World Footy News

USA Freedom have overcome their biggest rivals, the Canadian Northern Lights to win the 49th Parallel Cup 6.7(43) to 5.8(38). After having been narrowly defeated at their last major international meeting in Australia for the International Cup, this year the Americans were out to prove something and played strongly throughout the match.

The Canadians came back several times in what proved to be a very close and low scoring game, hard fought out in midfield, and by the end of the third quarter, things weren’t looking good for the Americans as the Canadians started edging ahead. But the talented Freedom players pushed hard in the final quarter to turn the game around, and after three consecutive goals from Eileen Geogheegan and Lindsay Kastanek, they sealed victory for the USA Freedom.

Goal Kickers:
Freedom- Kastanek (3), Hazen (2), Geoghegan
Northern Lights- Dietrich, Heil, Legault

Best Players: Erin Loughnane (Canada), Marie LaVictoire (USA), Lyndsey Kastanek (USA)

This year was also the first year that development squads were introduced to the women’s 49th Parallel Cup. In the development game, the Canadians just managed to get the edge on their opponents, finishing the game 3.6.24 to 3.0.18 in another low scoring and incredibly close game.

Coming into the final quarter, the Freedom were trailing by one point, but after a dramatic miss by American Bri Thieson, the Northern Lights added five behinds to their tally to win the game by 6 points.

A detailed match review and podcast of the radio broadcast of the main women’s game can be found on http://womensfooty.com