Champions League, here we come!
It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t easy, but we made it to the group stage, which was the ultimate goal. Vivianne Miedema’s long-range strike was enough to see off a spirited Ajax side that threatened to spoil the party, midway through the second half.
A matter of inches, really, exactly those that were expertly scraped away from the goals, in a pathetic attempt to make them smaller hence make it more difficult for us to score the all-needed goal(s) we were going after. I wonder if UEFA will take any action against this blatant unsporting conduct and punish one of the most vicious (and childish, by the way) action I can remember.
Credit: Getty Images
It is a shame to see how low Ajax set the bar (no puns intended) on such a big stage, especially after the good performance they delivered at Meadow Park, and none of that should remain unpunished or a dangerous precedent will be set. Speaking of danger, I believe everyone – in the stadium or in front of TV – held their breath when Beth Mead was knocked out by Lisa Doorn: how she got away with a yellow card remains a mystery to me, but the most appalling aspect of this scary incident was the complete lack of any protocol for concussion. While our forward left the field, we were denied the chance to replace her with Lina Hurtig, so we played with then players in the final minutes.
Once again, the rise of women’s football on the biggest stages is being held back by the organization originally meant to support such development.
Controversies aside, it was nice to see a mature, composed team taking the field in Amsterdam, under a heavy rain, and see off the first big challenge of the season. Ajax had their moments, obviously, but we could see that the players were much more prepared to the challenges presented by the Dutch side and sharper than last week. The surprise-effect of the first leg was gone and we were ready to battle. Eventually, our superior quality paid off and it showed spectacularly when Vivianne Miedema scored what proved to be the winner, a stunning strike from distance that left no chances to the Ajax goalkeeper.
I would like to talk a bit about the Dutch superstar, but I feel I need to clarify one thing, so allow me to put a big disclaimer: what follows is not a criticism of Vivianne Miedema, in any form.
Now, let’s talk about Vivianne Miedema: I cannot shrug away the feeling that she could easily score 30, maybe even 35 goals per season, if she truly wanted. “Truly” might not be the word I am looking for but it’s the best I could find, so forgive me. I am relatively new to women’s football but ever since I saw her play for the very first time, I was struck by her unbelievable talent, humbleness but also by her lack of urgency.
I am not sure how to explain this with words but the impression I get is that sometimes football is too easy for her, so she takes the foot off the pedal. I know it sounds odd to say that the Women’s Super League all-time top goal scorer doesn’t score enough but I strongly believe that she could be clear of Sam Kerr or anyone else.
Again, I am extremely fond of Vivianne Miedema and very grateful to have her at the club. I know she is more than just goals and one of the most intelligent, competitive players in the world and it showed, once again, last night. She scored a wonderful goal in the most important game of the season so far, which is exactly what everyone expects from a player of her calibre. Regardless of one’s talent and quality, it is never easy to deliver on such expectations, but she delivered, big time, and that should never be taken for granted.
It is time to move on now, we will know more about the group stage of the Champions League after the draw, on October 3rd but we already know that we will be in the pot 2 and we will be in the same group of one of Lyon, Barcelona or Wolfsburg.
The players are about to join their national teams, the next game is scheduled for October 16th against Reading, in the Women’s Super League.
Italian living in Switzerland, Gooner since mid-nineties, when the Gunners defeated my hometown team, in Copenhagen. I started my own blog and podcast (www.clockenditalia.com) after after some experiences with Italian websites and football magazines. Covering Arsenal Women with the occasional rant about the boys.
No comments yet.