Estadi Johan Cruyff drew 5,413 – which

is double the gates being attracted at

the ground by Barcelona B in the men’s

third tier.

COURAGE HIT THORNS

AND PRIDE FOR SIX

A remarkable 6-0 victory for North

Carolina Courage, stunning 17,517

Portland Thorns fans at Providence

Park, put the reigning NWSL

champions on course to successfully

defend their regular-season title.

Courage, for whom Lynn Williams

scored a hat-trick, followed up that

victory with a 6-1 win over Orlando

Pride three days later.

RACIST ROYALS FAN BANNED

A fan who racially abused Thorns US

international goalkeeper Adrianna

Franch at Utah Royals was banned from

all matches in the National Women’s

Soccer League after being identified by

the club. The fan was reported by other

spectators to have used the n-word.

JUVENTUS OUT BUT LYON START

DEFENCE IN STYLE

The heavyweight tie in the Women’s

Champions League round of 32 was

won by Barcelona, knocking out

Juventus 4-1 on aggregate. It was an

easier start for Lyon, who began their

defence with a 16-0 aggregate win

over Russian champions Ryazan-VDC.

Wolfsburg put 15 past Mitrovica, of

Kosovo, and Manchester City defeated

Lugano 11-1. Bayern Munich, however,

needed away goals in order to beat

Kopparbergs/Goteborg.

Finals venue...Leigh
Sports Village

Big win...

Barcelona’s

Aitana Bonmati

Record...the Manchester derby

Hat-trick...Lynn

Williams (right)