Oxford United remains in shock following the devastating loss of a 15-year-old academy goalkeeper. Amelia Aplin collapsed during a Junior Premier League match against Fulham at the Oxford training ground in Horspath on March 7. The teenager had been described as a player with immense promise. Her passing has sent shockwaves through the football community.

Over the past weekend, teams across the Women’s Super League held a minute’s silence in memory of Amelia. Oxford United’s general manager Gemma Sims spoke about the impact on the club almost a fortnight after the tragedy.

Everyone Still in Shock at the Club

Sims said, “Everyone is still in shock, and obviously, the staff and the players who were present on the day are finding it tough. It’s obviously been devastating for everybody at the club, but something like this doesn’t just hit the whole club, it’s hit the wider community as well.”

Liam Gilbert, manager of Oxford Women’s first team, echoed similar sentiments, calling it an extremely difficult period. “Amelia was a very talented individual who had a really high ceiling and was very well thought of. The most important thing there’s been for us is just getting around each other, it’s really united the entire club,” he said.

Watford Held Applause in 15th Minute

Tributes to Amelia have been paid across the football world, including at Watford on Tuesday night, with many supporters also checking football live scores as clubs around the country paused to honour her memory. An applause was held during the 15th minute of the Hornets’ Championship game against Wrexham. Amelia had been a massive fan of the Vicarage Road club, which made the tribute particularly poignant.

Gilbert said the support from the wider football community had been astonishing. “Hopefully it’s something that we can use in a positive way as we move forward,” he explained.

Will Take Long Time to Recover

Members of Amelia’s family attended Oxford’s game against Blackburn Rovers last week alongside her teammates, who went onto the pitch before kick off. Oxford United legend Peter Rhoades-Brown addressed the Kassam Stadium crowd, saying, “She was a goalkeeper of immense promise, playing for our girls in the Under 18s side at just 15. Amelia was a teammate, a friend, a sister, a niece, and a daughter.”

Sims acknowledged the recovery process will be lengthy. “It’s going to take a long time. People will grieve differently at different times. For us, it’s just important that we take things slowly, that the girls only return to training as and when they’re ready. We’ll support them as much as we can,” she said.

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It has been a busy few weeks for members of the United States women’s national team who returned to major club competitions shortly after winning the SheBelieves Cup for the eighth time. Lindsey Heaps and Lily Yohannes, teammates for both club and country, helped OL Lyonnes capture the French Cup title, defeating Paris Saint Germain 1-0.

Chelsea faced Manchester United in the League Cup final on Sunday, with USWNT forward Alyssa Thompson dressing for the Blues. Naomi Girma was ruled out with an injury, while Cat Macario was not included in the squad. Chelsea defeated Manchester United and goalkeeper Phallon Tullis Joyce 2-0 thanks to goals from Lauren James and Aggie Beaver Jones.

No Girma No Problem as Chelsea Find Way

Chelsea were without several key players in Sunday’s League Cup final, including USWNT center back Naomi Girma, who did not dress because of a calf injury. The Blues faced a difficult task against Manchester United without Girma, Millie Bright, Sam Kerr, and Ellie Carpenter, among others.

Still, Chelsea found a way despite the absences. “Hopefully it’s not too bad and she can be available for the next game,” Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor told the BBC when asked about Girma. The Blues return to action on Wednesday against Brighton.

Yohannes Shines as Super Sub for Lyon

While Yohannes was not involved in OL Lyonnes’ goal against PSG, she played an important role after entering in the second half, ensuring there was no drop off in the team’s rhythm. Subbing into midfield and maintaining the same level of play is a job well done, and Yohannes often delivers when asked to do just that.

Heaps All Over Pitch in Cup Victory

Lindsey Heaps was all over the pitch in OL Lyonnes’ victory over PSG. She was involved in several attacking runs, quick combinations, and one two moments throughout the match. Heaps’ dummy on a cross set up Melchie Dumornay for the go ahead goal, which proved decisive.

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Joe Montemurro showed a flexibility to his approach in the Women’s Asian Cup quarter finals that meant the Matildas prevailed by adapting to the circumstances in front of them, even if it was contradictory to the style that is in his DNA. Australia edged North Korea 2-1 in Perth to make the semi finals in what was a resilient performance against the tournament’s best team.

“Let’s be frank and honest here. Winning football games like that, it usually happens in tournaments,” Montemurro said after the victory. The Italian boss then turned to his captain, Sam Kerr, in the press conference and referenced one of his key wins in European football with Juventus against her Chelsea side.

Had 450 Million Shots and We Had One

“I’ve done it a few times like that in Champions League. I think there was a game against Chelsea, we got a draw. They had 450 million shots, and we had one,” Montemurro said with a smile. This Champions League reference perfectly illustrated the type of performance Australia needed to overcome North Korea.

He added, “We knew that they were a great side. They’re the best team in the tournament. They really are. So we just had to be methodical. Where we won the game were the little bits in between, as we were losing the ball or as we were winning the ball to keep our shape and keep our organisation. We didn’t create much. We had to resist a lot.”

It’s Who I Am But Part of Remit to Win

Montemurro was absolutely honest about abandoning his preferred style for tournament pragmatism. “Do I want to play a possession based game? Do I want to keep the ball? It’s who I am. It’s my DNA, but part of my remit is to win football matches,” he explained.

He continued, “Sometimes you have to have that flexibility. At this level, it’s all about moments. It’s all about taking those moments.”

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