Three key duels to look out for as Cardiff Metropolitan host Swansea City in top of the table clash
29/11/2020 - Swansea City 1-0 Cardiff Met © Geraint Nicholas
A top-of-the-table clash will see current league leaders Cardiff Met welcome Swansea City in arguably the most pivotal game of the Welsh Premier Women’s League season.
The Archers leap frogged Swansea with a 4-1 victory over Cyncoed on Sunday afternoon. The Swans have, however, played one less game than Met.
A second half Chloe Chivers goal separated the two sides when they faced each other in November, as Swansea narrowly won 1-0.
Here are the key duels to look out for in what promises to be one of the games of the season.
Battle of the creative players
Chloe Chivers (Swansea City) and Chloe O’Connor (Cardiff Met) are the main creative sparks for their respective sides.
With both players having played for both clubs, the pair form one of the greatest match-ups in the league.
O’Connor offers incredible vision and ball control. Met’s attacks very often come through her, and she also provides a fair share of goals. She’s scored nine goals in 13 games from midfield in all competitions so far this season.
Similarly for Chivers, she has been a constant provider of attacks for Swansea this season. There aren’t many players at all in the league with better technique than the 21-year-old who has popped up with 10 goals in 11 games across the board this campaign.
Erin Murray v Tija Richardson
It’s the battle of the best attacking record against the best defending record. Met lead the league for goals scored with 42, and Swansea City have conceded the fewest goals, having shipped only once in the league so far this season.
Archers striker Erin Murray is enjoying a purple patch of form at the minute, with a hattrick on Sunday increasing her season tally to eight goals in just seven games in all competitions this season.
Tija Richardson leads the Swans’ backline. The centre-half has experience in abundance, having played in the Champions League multiple times. She is also a familiar face at Cyncoed Campus, where she captained Cardiff Met in their treble-winning 2018/19 season.
Stephanie Turner v Stacey John-Davis
Another of Swansea’s talismanic figures is Stacey John-Davis. The 29-year-old has scored nine goals as many league appearances so far this season.
Cardiff Met’s defensive stats also make for good reading. They’ve conceded only seven from their 11 games so far this season. A huge reason for this is down to captain Stephanie Turner. The centre-half has played all-but-one of the sides’ games this season, and offers great leadership alongside composure on the ball.
