On a weekend in which the latest international break in the men’s game allowed the Women’s Super League extra focus, the number of officiating errors was stark.
This was Women’s Football Weekend, with five of the six matches played being held at the home club’s main stadium, but the quality of decision-making from the referees and their assistants was far from the level expected.
For starters, there were big offside calls that went the wrong way in every game involving one of the top three.
Manchester City’s opener against Manchester United was allowed despite Bunny Shaw clearly coming back from an offside position to be involved in the build-up, West Ham United had a legitimate equaliser against Chelsea ruled out and Arsenal’s late, clinching third goal in a 3-1 away win against Aston Villa stood despite striker Stina Blackstenius being both offside and handling the ball.
Refereeing has long been a contentious topic in the WSL, with its match officials still not being full-time professionals. Managers, including Chelsea’s Emma Hayes, have called for the introduction of VAR in the past but there are complications involved in bringing it into the league based on costs and the quality of the grounds used most often by teams.
Chelsea, for example, did have a trial run with VAR at Kingsmeadow, the venue for the majority of their women’s team and academy fixtures and formerly home to lower-league men’s sides AFC Wimbledon and Kingstonian, in a pre-season game against Roma last September, but they are in the rare position of actually owning their second stadium.
West Ham coach Rehanne Skinner was firm in her frustration at the issues after her side lost 2-0 at home against Hayes’ Chelsea on Sunday. Her side had several good opportunities against visitors bidding to return to the top of the table and would have been deserving of their equaliser — had it been given.
“Apologies after the game don’t change the outcome,” Skinner said. “Ultimately, the referees still aren’t professional, so they’re not actually in a situation where they are solely focusing on these games. I think that has got to change.”
Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner had a similar reaction to his team’s opening concession in a 3-1 defeat against City the previous day.
“In a derby, (the goal) swings the whole game,” he said. “Where technology can be used to benefit the game, I think it should be used. I think today it would have made a big difference in the game if we didn’t concede that goal — it shouldn’t have stood.”
Skinner was left raging at Man City’s derby opener (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
His annoyance was somewhat less compelling given his side were 3-0 down a minute into the second half at the Etihad Stadium, but City’s opening goal on 37 minutes did knock the wind out of a United side who had made a positive start.
All of the wrong decisions in combination were a reminder of how much progress could still be made in the WSL. Obviously, refereeing controversies are not unique to this league but the nature of them felt particularly striking.
While a decision to bring in VAR may be debatable, at a minimum, it is clear that making referees professional should be a priority for NewCo when they take over the WSL at the end of this season.
What you might have missed
Newcastle United hoped to win a first piece of club silverware since the 1954-55 men’s FA Cup on Saturday as they played in the Women’s National League Cup at Premier League Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road.
The only fully professional team in the competition and leading the third-tier National League North by 12 points, Newcastle went into the final as heavy favourites. But Hashtag United, of the equivalent National League South, came from a goal down for a shock 2-1 win.
Essex-based Hashtag are notable for having been formed in 2016 by YouTuber Spencer Carmichael-Brown, and their women’s team have been on an impressive rise given they are also second in their league after only being promoted from Division One last summer. Goals from Macey Nicholls and Phoebe Williams secured the trophy.
Player of the week
Riko Ueki was deeply unlucky to be on the losing side for West Ham against Chelsea as she once again proved to be a nuisance for the WSL champions’ defence.
The 24-year-old Japan international striker had caused Jess Carter plenty of problems when the teams met in the FA Cup fourth round in January, when holders Chelsea fell behind and needed extra time to win 3-1 at Kingsmeadow. The same situation occurred at Victoria Road on Sunday, as Ueki had a goal wrongly disallowed for offside as well as hitting the crossbar. Her tenacity was further demonstrated by the fact she won the most duels in the match (nine).
It was only when Chelsea brought Erin Cuthbert on 55 minutes to strengthen their midfield and limit Ueki’s service in the second half that she quietened down.
West Ham’s Ueki shone in defeat to Chelsea (John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Goal of the week
It was iconic for all the wrong reasons.
With Arsenal leading 2-1 against Villa on 86 minutes, Blackstenius raced through on goal from an offside position.
The 28-year-old Sweden striker has a reputation for slapstick moments and this was to prove no different. In the lead-up to taking her shot, Blackstenius slipped but quickly recovered by using her arm to keep control of the ball before getting up and shooting through the legs of goalkeeper Anna Leat.
It was a comedic end to a match that had already been delayed by 45 minutes due to Arsenal getting stuck in traffic on their way up to Birmingham, making it two delays in as many weekends for them after the socks issue at Chelsea.
With Villa 1-0 up at half-time, it looked like most of the Arsenal team had actually stayed on the bus, but a much improved second-half performance gave them a deserved win, even if they sealed it in a rather unorthodox manner.
Moment of the week
United’s defeat in the Manchester derby was problematic for more reasons than pride.
In combination with Liverpool’s goalless draw with Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, it meant that Marc Skinner’s side slipped to fifth in the table. Matt Beard’s Liverpool have been doggedly on their tails all season, with the weekend’s results finally moving them a point above United.
Beard might be frustrated that his side couldn’t make the gap a bit larger as they failed to score against their Merseyside rivals in a match of few chances. Skinner meanwhile might hope United’s kinder run-in spares him some blushes when the final tallies are considered. But there is no doubt that under his management, United have found themselves back in the ‘rest’ rather than being among the ‘best’.
Elsewhere in Europe
The international break meant there were plenty of showpiece fixtures across Europe.
Barcelona once again dominated El Clasico against Real Madrid, winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Fridolina Rolfo, Aitana Bonmati and Caroline Graham Hansen. The result means the aggregate scoreline between the two clubs’ women’s sides now stands at 64-7 to Barcelona since Madrid started their team in 2020. Graham Hansen continued her astonishing season to take her goals tally up to 26 in 29 appearances in all competitions. That is impressive enough without adding the 25 assists she has also managed.
There was also a lopsided win at the top of the Bundesliga table as Bayern Munich beat Wolfsburg 4-0 to all but secure the title. Pernille Harder, Jovana Damnjanovic, Lea Schuller and Georgia Stanway all scored in the second half, after Wolfsburg had spurned some good chances earlier in the match. It means Bayern are seven points clear of second-placed Wolfsburg with five games to go.
What’s coming next
The second legs of the Champions League quarter-finals take place this week, with three of the four ties having a one-goal margin at ‘half-time’.
All four away teams, the group winners, have the lead, but only Chelsea managed to seemingly put their tie to bed by beating Ajax 3-0 in Amsterdam. Benfica, Hacken and Brann will be hoping they might be able to pull off a surprise as they head to Lyon, Paris Saint-Germain and holders Barcelona respectively.
Next Sunday, someone will pick up the first piece of women’s silverware in England this season as Chelsea and Arsenal head to Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux to contest the Continental Cup final for the second year in a row.
(Top photo of Stina Blackstenius: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
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