Page 20 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.29 2022-23

An all-female on-field refereeing team will take charge of the 2023 FAW Women’s Cup final
between Cardiff City and Briton Ferry Llansawel this weekend.
Cheryl Foster, who made history at the UEFA European Women's Championship last
year by becoming the first Welsh woman to officiate at a major tournament, will oversee
proceedings at Penydarren Park on Sunday.
Foster took charge of the semi final clash between Germany and France in last
summer’s tournament and the former Cymru international will head to the 2023 FIFA
Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand later this year.
Foster will be assisted by Michelle Portelli and Katie Hannah in Merthyr, while Jordan
Harman has been appointed the fourth official for the season finale in the women’s domestic
game.
(faw.cymru)

The new Sports Direct Women’s Premiership will now offer record breaking financial
rewards to clubs.
In another hugely positive development, the NI Football League can confirm that total
prize money available within the league will treble in value from the 2022 season, to become
the most financially lucrative sporting competition in Northern Ireland for female clubs.
The Sports Direct Women’s Premiership has increased to ten clubs this season,
representing the top female football clubs in Northern Ireland and has contributed 14
international players to the most recent Northern Ireland senior women’s squad.
Ballymena United and Larne Women are the two newcomers to the league for the
coming season, they join the eight clubs who competed last time around.
The new season starts this Sunday, 23rd April with reigning champions Cliftonville
Ladies starting the defence of their title at home to Linfield Women in the pick of the
opening day fixtures.

Stoke City have won the Staffordshire FA Women's Challenge Cup for the 12th consecutive
time after a dramatic 3-3 draw with Sporting Khalsa at Stafford Town's Evans Park.
The match was eventually decided by a penalty shootout after finishing 3-3 in normal
time, which Stoke City won 4-3.
Stoke City started brightly and hit the crossbar after just 5 minutes. Bramford's shot
from the edge of the box lacked enough dip to creep under the bar.
Sporting Khalsa took the lead after just ten minutes when Woolston finished off a
lovely cross from the left wing. Khalsa then hit the crossbar with a curling left-footed effort
from the edge of the box.
Stoke City leveled things up just before the half-hour mark when Holder finished off a
free kick from close range. They then took the lead just two minutes later when Delle glided
through the Khalsa defense and placed the ball into the bottom corner.
Khalsa hit back on 58 minutes when Owen hit a powerful shot which gave Hobson in
the Stoke goal no chance. Stoke re-gained the lead with just ten minutes to go when Wilshaw
finished from close range.
Khalsa hit back with just two minutes of time added on, when Woolston volleyed the
ball in off the bar to make it 3-3. The game went to a penalty shootout, and Stoke City came
out on top, winning 4-3.
(Source: www.staffordshirefa.com)
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