Canadians in Europe: David stays hot as Lille cruises
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Jonathan David continued his torrid form in a Lille rout, while two Canadians hooked up for a key goal in Scotland and Evelyne Viens helped Roma take another step towards retaining their title.
Here's a look at what Canadians did this weekend in Europe.
Jonathan David, Lille - After going cold for much of the earlier season, Jonathan David's goal-scoring woes seem long gone as the Canada forward stayed red-hot in Lille's rout of Clermont Foot on Sunday. The Ottawa-raised David bagged a brace as Les Dogues continued their push for a Champions League place. David opened the scoring in the 10th only minutes after he should have scored in the sixth when he pulled his right-footed volley outside of the far post. David was sprung behind the Clermont backline with an absolutely audacious side-footed pass from Manchester United youth product Angel Gomes. In alone on Mory Diaw, David chipped over the oncoming 'keeper off the post and in to make it 1-0. The hosts would grab a second in the 24th, but not without a bit of a wait. Edon Zhegrova whipped a cross into the area that just cleared David, but was headed home by Benjamin Andre. The flag immediately went up for offside and there wasn't much protest from Les Dogues players. But the call came down from upstairs for a pitchside VAR check. Upon review, Andre was clearly onside and a good goal was given. Lille would put the match to bed in the closing minutes of the first half. David would bag a second in comical fashion. Only minutes after making a 10-bell save off of a corner to deny Andre a second, Diaw became the goat. Coming out of his area to play an attempted long pass to David from Alexsandro Ribeiro, Diaw chested the ball down, but directly at David, who calmly slotted home into the open net from distance to make it 3-0 in the 38th for his second of the match. David now has seven goals in his past seven games. Zhegrova would score a goal of his own two minutes later to wrap up the scoring at 4-0. The victory vaulted Les Dogues into fourth in the table on 35 points with a superior goal difference to Monaco. LOSC sits one behind Brest for third and four points behind second-place Nice. The loss leaves Clermont at the, pardon the pun, foot of the table and four points from safety.
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Evelyne Viens, Roma and Julia Grosso, Juventus - Two Canada teammates faced off on Sunday as Serie A's top two teams met when Evelyne Viens and Roma hosted Julia Grosso's Juventus. If Juve had designs on keeping Roma from winning a second straight title, Sunday's game was essentially a must-win and would have pulled the Bianconeri to just two points behind the leaders, but Roma put their championship credentials on display and built themselves a comfortable cushion atop the table as the season enters the stretch drive. The hosts opened up the scoring from the spot midway through the first half. A deep cross fell to Benedetta Glionna, but before she could get a shot off, she was clipped by Lineth Beerensteyn and went to ground. The referee immediately awarded a penalty. Stepping up to take was captain Manuela Giugliano, who coolly slotted home to make it 1-0 in the 21st. The 1-0 scoreline would stand until midway through the second half when Roma put the match to bed with two goals in seven minutes. Keeping the ball from going out on the touchline, Glionna worked inside and did well to shake off Lisa Boattin before finding Viens to poke home past Pauline Peyraud-Magnin at the near post to make it 2-0 in the 63rd. Questions will be asked of the 'keeper, but Chateauguy, Que.'s Viens did well to connect with the pass and get the ball over the line. The goal was her seventh of the season in league play. The second goal lit a fire under Roma as they buzzed for another and would be rewarded in the 69th. From a corner following a fine save from Peyraud-Magnin on Glionna from distance, Elena Linari hammered home with a fine volley from outside the area to make it 3-0 and essentially put the match to bed. France forward Lindsey Thomas scored in the second minute of stoppage to spoil Camelia Ceasar's clean sheet as the match finished at 3-1. The win meant Roma opened an eight-point lead over Juve at the top of the table. Vancouver's Grosso played all 90 minutes and finished her evening with 18 carries, two interceptions and a .659 pass completion percentage.
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Theo Bair and Harry Paton, Motherwell - Theo Bair can't stop scoring and if Motherwell can avoid the drop, it will be largely in part to the efforts of the Toronto native. Motherwell hosted Kilmarnock on Saturday with the home side falling behind early and feeling aggrieved for it. From a Daniel Armstrong corner as the ball bounced around the Motherwell area, the Steelmen thought the play should have been blown dead when Matty Kennedy shoved Davor Zdravkovski from behind as he attempted to make a clearance. No whistle was blown and the play continued until the ball fell for Lewis Mayo just outside the area. The Scotland under-21 defender's low drive went through a crowd and beat Liam Kelly to make it 1-0 despite protestations from the home side over the missed foul in the 13th. Former Whitecaps forward Bair would pull Motherwell level before the break. With Killie pressing for a second, Zdravkovski and Andy Halliday defended well to regain possession with the ball coming to Kitchener, Ont.'s Harry Paton, who spotted Blair Spittal. Spittal threaded a picture-perfect long pass to slip Bair behind the Killie defence. With only Will Dennis to beat, Bair calmly slid his effort under the 'keeper to make it 1-1 in the 38th. The goal was Bair's fifth in his past four games and it finished the match's scoring with the game finishing at 1-1. It was a third straight draw for the Steelman and their eighth in their last 12 matches. Motherwell will need to start turning some of these draws into wins to ensure that the Steelmen don't get dragged into a relegation battle.
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Adriana Leon, Aston Villa - Adriana Leon scored her third goal of the Women's Super League season, but Aston Villa failed to protect a lead twice and ended up splitting the points with visitors Bristol City on Saturday in a 2-2 draw. The hosts broke the duck in the 13th minute. From a corner, Kirsty Hanson did well to retain possession in the Robins' area before crossing to the penalty spot for Rachel Corsie, who teed up for Jordan Nobbs just outside the box. The England midfielder stepped into her right-footed effort that deflected past a diving Shae Yanez to make it 1-0. The Robins would answer back just two minutes later. Anna Patten's leisurely clearance was knocked down by Ffion Morgan, who headed forward for Emily Syme. Syme threaded a pass for Amalie Thestrup to split a pair of defenders and beat Daphne van Domselaar to make it 1-1 in the 15th. The match would stay on that scoreline until the intervention of Mississauga, Ont.'s Leon in the 60th. After a period of sustained pressure, Villa finally broke through. Patten sent a deep ball to the far post for Corsie whose effort made its way across the face of goal for Leon to hammer home from the back post to make it 2-1. But like they couldn't in the first half, the home side once again couldn't maintain their advantage. Bristol City was full value for their equalizer. A cross from Jamie-Lee Napier was deflected out of the area to Carrie Jones, who unleashed a sensational right-footed shot that rocketed past van Domselaar to square things at 2-2 in the 75th. The match would finish on that scoreline with the teams splitting the points.