Women’s Quarter Finals

 

The GKA was disappointed. Originally, we had two tickets for the Quarter Final between Everton and Chelsea.  We also had tickets for the final at Wembley… Covid hit, both those games were re-arranged, and I got my money back.

There was possible light at the end of this tunnel as Covid lockdown rules were due to be relaxed in October. I got excited at the prospect of finishing this blog with a crescendo and a big bang bonanza trip to Wembley. The initial date of the final (new final, not old final) was 31^st October 2020.   

Lockdown rules changed to a confusing 3 tier system and the government announced that fans would not be returning to big sporting events for at least the next 6 months.

Plans for the final were ruined. I was back to watching these games on TV and nobody really being interested in a blog about some guy (aka the GKA) (aka me) watching football on his telly.

Covid 19 had one positive on the women’s game in the UK. The American League is suspended, and this means that a load of highly talented Word Cup Women female players have been drafted into the WSL on short term contracts as the players want to prepare for next year’s Olympics.    

It’s the opposite of the men’s game in the 1970s when aging superstars such as George Best and Pele moved to America to play in the emerging and failing USA soccer league. 

Our first Quarter Final was all about the hype as the biggest superstar of the Women’s game, Alex Morgan, had only just moved to Tottenham and the BBC’s question was ‘will she play against Arsenal on the 26^th September?’

The answer was no!  And not surprisingly as she’d barely played football in a year. Firstly, she’d been injured, secondly she had recently given birth to her daughter and thirdly, she’d only been in the UK for a week!

The game was reasonably close for 60 minutes or so, until Arsenal scored – then it ended up 4-0.

The next day, at home Everton surprisingly beat Chelsea 2-1 (this was the game that I had tickets for).

Birmingham beat Brighton away on penalties 2-2 (4-2 pens).

FA Cup holders Manchester City beat Leicester City away 1-2.  The GKA had seen both these teams during our journey (Manchester City knocked out Ipswich Town in the 5^th Round, and Leicester had beaten Burnley in the 4^th Round).

Both Semi-finals were to be live on the BBC.