The first silverware of the year in club football was awarded last weekend when a new champion was crowned in Australia. In Italy there are still four teams in the running for the league title, while cup action was on the calendar in France. FIFA.com rounds up an exciting finale down under and shines the spotlight on developments in Europe.
Australia: Melbourne triumph Melbourne City secured the Australian W-League title after beating Sydney FC 4-1 in the final. The success crowned an outstanding season for coach Joe Montemurro’s charges, who finished the campaign undefeated. The club only announced in May 2015 that it would register a team for the women’s 2015/16 season.
Scottish duo Jennifer Beattie and Kim Little, as well as Beattie Goad and Lisa De Vanna, captain of Australia’s women’s national team, led Melbourne to victory in front of 4,206 enthusiastic fans. "I’m immensely proud. This team are a special bunch of players, and I’m immensely proud from a work and personal perspective. It hasn’t sunk in. The results, goals for, goals against… we train for it every day and it happened for us."
Huge thank you to @MelbCityWFC for the opportunity to play in their inaugural season! It's been a blast! Now time to head home ❤️
— Kim Little (@kimlittle16) February 1, 2016
Italy: And the new leader is… The title race in Italy could be succinctly summed up as a game of musical chairs. Defending champions AGSM Verona missed out on top spot after losing 3-1 to Fiorentina Women's FC on Matchday 11, with ASD Mozzanica reclaiming pole position thanks to a 3-1 win over Res Roma. Mozzanica were 3-0 up after 77 minutes through goals from Valentina Giacinti, Sandy Iannella and Marta Mason, only for Manuela Coluccini to score a consolation just before the final whistle. ACF Brescia posted a 3-1 home win over Riviera di Romagna to secure second place. Top three: ASD Mozzanica, ACF Brescia Femminile, Fiorentina Women's FC (all on 26 points)
France: Favourites march on France’s Division 1 does not get underway again until 5 February, but the Round of 32 in the cup took its place on the calendar last weekend. FCF Juvisy kicked things off with a 5-0 win over Henin Beaumont, while Olympique Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain - the league’s dominant forces - each comfortably reached the next round as expected. Reigning champions Lyon brushed Chatenoy Royal AS aside 11-0 and PSG thrashed Lorient FC 6-0. However, top-flight teams La Roche-sur-Yon (in tenth place) and AS Saint-Etienne (in sixth) were eliminated from the competition after respectively losing 2-1 and 1-0 to second-division outfits Bordeaux and Venderheim.