GUNNING FOR GLORY – Who Were the Real Winners in the Champions Cup?

It was a bold move to place a brand-new international club competition in the middle of one club’s hectic season and in pre-season for a couple of others. Not to mention hosting it in one team’s home city and stadium… But did it work, despite this?  

How much did we enjoy the FIFA Champions Cup semifinals and final last week? Helen M Jerome counted the ways, by speaking to players and head coaches.

Talking to the matchwinner in the Champions Cup final, Arsenal winger Caitlin Foord, straight after the final whistle, she was understandably grinning from ear to ear. “It’s been a cool tournament,” she said. “To be able to play the best in the world from a club level… it’s been fun and it’s a nice challenge and to play the best.”

Foord added that “there’s an incentive there to want to keep going and winning tournaments, such as the Champions League, to have an opportunity to be involved in a tournament like this. So, yeah, it’s been really cool.”

For her, playing against Brazil’s finest, Corinthians, was a good challenge. “We knew they were going to be tough. We had seen footage. On top of that, all of us on an international level, we’ve played Brazil before, it’s always a difficult game and we knew it would be very similar. All credit to them, they were a great side.”

Fuel for Gunners

Winning head coach, Arsenal’s Renée Slegers has said her team made history with this victory – and this fuels them to win more.

On the tournament’s timing, Slegers admitted that “if you bring different continents together, it’s gonna be a challenge, because competitions are different and run at different times of year.

“We’re in the middle of the season, so across the challenges to make it work pushing these two games in the middle of a busy season. For other teams, it’s about being in preseason and not having played competitive games yet.

“So there’s challenges everywhere. I think it’s always going to be a challenge as long as the competitions run differently across the world.

“I’m proud, of course, that we won the competition because you play against the champions of different continents, serial winners and we win it.”

Of course, Slegers also found out that she had played Corinthians’ remarkable 40-year-old captain, Gabi Zanotti (below, left), thanks to the detective work of Brazilian journalist Luis Corvini (below, right with Slegers). It was back in 2010, when a young Zanotti (inevitably) scored for Brazil as they defeated an even younger Slegers’ Netherlands in a friendly (below, centre).

Corinthians Dream

Narrowly-beaten finalists, Corinthians, brought the noise and the atmosphere, with their exuberant fan base filling one end of the Emirates and getting everyone more excited about next year’s World Cup in Brazil. Corinthians’ head coach Lucas Piccinato loved every minute of the experience.

“It was a really nice moment for me, for the club, for the players,” said Piccinato, “to be able live a moment like this in international competition.

“It was really a dream come true. I wish that we played a little bit better today in the final, but we understand that Arsenal is a big club, and they did a good job today.”

“It was amazing.”

Reale Joy

Third-place Gotham were equally enthusiastic about the tournament. Having fallen to Corinthians in the semi-final midweek, but Sunday they’d made big changes and the formula worked, with them beating fourth-place AS FAR 4-0.

Though they were all quick to admit that Moroccan champions, AS FAR, especially their highly-skilled Number 18 Sanaa Mssoudy, gave them a few scares that keeper Ann-Katrin Berger managed to deal with.

Young defender Lily Reale said Gotham had worked on their final third play a little bit after the last game, and this time they wanted to make sure that that was at the forefront of their play. Basically, she says: “we were just a bit more clinical and aggressive in front of goal.

“So I think it worked out and just being able to have more shots on frame and being able to sustain possession around the other team’s box was another big one, so I think we executed that well and just proud of the result.”

Considering this is pre-season for Gotham, Reale was pleased that they had four different goal scorers, and “it makes me really happy to just see the rookies who I came in with having an impact in their second year. And different players who have just come into the team this past year and even this year right now.

“So it’s exciting to see that we have those different threats and also the integration of new players on our team.”

As for the Champions Cup itself, Reale said: “What’s so awesome about these types of tournaments is being able to not only play against different competition that you don’t see every day, but also just like as an exposure type of situation and environment.

“I think it’s exciting to see where this tournament goes moving forward and how that affects players and just being able to play different types of opponents.”

Special Savannah

Gotham teammate, midfielder Savannah McCaskill, who has just joined from San Diego Wave said it was special to score for Gotham.

“Obviously that was my first goal with the team and so that alone is really special, but I mean, just being able to play in the Emirates is extremely special.

“I grew up watching the Prem since I was little and just love being able to be here and soak in this moment. And I think it’s just really special as a footballer whenever we get to play in stadiums like this and obviously getting the win today.”

McCaskill said it was great for their pre-season: “I think it’s really important for us to get quality minutes under our legs. It’s against really top competition.

“Usually for our pre-seasons we’re scrimmaging other NWSL teams or you’re playing boys’ teams to try to get ready for the league and having this added in for this time of the year is really cool, to be able to go and play other top teams across the world.

“It’s just been cool to see the expansion of women’s football globally and see there are some really good footballers.

“Getting a bunch of different teams on the same stage from all across the world is really special.

“So it’s just been really cool to be a part of it.”

Big Difference

Player of the match, Gotham’s young star, Kyah Harper, got her team off the mark by scoring the first – and best – goal and made a big difference upfront. Getting a start was a fillip for her too.

“That just shows the coach’s trust in me. I want to give my all for the team.

“And getting the first goal and getting that momentum right away. I think that really helped our team get the result tonight. I think our front line really clicked today… we put away our chances.”

Harper is also convinced that the Champions Cup is a good thing to be involved in.

“I think it’s amazing. I think it grows women’s soccer so much more on the global stage.

“I think that women deserve the broadcasting and all the seats that are filled in the stadium.

“So I think that this is a great tournament to spread awareness about women’s soccer and say that we can play good soccer.

“And I think the people hosted it really well.”

Gotham Growth

Proud Gotham head coach, Juan Carlos Amoros said: “What I’ve enjoyed the most about it is that finally there is a competition worldwide that recognizes a team to be world champions.”

As part of Gotham’s pre-season, he has enjoyed every day with the group back in the place. “It’s been fantastic from day one. They’ve really continued where we left and accepted the new people and integrated them into the team.”

He also praises the fantastic professionals around them, from medical and management to media and content… “a lot of people that work together for a long time, they spend a lot of time together, so I really enjoy that.”

Amoros says that Gotham have also learned that “we’re able to do anything together.

“I think that seen a team… where people are growing individually and collectively, a group of players that really care about each other and the same with the staff. So that’s what I’ve learned.

“I always say that we focus on the processes and not only on the outcome, so the outcome of it the other day [semifinal loss to Corinthians] wasn’t what we wanted, but I think the processes have been really good.

“Everyone has seen the kind of team we are; if you look only at the score they probably you don’t get a full picture of what the game was.

“I think if you watch both games and you see the team play both games, you say: okay, so I already see what Gotham wants to do on a football pitch, and we want to be entertaining.

“We’re happy. I think that where players play with freedom, where there is enjoyment from them, they transmit that to the fans.”

In conclusion, Amoros says of the Champions Cup: “I think it brings the women’s game together at club level.

“It’s something that’s been going on for a very long time at national and international level with national teams, but I think to do that with clubs is also very important.

“So I’ve really enjoyed that.”

Photos: Helen M Jerome