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Emily Keogh
Leigh, England — Manchester United They are not afraid of being called Dalits. Their plan is to win as many games as possible uefa women’s champions league as possible, and their first match couldn’t have been better, being the only Women’s Super League (WSL) team will claim victory on the first day thanks to the captain Maya Le Tissier,
wsl champion chelsea held for one 1-1 attracted by FC Twente In the Netherlands, a string of poor performances in the final third continued, while on Tuesday the title holders armory lost 2-1 To ol lyonnesThe team they defeated in the previous season’s semi-finals.
However, Manchester United secured a spot 1-0 victory over valerenga On his debut in the competition, the captain netted from the spot to begin his campaign.
There was really only one person with whom fairy-tale moments could have happened, and that was Le Tissier. Since joining the club in 2022, she has become one of the most important players for United, making 71 consecutive starts in the WSL, the most of any player in the league, and has been taking over as captain since last season.
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The romanticism of the Champions League is not lost on Le Tissier either. After facing the huge disappointment of losing in the qualifiers Paris Saint Germain In 2023, in celebration of defeating its losses sk bran To reach the competition, the 23-year-old has overcome all emotions.
“This is where you want to be, playing in the Champions League. It means a lot to us. It’s been a long time for Tony, four years for me [Ella Toone] Le Tissier said after the game, “She’s been here about 10 years or so. We’ve worked hard to get here; we deserve to be here so getting that first win is something we wanted to do and so we’re very happy to do it tonight.”
Le Tissier must have dreamed of what this moment would be like, what it would mean to lead his team in the Champions League, as he had recently done fa cup Last. She was clearly emotional the entire time as the traveling fans applauded, with tears in her eyes and teammates consoling her. There are probably many other emotions associated with Le Tissier’s tears, related to his despair England Career has not reflected his domestic record and potential.
It takes a special player to maintain such composure to lead United to a defensive record last season and keep a clean sheet in their opening continental match, yet he only has eight caps for England to show for it. Missed out on a place in 2023 fifa women’s world cup and being confined to the bench for 2025 eurosThere is little argument as to why Sarina Wigman would not play Le Tissier. Although the England coach says he sees the Guernsey native as a right-back, the Manchester United captain is arguably England’s most in-form center back, with captain Leah Williamson Vice-captain, out due to injury Millie BrightHis replacement was contested after the euro was withdrawn Lotte Vauben-Moy Failing to earn many minutes at Arsenal.
Le Tissier will play a vital role in keeping United in the playoffs. Not only his patience in keeping other teams out, but also his leadership in guiding, keeping the team calm and rejuvenating them at half-time if they were trailing.
He has been put at ease by playing previously with Vålerenga, a team that was involved in the group stage last season but is largely without the resources and financial backing of a club like Manchester United. They should have defeated them comfortably, and for the most part they did.
Although they are classified as underdogs, it has not bothered United yet, having experienced a full run in the competition and battling a thin and injury-plagued squad. They are not paying attention to the labels that are being thrown at them, their focus is on winning as many games as possible to make it to the top 12 teams to make the playoffs.
This would arguably be United’s best chance to get points ahead of their opponents on the board. Yes, it’s early days yet, but United are two and three points ahead of their WSL counterparts, and sit comfortably in the playoff midtable section. All points will be important as the new format is already teeming with upsets and losing points, so United couldn’t have asked for a better start.
However, there are some areas of concern that have consistently troubled them and which will be used against teams that are ruthless and clinical. United have struggled to convert chances this season. They have created more chances than most clubs, but their execution has been spotty. Seven of his 16 shots were on target, a stark difference compared to Vålerenga’s two, of which one was on target.
The worry would be that their lack of ruthlessness in missing more than one chance will not carry them forward against the opponents they have yet to face in the competition. slight edge against Atletico Madrid Next week they won’t get much of a breather against a team who hit a six past St. Polten In their opening game. After that, they will have to face the giants PSG, VfL WolfsburgOL Lyonesse and juventusAll of which will force Manchester United to defend for their lives and need to take advantage of every opportunity they are given.
Although Chelsea and Arsenal will be level on points as the competition progresses, those extra points could be the difference when it comes to sealing a playoff spot or going home empty-handed.
There’s still a lot to navigate on this side; International midweek travel, intensely competitive two-game weeks, and the struggle to keep their already depleted squad fit and healthy. Nevertheless, Manchester United sent out a statement that they are here to compete and are not going to be intimidated by finishing bottom of the table as many had predicted for them.
