This weekend plays host to the Scottish Women’s Cup semi-finals – as Celtic face Hearts and Glasgow City take on Partick Thistle.
In a similar format to the League Cup last-four at the end of last year, the games will both be played at the same venue back-to-back, with the Falkirk Stadium hosting the ties from noon on Sunday.
The competition has returned this year following a two-year absence due to the pandemic, however, the 50-year history of the cup means it remains one of the game’s most prestigious and it is equivalent in standing to the men’s competition.
Looking back, the inaugural final took place in 1970-71, where Stewarton Thistle ran out winners against Aberdeen Prima Donnas. Despite coming out second best that day, it sounded like Aberdeen enjoyed the occasion nonetheless.
The 4-2 victory meant Stewarton were recognised as the first-ever Scottish Women’s Cup winners and it remains a badge of honour for the Ayrshire club, who are now under the Kilmarnock umbrella and compete in SWPL 2.
The competition has had 16 different winners over its half-century existence, with 1996’s final a classic north-east derby between Cove Rangers and Aberdeen – which Cove won 5-1.
In fact, Cove were three-time winners of the cup while they were active.
Glasgow City are the current holders and, should they go all the way, they would lift the trophy for a record 10th time.
They go into their tie fresh off last week’s win over Hearts, which guaranteed them – at minimum – a top-two finish in SWPL 1 and confirms a 15th consecutive Champions League qualification.
The other three teams left in the cup have never won it, although Celtic did finish as runners-up in 2008 when they agonisingly lost 3-1 to Hibernian.
While it will remain a sore memory for the club, as the closest they’ve c0me to the coveted piece of silverware since they first entered the women’s game in 2007, the Hoops are a far different proposition now to back then.
They have lifted the League Cup twice, with one of those wins coming this season when they overcame Glasgow City in December in a 1-0 final win.
It will certainly be fresh in the minds of both sets of players, and the sides are favourites to progress to the Scottish Cup showpiece and face off again.
Standing in their way are a rather unexpected pair in Hearts and Partick Thistle, as both have endured challenging seasons in their first year in the top flight.
That is the romance of the cup, though, and it is exciting to see different teams make it to this stage of the competition and see the tournament come to life.
Partick overcame Hibernian 4-2 in the quarter-finals, which was maybe one of biggest shocks in the competition’s history, with Hibernian one of the most successful teams in the Scottish Cup.
Hearts had a slightly easier journey as they took on second-tier Kilmarnock in the last round, winning 2-1, to reach this stage for the first time as well.
Whoever goes through on Sunday, the final is set for the last weekend of the season.
Meanwhile, Aberdeen Women’s Bayley Hutchison would have made my Team of the Year, but her nomination for PFA Scotland’s Young Player of the Year is excellent recognition for a youngster with a bright future.
Asante is one of the greatest to play the game
One of England’s greatest ever players, Anita Asante, has announced she will retire from professional football at the end of the season.
On the eve of my 37th birthday, it's time to announce my retirement from football at the end of the season!
I want to thank my family, team-mates, managers, fans & all the clubs I have played for.
To say it's been a privilege is an understatement. It's been a dream❤️ #ThisGame pic.twitter.com/8WDKIZXdan
— Anita Asante (@NicenNeetz) April 26, 2022
The 37-year-old will end her career at my team, Aston Villa, next weekend – after we take on arch-rivals Birmingham City at Villa Park on the final day of the campaign.
Neetz, as she is globally known to her peers, has made a remarkable 250 senior appearances since she first joined Arsenal back in 2003.
Since then, she has flourished through spells in both the United States and Sweden, before returning to the FAWSL in 2018 to join Chelsea, and ahead of becoming one of Villa’s marquee signings in 2020.
With a trophy haul which includes five League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, the UEFA Women’s Cup – the previous incarnation of the Women’s Champions League – along with another four trophies during her time in Sweden, she is deservedly considered one of the best of all time.
Not only have her contributions been notable at club level, but she became a regular pick for England and, after her debut in 2004, she made more than 70 appearances, which included four major tournaments where she was a starter.
In 2012, she was also one of Hope Powell’s Team GB stars at the London Olympic Games.
Tributes flooded in following her public retirement announcement, which came on the eve of her birthday.
The fitting tributes included Chelsea manager Emma Hayes saying she “loves her” and former team-mate – now TV pundit – Kaz Carney saying she is one of the best 1v1 defenders the game has seen.
NWSL clean-up continues
The NWSL – the US top-flight – continue to work through their joint investigation with the Players’ Association following allegations of misconduct reported by players.
The current investigation began last year after allegations of sexual misconduct came to light, which was the catalyst for a united demand to transform the league and the accepted standards within it.
This week, Houston Dash’s head coach, James Clarkson, was suspended over “current and historic complaints of discrimination, harassment and abuse”.