The Guardian's Women's Football Weekly - Chelsea crowned League Cup champions again – Women’s Football Weekly

Episode Date: March 17, 2026

Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzy Wrack, Sophie Downey and Ayisha Gulati to discuss Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Manchester United at Ashton Gate, the weekend’s WSL results, and all the latest from the Asian Cup

This is The Guardian. Hello, I'm Faker others and welcome to the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. Death, Taxes and Chelsea Women winning trophies has normal service resumed. We'll review the League Cup final as two England stars shine bright. The Barclays WSL returned with a relegation six-pointer and a shock at the top of the table. And with the semi-finalist set, we'll catch up on the latest from the Asian Cup. All that, plus we'll take your questions and that's today's Guardian Women's Football Weekly. What's a panel we have today.

Susie Rack, good morning. Hello. Good to be back again. I know, it feels like Tuesday all the time, which is great. If you like the pod, if you don't, A, why have you downloaded us and B, go away? No, I'm joking. No, come back. Come back.

What are you doing? That's true. That's a very mean way to start the pod. Sophie Downey, how are you? I'm good. I'm trying to get over the fact that we had a fake spring, and now it's back to being called again. Yep, your bubble hats. are back on. It's the wind. I feel like I'm turning into my nan. Ooh, it's bitter out here,

isn't it? Aisha Galati, how are you? I'm very well. Thank you, Faye. I think you need to update it to death taxes. Chelsea winning another trophy and everyone listening to the Guardian Women's Football Weekly on a Tuesday. There you go. I like that much better. Thank you very much. That is where we're going to start, the Subway League Cup final because Chelsea are League Cup champions again. Sonia Bon Pastors side picked up the first silverware of the season. and successfully defending their title. It was a 2-0 win over Manchester United at Ashton Gate in the end, Lauren James and Aggie Beaver Jones securing the victory.

And that was the opening line of Susie Rack's match report, death taxes and Chelsea women winning trophies. Was it ever really in doubt, Suze? I mean, yes. I think most people before kickoff were a little bit unsure about where this game was going to go, given that matches between these two sides are increasingly tight. Chelsea haven't had, by their standards, the strongest of seasons. Obviously, the league title was all but wrapped up by Man City, barring, complete and utter collapse.

So it did feel like this one was maybe a little bit more on a knife edge than they ever have been when Chelsea go into any cup final. But at the same time, there's just a inevitability to Chelsea and trophies that you just can never, ever, bet against. They are so experienced in those situations and so comfortable and confident with the pressure that comes with that. And it was a hugely impressive performance, particularly defensively. Yeah, so much to lift their season going into a really critical part of it in in all competitions. This leads on nicely actually to this email that we've had in from Jess. Women's Football Weekly. I'm a fan of Chelsea from the States and I have a question. I'm very confused as to why the media portrays this season as underwhelming or a failure

when the only thing different from last season is our place in the league table. They've now won the League Cup for a fourth time. They're still in the Champions League and FA Cup competitions and still in a position to finish top two in the league. I understand we haven't scored as many goals and maybe given up some more, but we've also had an injury riddled side for a loss of it. And only in our second season with a relatively all-new coach. staff. I believe because Chelsea has won the league six years in a row. We're very quick to call a season underwhelming because we're not used to them not being in first. Sure, I would love another league title, but I'd give that up if it means we win the Champions League and two other

cups to go with it. Do you think the media is more harsh on Chelsea because we're not used to them losing? Love this podcast and can't wait to hear your thoughts. Thank you very much to you, Jess. I really appreciate it. Does this win silence? some of the doubters. Do you think so? I think actually a lot of our media has been quite, you know, understanding of the situation at Chelsea. Yes, there's always going to be headlines when Chelsea start losing games and when Manchester City open up a nine-point gap at the top of the table is just a very new situation that hasn't happened for a number of years in the Barclays WSEL. So we're going to be talking about it. But I think there is a general

understanding that the league is getting tighter. Teams are getting better across the ball. Manchester City have improved this season, as have other teams across like Arsenal and Manchester United. But I think at the end of the day, Chelsea are a very successful football team in this country. Coming away without a trophy would have been a problem, I think, a big problem. Now they've got that one under their belt. They can move on into a really important month with the FA Cup quarterfinals and of course the big champions of quarterfinals against Arsenal. That one really is crucial. I think actually we've been much kinder to Sonia Bonpastor than a lot of fans have, including Chelsea fans this season.

I think we've had quite a lot of understanding of the position that she's been in, of the success that she had last season, the job that she's done, obviously critical of performances when they've not been good, which I think that's the issue for me is that there have been mixed performances. I think we expected that coming into this season, with it being the end of Sonia's first full season, a full kind of build up to the new campaign, a summer transfer window.

We sort of expected them to kick on rather than stagnate a little bit and I think the problem is Chelsea have set the bar high and so we expect a certain standard from them but they haven't met that standard this season. Let's talk about the game itself, Aisha, because Chelsea made a fast start.

They had 76% possession in the first 20 minutes got their goal from Lauren James as a result but actually Sonja Bonpastour was most pleased with their defensive performance and she's reverted back to a back four more regularly recently, which I'm wondering is part of their game that's improved the most, particularly given the injury problems that they've had in that area as well. Yeah, definitely.

And I know it was a 2-0 result, but compare that to the FA Cup final last year, which was 3-0. And that was, you know, you would say Chelsea dominated United weren't really in that game. and I don't mean that was the case with this game. United really did have their chances, and that was where Chelsea's defence really came into their own, because United were pressured to take shots early than they wanted to,

not quite work the space in the way they wanted to, and ultimately be quite wasteful with their chances in a way that Chelsea weren't. And I think that is that clinical edge that we've been talking about, what champions do, what people who know how to win finals do, took those moments. I know it was a Dominique Jansen error for that first goal, but the way Lauren James pounced on it and just finished it, you kind of wonder actually if Chelsea had made that error,

would United have been able to do that in the same way, you know, finish it off like that. And even with that Aggie goal, she was just a bit stronger. She just wanted it a little bit more. But yeah, Chelsea's defence was really impressive. And I think it's really important to shout out Veila Berman because she's young. And we talk about some of the players having the experience.

and knowing how to, you know, the Chelsea way and all of those things. And she was so solid at the back and really deserves a shout out because a huge part of Chelsea success at the weekend was because of her. But they all really played their part and kind of just knew where they were meant to be covered for each other. Yeah, it was a really impressive performance at the back as well. And of course, just being clinical when it came to taking both of those chances they had. They They both had the same number of shots, both teams. So, yeah, United just needed to be better. I know Mark Skinner mentioned that comment of rubbish goals, which raised a few eyebrows.

I kind of know what he means in the sense that he was obviously very disappointed with the way United conceded. And it wasn't like they're really well-worked Chelsea goals. It just really was that, those moments of being able to finish. Yeah, we'll talk about those comments in a minute. it, but, you know, talking about the defence being solid and covering for each other, you know, up front, they just sparkled, didn't they? But Lauren James in particular, she had a roaming role and Sonia Bonpastor praised her for being one of the best in the world. When she can stay clear of injury, that is the key phrase there.

What did you make of her performance, Sof? And, you know, we talk a lot about her as being a world-class talent, but are the injury issues standing in the way of her? being truly considered one of the best in the world? I think so. Until she can start finding that kind of consistency and perform regularly in leagues and, you know, in competitions, then there's always going to be an issue for, we know her raw talent, right? We all know what Lauren James can do. We saw it on Sunday at Ashton Gate, the kind of ability.

She's best when she's allowed to float in Rome. And when she has the board of the feet, there's such joy when she plays. She makes it look so easy. and I think we're starting to see her back to her very best now. But you've got to remember that just before the international break, that was her first against Liverpool, that was her first 90 minutes of the season. So it has been a long time coming.

She missed a huge sway for the season. So it is understandable why she's not yet considered amongst the awards as such because she just doesn't get that consistency. That is the next level for her. When she can start performing week in, week out, keep the injuries of bay, which had been a big problem for her,

then there's no ceiling to where Lauren James can get to. She is like she's got everything at her disposal. It's just trying to keep fit, trying to keep consistent. Yeah, good run for her this week as well in terms of her contract, a new one running until 2030. Special afternoon as well for Aggie Beaver Jones, Susie, her return to Bristol and she comes off the bench, scores with an instinctive finish.

And actually, to flip what's been going on with Lauren James, She's actually not had the easiest few months, Aggie Beaver Jones, has she, and spoke afterwards about rediscovering her flow. Could this be the moment that maybe sparks her season into life? I mean, you hope so, because Chelsea needs an informed centre forward. I think that's what they've been struggling with,

with a little bit of late. The fact that she's not scored since, I think, December is a big blow and, you know, obviously had a couple of injuries that have sort of kept her out, both towards the start of the year and then more recently. So to come back in in this way after sort of being very on and off, you know, we're talking 18 minutes of a match

out for the next match with an injury, eight minutes of a match on the bench for the next match, 18 minutes of a match on the bench for the next match. And then she gets 45 minutes and gets a goal. And I think that is an important starting point to being able to build up some kind of rhythm and you just hope that the fitness is there for her to be able to get some

back-to-back games, some back-to-back minutes and enough minutes to be able to like really have a say on the end of their season. Because yeah, like I say, I mean, it's rare that you kind of look at a top scorer table and see Chelsea best goal scorer 10th on that list. And that's Alyssa Thompson with six goals this season in the league. So that's a really, really tricky situation for them. The defensive performance was obviously phenomenal, as we discussed, but the key moving forward is finding that attacking rhythm, which obviously having a fully fit Lauren James and a fully fit, Agie Beaver Jones would go a long way to helping solve.

Yeah, you know, Manchester United actually have a similar issue, Aisha, because they created pretty good chances in the first half, but didn't really find any bite about them in the second. They had Fridolina Rolfo and Leah Shula on the bench, but where did it ultimately go wrong for them? Melvin Mallard started really brightly this season and in terms of her scoring, you know, was scoring pretty much every game.

And Elizabeth Turland has had some really good games as well in terms of her goals scoring. And it just felt like they didn't have those same opportunities against a well-drilled Chelsea. Turland hit the crossbar, but that was kind of fairly long-range shot. I think Ellen Van Goghime as well, she's been pretty good since joining.

She missed a golden opportunity. I guess that comes to those fine margins in a game like this, in a game like the final. They did create opportunities, but I think ultimately they were losing and they needed to make changes and the changes didn't make an impact. You mentioned there, Leah Shula and Freedina Rolfo,

and Rolfo is being used in a left back position on Sunday, which to me, you know, I'm looking at her going, she's a Champions League winner. she knows how to score, she knows how to create, and she wasn't really able to be creative, as creative as she might have liked to be in that role. She came on quite late as well. The changes that United made, in my opinion,

didn't make much of a difference. And we have praised the depth of United this season in a way that they were missing last year and they've made some really good signings, but I think it just didn't click for them on Sunday in a way that it has in some games been clicking in the league and also in the Champions League. And you mentioned earlier on Mark Skinner's comments.

He was quite frustrated after the game. Need to stop being closer and just be there, he said. That's the challenge to my players to not feel like this anymore. Chelsea's goals were rubbish. From our perspective, we won them the game. We have to challenge ourselves. You can understand why he was disappointed, Sof, but they have to pick themselves up very quickly and play West Ham.

It's a vital WSL match for them on Wednesday. Where does it leave their season? I think there's still a lot to build. on this season. I hope it doesn't come down to like one game and they kind of go off the ball. But as you say, this game on Wednesday is absolutely crucial in terms of their hopes for Champions League for next year. Arsenal and Chelsea are, you know, biting their tail. Whether the only top three spots in the league go into the Champions League or, well, the top two being qualified automatically and the third one having to go into qualifying,

it's going to be a really tense competitive running, I think, and any slip-up is going to be punished. As Aisha said, I do kind of agree with his comments, but I do think, sometimes when he's in front of the camera he can get a bit, I don't know, emotional about it. So the way that it comes out makes you kind of a bit before it a little bit because of the way that he says it. But I think he was very disappointed because I think they were further away from Chelsea than they had been in the FA Cup fifth round. They just couldn't find that level to bring themselves back into the game. There are a couple of really weird decisions that I'd like to understand more like putting Elizabeth Turland in the 10. I just think you put your

best striker who's getting the goals. in that nine position. That's absolutely key. So, yeah, I think there are big questions to be answered. I think they're coming to this really important. As with Chelsea and Arsenal, a really important phase of the season. They've got the quarterfinals of the Champions League against Bay and Munich that start next week. It's crunch time for them.

This is where the questions are going to be asked and where they're going to be answered. And then we can probably make a bigger judgment after the next three weeks, I think. Great game for Chelsea overall and Manchester United Nealies again. The Barclays WSL returned after a month away as well. We know that United are playing midweek against West Ham, but before we actually talk about the action from the weekend, Susie, I want to talk about scheduling again. I know that we've spoken about it a lot on this pod,

but all four WSL games were played at 1155 on Sunday, which we mentioned the other week. Five WSL two fixtures were played at either 12 or 2. then the Cup final kicked off at 2.15, very congested. Is the league missing a trick? Not just maximising attendances, but in terms of story building as well, so many different facets of the game that engage people nowadays, because these games are all played at the same time. Yeah, I personally think so. I mean, it's hard, isn't it? Because I've also said previously that I'm not against experimentation. I think it's right to experiment, but I also think then you have to kind of respond when things clearly aren't

working. I don't really have a problem with games clashing. All of the games clashing, I think, is a problem. The early kickoffs, obviously, for travelling fans and for building, like, that physical audience aren't ideal either. Even, you know, like getting to the pub for 1155 kickoff is not ideal. So you're basically then reliant on people to sort of watch at home and log on and have the TV packages and stuff to be able to watch. They're making such efforts clearly to avoid clashing with a lot of men's fixtures. But in doing that, they are clashing a lot of the women's fixtures and then also fitting into these really awkward slots.

And I don't think that's ideal. I just really hope we see change next season because it's obviously not working. I think also when you're looking at like, it's not a small audience, but it's a growing audience, but you're still talking to a smaller number of people than maybe, of course, the men's game and stuff like that. So you're trying to tell stories across the league

to a smaller number of people, but you're stretching them. And I do think women's football fans, they have their teams and they really want to support their teams, but they also are interested in the wider project. So the less access you give to them to be able to watch other teams, the less you're able to build their stories.

And then I also just think of it in terms of the press, right? We are a relatively small press pack, relatively stretched, well, very stretched press pack. A lot of people on Sunday had to go to the Cup funnel. Obviously, that's the headline act on the Sunday. Not many people, therefore, were covering the WSL. And I think naturally when you start stretching the press pack, because it is small,

then you're going to not get as much coverage in the newspapers online as you would if you were able to tell a story throughout a weekend. My other point would be that Bristol City were playing away on Sunday. and that is a great opportunity to maybe use those players and if they hadn't been playing on the same day, players and fans and locals to get them into Ashton Gate and used the venue of Ashton Gate a bit more. The fact that they were, I think they were in Portsmouth on the day,

they weren't anywhere near, you know, taking Bristol City fans away from the city as well. And when you have a free Saturday, like Saturday was free this week, you could have maybe looked at putting the final on the Saturday and having the rest of the games on the Sunday. It's just thinking about the stories and building the narratives. Yeah, it brings me out in hives thinking about having to work out schedules.

Bad enough working out my diary most of the time. So trying to do a football schedule and please every stakeholder. I certainly don't envy them and we know how difficult it is. But there are some things that this season that feel are missed opportunities. So hopefully that will be fixed again. Let's talk about the football, shall we, because it was a proverbial six-pointer at the bottom of the table with Liverpool hosting Lester. Gareth Taylor's side opened up a six-point gap over there, now kind of relegation-ish rivals, if you like. Well, they've gone above West Ham in the table.

It was a two-nil victory with goals from Biasa Olson and Kerry Holland. Liverpool didn't have Denise O'Sullivan or Fuku-Nagano in central midfield, Aisha. So, you know, how impressed were you with how they adapted? to both those players being out. Yeah, I was really impressed with Liverpool, actually. Of course, they went into this game just one point ahead of Leicester ahead of time. But then you kind of watched the match play out. And we have said this before on the pod,

but Liverpool have kind of been sitting in a position in the table that maybe hasn't reflected how they have been this season. And I think that's even more so since the winter transfer window and the signings that they've made. and they looked like a really cohesive team compared to Lester on the day. Yeah, Olson's scoring her sixth goal of the league. I think that was a great goal. I think also shout out to Grace Fisk because she made a massive block at 1-0

and just those moments you talk about, those are really pivotal moments in games. And they obviously went on to then get that penalty in the second half, which wrapped it up at 2-0. But it's a classic case of a bit of patience, a bit of a project putting together the right transfer kind of targets and making them in the window. And they are now reaping the rewards. Flip that with Lester, who have kind of lost five of five since the turn of the year. You know, not a massively convincing transfer window. And I think these are now two teams that are going to start to separate in the league positions.

and I don't see Lester climbing out of that bottom spot based on what I've been seeing. They just don't have an avenue for goals in a way that other teams do. That's a problem they had last season as well, by the way, and just haven't reinforced or kind of tried to solve that problem. I guess they have sort of tried to solve it, but not massively successfully. So, yeah, I think Lester looked to be in trouble, but shout out to Liverpool and kind of it all coming together for them. They've got nine influential players out.

So it is concerning times for Fox's fans. They have kind of been here before, but are they able to turn things around? I mean, they've obviously got that buffer, haven't they, with the playoff potentially? But can they lift themselves off the bottom? I mean, they can. They're a real conundrum this season because I think they've performed well in parts, and they are a good defensive outlet. And I think back to the game against Manchester United,

and they were really, really in that. Yes, they lost 2-0, but it was close. and they had chances in that game. The loss of the players, I was on the pre-match press conference with Rope Passmore, and he literally just like read out a list and gave the reasons, and you were just like, oh my God, this is not what you want at this time of the season. It seems to be a common occurrence as well. They always seem to have injury issues,

and it's probably when you have a smaller squad, that's probably the case when a few hits, that's going to be the problem, and Emily Van Egmond is away at the Asian Cup as well, so that hasn't helped. It's interesting because their transfer targets, They did do a bit of business in the January window, but I love Rachel Williams. I think she's been a brilliant striker for many, many years, but she's not going to be your striker to come in and completely turn a season on its head. She's not that kind of striker anymore. She's at the latter end of her career as well. So she can bring a lot of experience and a few

goals, but I think when you're looking at someone to lead the line, they needed some pace at points against Liverpool. They had their moments. They just couldn't quite find the right recipe for success and it's just thinking about like the future and given the nature of the relegation this season where you have to play a playoff against the third place WSL2 team. I think they will be pretty confident that they can stay in this division but then they've really got to use this summer period right to try and build and try and not be in this position again which they keep finding themselves in pretty much every year at the moment. Yeah, without a doubt.

Aston Villa hadn't found themselves in this position previously but have done this season. So arguably a goal of straw against Manchester City was probably the surprised result of the weekend. If you remember, Natalia Arroyo's side ship seven goals to spurs just before the international break. And we thought they might be doomed. But what was it that got them over the line here, clean sheet and a point against the league leaders, Susie? Was it a case of them tightening up defensively or City not being fully at the races? Probably a little bit of both. I mean, I think it's the enigma of villa this season, right? Like they've been superb one minute and then absolutely disastrous the next. And there's not been any kind of consistency to their performance level, I would say. Obviously, we've made a bit of a deal about their sort of lack of out and out, centre forward options this season with Rachel Daly, sort of in and out with injury, mostly out of injury. And, you know, Ebony Sam are not necessarily kind of. of stepping on to the next level and not much beyond that. And I think if they have that kind of player,

they actually may win this game because they were really impressive, particularly in the first half. And if they could replicate that week on week, then I think we're looking at a different side. Yeah, a really impressive performance from Aston Villa. Yeah, really was. Right, that's it for part one of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. And part two, we're going to look at the rest of the WSL action

and catch up on all the latest in the Asian Cup. Chicago, 2011, a cop is murdered. Police and prosecutors swear they have the trigger man. He swears he didn't do it. How far will each side go to prove their right? Like it's just one bombshell after another, you know, where you're like, what, what? The story of a PlayStation, a brain-eating amoeba, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Off-duty, coming soon.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. Arsenal secured their eighth win in a row in all competitions. It was a 2-0 victory over London City lionesses. Olivia Smith firing René Sleggers side into the lead before Steina Blackstinias came off the bench to make sure of all three points. What did you make of Arsenal, Aisha, perhaps not necessarily at their best. I feel like we're always so critical when these top sides win but don't win by more than three goals.

But they got the job done. Yeah, they did. Maybe not at their best, but it was a fairly convincing win in the end. I know it was 1-0 for a while, a bit touchy, but in the end, they were the better size. I think a shout out, first of all, for London City getting their venue sold out at the Copper Jacks. That was really great to see. They've now won their last six Arsenal in all competitions and kept a clean sheet in five. And I think that is something that really caught my eye, because to be able to consistently keep those clean sheets is a really, really good part of their game. I think before we might have been critical of that.

And actually, that is, yeah, I mean, clean sheets. Clean sheets ultimately win your games, right? And they always find a way to score. Of course, it was Olivia Smith for that first goal, a great finish. And Steena, super subsit Steena, who got that second one, I think Arsenal have enough that they're going to be one of those teams that finish in the top three. Well, that might mean that Chelsea have to win it if the table stays have to win the Champions League in order to qualify if it stays like that. But let's not get into the permutations of that. It's still only early March, mid-March.

Oh gosh, it's coming around quickly, isn't it? Third defeat in a row for London City. They're down to seventh in the table. They were obviously knocked out of the FA Cup in dramatic fashion as well by Spurs before the break. They've got Chelsea next. So how do they pick themselves up? They get through this run of games

and then they look to the end of the season, I think, to try and build on that. It's been a really good first. season for them. I don't think anyone needs to worry too much about London City. There are always going to be trials and tribulations when you make your first appearance in the WSL. It's not going to be a linear upward trend. They obviously changed manager at Christmas as well, so there's been a bit of disruption and they're still getting used to Edel Meistero and his tactics, I think, and he is a bit different from Jocelyn pressure in the way that he approaches the game. But I think for them,

whether they finish sixth, sixth, seventh, eighth, it's going to be a good season for for them. They're not in trouble at risk of going down and it's something to build on, especially when you hear some of the rumours about who might be coming in next year in terms of playing stuff. I think they're going to build from this point and there's always the headlines right of saying we want to be top three, we want to be in the championship, we want to be winning the title. But I think everyone underneath the surface should, I hope, really understand that it's like that doesn't happen in football at all. You have to build the foundations. It is, you know, one step at a time, one block at the time.

They've already made a meteoric rise through the ranks. So I think it's just being patient with it and starting to build on season on season. Patience in football, so if you know better than that, Everton won their fourth WSL game on the bounce. It was a two-one victory for them over Tottenham Hotspur. Kelly Gargo came off the bench to secure the three points after Signagup upset had cancelled out,

Yucca Mamiki's opener. Things change quite quickly in football, Susie, because we were only talking a few weeks ago about Everton flirting with relegation. Now they're up to sixth. What impressed you most about this performance? It shows how quickly things can turn around, right? I mean, the interesting thing is the fact that you can go from being right down amongst the relegation spots and then up to six so quickly should give hope to any team that goes for a period of real struggle in this league,

which happens relatively regularly for those sort of in that kind of lower, lower, third of the table. You know, it is possible to claw yourself out of those positions and then some. And they've got the outside of United and Arsenal, the best record in the last five games of anyone else in the league, you know, better than Chelsea and City. So the turnaround has been dramatic. I think the fear I've got is this next runner games. And I think it's important that they've picked up points in the block that we've sort of just had because they've got Man United up next. then they've got Liverpool at home and in the FA Cup fifth rounds

obviously Liverpool got the better of them two one win to knock them out and then they've got Chelsea and Arsenal back to back and their final game of the season is what you would assume a more comfortable game against Leicester but I think the fact that they've picked up points in this last run of games is really really significant when you look at those last five fixtures

that they've got kind of four out of the five are going to be really really tricky for them at least and they've basically secured safety before they go into that block and that's key. And hugely impressive given the way teams can fall apart when things are going badly and when you've not got a permanent manager in place and just a temporary one and everything's been a little bit disrupted and they've lost a lot of players to the Asia Cup too. I think that is what is also hugely impressive in that I think it's Everton and City that have the most players out at the Asia Cup.

So that's obviously going to have an impact too. So to still be getting results and against good teams, despite that is huge. Yeah, you mentioned the Asian Cup. We're at the semi-final stage now. Australia, China, Korea, Republic and Japan make up the final four. What have you made of the tournament so far? I've been some of your key takeaways.

So now we're into the final stages. There are some key headlines. I think the focus should still be on also the Iranian team and the developments there. We talked a lot about it last week, but five of the seven rescinded their visas and gone back. And I think there has to be pressure and real concern put on by FIFA and FIFA and all of the agencies that can possibly do to ensure their safety.

I think the team are currently in Malaysia still waiting to go back to Iran. And I think as much as possible, all of the authorities need to keep doing what they can to try and ensure that when these women go back to Iran, they have their safety and the safety of their families confirmed because it's a very, very worrying situation that's still developing. And just because they've left Australia, it doesn't mean the stories ended or is out of the headlines. I think everyone needs to keep the pressure up. But in terms of the football, I think there's been some really cool moments. In terms of like Uzbekistan getting to the quarters for the first time, they were super emotional afterwards.

And I know the semis didn't go the way that they wanted to, but they've now got a chance to play for a World Cup spot. You know, that's huge for them, huge in their history, huge in their development. So a really good tournament for them. China, I think, have surprised everyone, especially after the showing against maybe England last year. England obviously beat them 8-0 at Wembley. And we were all a bit worried about where China were at, but they've come through. They've got to the semi-finals stages, and they are the holders and they're going to play Australia next. So that's going to be big as well. And then I would also highlight Alana Kennedy's goal-scoring era. She is the joint top scorer with five goals, different level of tournament completely.

But I don't think anyone expected her to be at the top of the goal scoring ranks. And she seems to be in firing form. Yeah, completely different tournament, not invitational. I'm very important in terms of qualifying, as we know. The match of the quarterfinals, though, was the encounter between Australia and North Korea. Australia won at 2-1 in the end. But they were given a bit of a scare by the North Koreans. And actually we mentioned how good they've been in this tournament so far.

But do you think it was a kind of game where maturity won out in the end, Aisha? Yeah, I think so. And I think you're right. People might have thought Australia might have dominated that game a little bit more, but ultimately found the way to get over the line in a way that better teams often do. On the Alana Kennedy's scoring point, it's great. I'm really pleased for her. But it also kind of raises questions of should she be the person,

that Australia are relying on for all their goals in those big moments. And it seems to be the way at the moment. But I feel fairly confident that they are going to beat China. Oh, sorry, we're not doing that one, are we? Because that's going to be. No, no, no, no. Listen, listen, you are on the Guardian Women's Football Weekly currently, and you are dancing with the devil right here.

It's now 9am UK time, and the semi-final between Australia and China kicks off at 10. So Aisha is going big, bearing in mind that before this pod is published, you're going to know the score. Well, no, I think Australia might not have been as convincing as we might have hoped they would be going into this tournament. That's not how things go. It's tournament football. We know that better than anyone. I think they need to get into that final. And I really hope they do for the sake of having a home cup and having that moment for them.

because yeah it's not about beating teams 6-0-7-0 sometimes it is just getting over the line is just edging them and yeah that's part of part of the fun isn't it yeah do they need to reach the final susie for the tournament to be considered a success yes um i think they 100% do given the ambition of the country the quality of the players the amount playing at top clubs around the world i'd say anything less than that will feel a very a big disappointment particularly being on home soil. Obviously it's not been as smooth sailing as I think many people thought it may be and can't preempt what the final could be.

But if it is Japan, obviously we are very, very familiar with a lot of those players because so many of them play in the WSL and they are so fantastically skilled that that will be a really tricky game. But I think the final is sort of minimum for where Australia was. to be as they progress towards the World Cup and wanting to be competitive at that. Yeah. Well, Japan need to get past Korea Republic first. They play on Wednesday in the other semi-final.

What are you expecting from this one, Sophie? Have they both impressed you so far? I think they have. I just love watching Japan play football, especially since we have, as Susie said, we have so many Japanese players playing over here and you get to see them. We can work out. You feel a little bit of an affiliation maybe when you watch and play. I think Korea Republic have been really good.

I think they're surprised, I think that especially with the concerns around like the Federation at times and kind of the player's consternation about that, I think they've gone out and performed in this tournament and performed really well and got to the semi-finals and got a World Cup spot as well. Obviously, we know Giso Young from her times at Chelsea and she's still so integral to that side. But it's going to be a really interesting clash, but I do think Japan are probably favourites to come out on top. Yeah, and we know that this is directly linked to World Cup qualification.

All the semi-finalists have qualified for the 2027 Women's World Cup. But there are two more spots up for grabs later this week. Ayesha, Uzbekistan, taken on the Philippines, Chinese Taipei, faced North Korea in the playing matches. Whose favourites for you to book their ticket to Brazil next summer? It's all to play for, to be honest. But from what I've seen, I think North Korea have been the most cohesive side. I'd love it to be Uzbekistan.

I love a story where you actually see investment in women's football having an impact. I know you've seen that in some of the other nations as well. But of course, Uzbekistan hosting the next edition of the Asian Cup and seeing the growth in that side is really great to see. I think the headlines of the Japan school line will kind of overshadowed. anything that India did. But just sort of a bit of a shout out to India and especially Manisha's Wonder Girl. I just had to get that in there somehow because they've been putting money into their women's football too. But yeah, in terms of the play-in side of things,

I think North Korea and, yeah, Chinese Taipei have to be, have to be favourites there. But I really want it to be Uzbekistan. I think North Korea, another, one of the big stories to come out of this tournament, they've been out of senior competition. for pretty much almost a decade. They obviously, during the pandemic, they left international football kind of entirely. They are a really intriguing set up. But go and read some of the work that Samantha Lewis on The Guardian, who's written about them quite a bit because it's a fascinating story.

They've done really, really well at youth level in recent years. They've won the Under 17 World Cup and I think the 20s World Cup as well. So they're definitely like starting to see the fruition of that youth level. but obviously not much as known about the setup and so I would advise you to go and read about it because it's really really interesting. Yeah, certainly is. And obviously we will discuss who the winners are

and judge Aisha on whether or not she is a true Guardian Women's Football weekly panelist with her prediction is inaccurate. It has been a pleasure to see you Aisha, take care. Thanks, Faye. See you soon. Bye, Sof. Are you going to de-layer at all? No, I'm going to watch the semifinals and stay huddled up and cuddled up.

Wonderful. Susie Rack, it's lovely to see you as always. Good to see you. Still haven't seen you in person for a little bit now. We need to get that sorted. Oh, no. It's like three weeks, isn't it? That's a lot now.

Exactly. Since my party. I know. I will see you soon. We'll book in that coffee. I'm coming over east, I promise. Booking with us next week as well. You can keep having your say.

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