Goater’s Villa women hold Arsenal; Smith’s Rhode Island grind out draw
It was a mixture of fortunes for Bermudian coaches and players in professional football, with Shaun Goater’s Aston Villa Women securing a dramatic point in the Women’s Super League, while Khano Smith’s Rhode Island FC held strong in the USL Championship.
Goater’s Villa Hold Arsenal
At the Emirates Stadium, Shaun Goater, the Aston Villa Women’s Assistant Coach, saw his side secure a valuable point in the Women’s Super League, holding title contenders Arsenal to a 2-2 draw.
After going down in the match, Lucy Parker’s late equaliser earned the point for the visitors, meaning Villa have now picked up their second point of the young season. The result means Arsenal have failed to win their last two WSL matches, a major boost for Goater’s team against one of the league’s powerhouses.
Smith’s Rhode Island Grind Out Road Draw
Across the Atlantic, Rhode Island FC, managed by Bermudian Khano Smith, secured a hard-fought 2-2 draw against El Paso Locomotive FC at Southwest University Park. The dramatic four-goal thriller saw Smith’s side take a valuable road point, extending their unbeaten run to three straight results and keeping them positioned above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference standings.
Mixed Fortunes in Women’s Football
Elsewhere, the weekend brought a mix of results for Bermudian players in the women’s leagues:
- Leilanni Nesbeth was an unused substitute as her Chicago Stars FC teammates fell to a heavy 4-1 defeat against the first-place Kansas City Current in the NWSL.
- Goalkeeper coach Dashun Cooper’s QPR Women suffered a difficult day, being defeated 6-0 by Watford FC Women.
- Jasmine Spence and her Newport Pagnell Town Women’s team went down 1-0 to New Bradwell St. Peter FC.
- However, there was a successful end to the month for Jahni Simmons and her Coventry Sphinx Ladies teammates. Despite a long away trip to Leek Town, they came away with a vital 3-2 win at the Football Community Stadium, capping a positive period for the squad.
