The current FA Women’s Championship leaders take on last season’s champions this evening as Durham face Aston Villa in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup group stage at Maiden Castle.
Both sides go into this evening’s clash with fantastic chances of reaching the quarter-finals with Durham currently top of the group and Aston Villa having the best record on a ‘theoretical’ basis. With both sides boasting a maximum points return, a draw would send Durham and Aston Villa through to the knockouts, although any reasonable result for either side could also see both the winners and runners-up moving into the quarter-finals.
Durham go into the match on the back of an excellent 1-0 victory over promotion rivals Sheffield United at The Technique Stadium on Sunday. That result kept The Wildcats on top of the FA Women’s Championship table and given the fact that the club have played all of their promotion rivals away from home already this season, promotion really is in their own hands.
Manager Lee Sanders will again be without long-term absentees Becky Salicki, Abby Holmes and Iris Achterhof this evening as his side prepare to take on top flight Villa.
Aston Villa’s three-match winning run came to an end on Saturday as they were defeated 1-0 by neighbours Birmingham City in the Second City derby at Villa Park. The Villains’ best performances have arguably come in this season’s FA Women’s Continental League Cup with Gemma Davies’ side having scored 10 goals and kept back-to-back clean sheets.
Villa boss Davies made wholesale changes for her side’s last group match at Coventry United but she may field a stronger side this evening. Natalie Haigh, Asmita Ale, Emma Follis, Emily Syme, Amy West and Sophie Haywood are some of the players who are likely to be considered for recalls while recent hat-trick hero Nadine Hanssen will almost certainly start. Manager Davies will have a decision to make on attacker Diana Silva. The player is fit to play but has a hectic schedule of international football ahead of her in the coming weeks.
Durham’s FA Women’s Continental League Cup fixture against Aston Villa kicks-off at Maiden Castle at 7pm this evening. Fans are reminded that the game is being played behind-closed-doors. The Wildcats are providing a live stream of the match on their official Facebook page and are asking fans who watch the game to make a donation to #ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY by clicking here.
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