Toone turns Man United around; Bayern edge cup semi; Atléti stake case

Arsenal beat Chelsea within the Conti Cup remaining, whereas Manchester City took benefit to go prime within the Women’s Super League. Elsewhere in Europe, Bayern Munich arrange a DfB Pokal remaining towards Wolfsburg and Atlético Madrid pushed for a Champions League spot in Spain, regardless of a poor efficiency.

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Toone turns issues round for Man United

Everton took a shock early lead towards Manchester United by Katja Snoeijs, however have been unable to carry on to it within the second half as they got here away with a 4-1 loss due to a brace from Ella Toone.

Three objectives in eight minutes turned the tide — one from Millie Turner, then a double from Toone — earlier than Leah Galton put some gloss on the scoreline late on to place United again on observe after their 3-1 drubbing to native rivals Manchester City final week.

Toone, 24, is already United Women’s all-time prime aim scorer and her brace introduced up No. 50 and No. 51 in her tally.

United have now scored 16 objectives towards Everton this season (a 5-0 away win in WSL and a 7-0 thrashing within the League Cup), and took benefit of Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester City return to fourth place within the desk. But they will need to tighten issues up in the event that they need to keep there come the top of the season. — Emily Keogh

Blackstenius is a big-game participant

On a weekend when in-form Manchester City beat Liverpool 4-1 to take over on the prime of the WSL from Chelsea with a recreation in hand, Arsenal defeated the Blues 1-0 within the Conti Cup remaining to compound their distress on Sunday.

The London sides appeared to be headed for penalties throughout an emotion-filled afternoon, after Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum collapsed off the ball and was stretchered off the pitch, however Stina Blackstenius confirmed how a lot she has change into a participant for the large moments as she struck a winner within the one hundred and fifteenth minute.

Blackstenius scored Arsenal’s first aim in final yr’s remaining because the Gunners went on to seal a 3-1 win over Chelsea, and she or he netted a hat trick within the semifinal towards Aston Villa to e-book their place within the remaining this time round. Having spent a lot of this marketing campaign on the bench, the Sweden worldwide has developed a knack for scoring late winners and her sixteenth aim in all competitions this season helped add silverware to the membership’s cupboard for the second yr in a row. — EK

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How Arsenal took the Conti Cup title after ‘stalemate’ vs. Chelsea

Sophie Lawson reacts to Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea to take the Conti Cup crown for the second yr operating.

Aston Villa fail to provide the magic at house

Aston Villa have one of many worst house data within the WSL this marketing campaign. In 9 league video games, Carla Ward’s aspect have managed just one win and two attracts — the latest coming in a 2-2 draw towards Leicester City this weekend as Rachel Daly salvaged a degree within the seventy fifth minute.

Indeed, Villa haven’t received at house since they beat Brighton 1-0 in December, and their final level there got here towards Bristol City following a 2-2 attract February.

Last season, Villa managed 4 wins and two attracts at house, utilizing the house crowd and momentum to propel them right into a fifth-placed end. But with solely two house video games left, towards West Ham and Manchester City, Villa are operating out of alternatives to overturn their dismal report. — EK

Paris FC verify Montpellier’s fall from grace

It wasn’t so way back that Montpellier have been the default third-best crew in France, behind Lyon and PSG. But, after a protracted interval of disappointing soccer and questionable teaching, La Paillade discover themselves confined to midtable ignominy.

Montpellier’s capacity to signal proficient gamers has been a continuing through the years, however the items have refused to come back collectively for a while as they sit sixth. Friday night time’s 3-0 defeat to Paris FC confirmed Montpellier’s fall (in addition to their opponents’ place as third-best aspect) as Kessya Bussy’s brace both aspect of a Clara Matéo strike proved greater than sufficient for the hosts, who discovered little resistance.

The introduction of a playoff system to resolve the title winner within the French Division 1 Féminine this season will give groups like Paris FC a little bit extra hope going by the season — with the 15-point deficit to leaders Lyon counting for little on the finish of the day. But for Montpellier, who’ve been eclipsed by groups like Paris FC and Stade de Reims lately, you must marvel if they may ever get again amongst France’s elite. — Sophie Lawson

Bayern’s DfB Pokal semifinal win carries an air of inevitability

With a penalty shootout win over Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich arrange yet one more assembly with rivals Wolfsburg as the highest two golf equipment in Germany continued to dominate. Although their cup showdowns have routinely been within the semi and quarterfinals, the final time Bayern have been knocked out by any crew aside from Wolfsburg was throughout the 2015-16 season when Sand did it.

Bayern’s annual Pokal assembly with Wolfsburg is one thing you may set your watch by, and never even a gritty efficiency from Eintracht may cease that.

Having solely simply confronted Bayern within the league — a 2-1 loss at house — Eintracht went a aim down early on after Georgia Stanway fired house from the spot. But they equalised in gorgeous vogue when Géraldine Reuteler ripped a belter throughout the field and into Mala Grohs’ aim.

All sq. after 120 minutes, it was an in depth run factor as Eintracht solely fell on the final hurdle, with Grohs denying each Lara Freigang and Lara Prašnikar throughout the shootout. — SL

Atlético stake a declare however fail to impress

At house to mid-table Valencia, fourth-placed Atlético Madrid ought to have been in a position to flex their muscular tissues and make an actual case for why they’re one of many groups combating for Spain’s third and remaining Champions League berth.

Yet the hosts have been largely insipid in a 1-0 win that noticed them saved on the backfoot throughout a lot of the first half. Rasheedat Ajibade’s aim simply earlier than the break settled the tie, however the efficiency was a great distance off Champions League high quality.

Atletico did managed to capitalise on defeats for third-placed Levante [5-0 to Barcelona] and fifth-placed Madrid CFF [2-0 to Granada] to maintain issues tight in Liga F behind Real Madrid. And, given it was Arturo Ruíz’s first recreation in cost — having simply taken over from Manolo Cano — the consequence could have been extra necessary than the efficiency.

But Ruíz is Atleti’s sixth coach since 2019 and simply seems like the subsequent part-time resolution earlier than the Colchoneras transfer on to the subsequent. Although the current instillation of a brand new sporting director — Patricia González, who joined straight from FIFA — speaks to a brand new period for the previous champions, the modifications might want to run far deeper than only a new coach. — SL

Does each recreation really matter in Italy?

There is a strong thought behind the second half of the Serie A season: when it splits into two mini-leagues to resolve each European spots and relegation. It is not distinctive to Italy, and even ladies’s soccer, however is meant to provide every remaining recreation extra weight. In principle, the thought is a robust one; in apply — at the very least proper now — the established order refuses to be upset.

On the face of it, Napoli (who’re headed for a relegation playoff) clinching a 2-0 victory over Sampdoria was an upset and a trigger for celebration, however the Tartarughine are nonetheless 12 factors adrift of the subsequent crew above them: Como.

Likewise, Inter’s 2-1 defeat at house to leaders Roma was a robust efficiency and the hosts in all probability did not need to lose. But with fourth-placed Inter sitting 17 factors off prime spot, (with Roma 10 factors away from Juventus in second), Roma’s march to the title appears inevitable.

With a little bit extra parity throughout the 2 mini-leagues, there may but be extra room for drama and jeopardy. But, as it’s, it has been clear all season who’s on the prime and backside. — SL