Arroyo turns a nightmare into a dream

Club America had bad memories of Osaka, the city where they fell to China’s Guangzhou Evergrande in their opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016 a year ago. When they returned there on Sunday to face Jeonbuk Hyundai in the second round of this year’s tournament, Las Águilas felt a familiar sense of dread while trailing to the South Koreans for more than half an hour.
               

Kim Bokyung’s 23rd-minute strike sent shivers down the spine of the America squad, as one of their substitutes later confirmed to FIFA.com: “We all felt it on the bench. We were asking ourselves how we were possibly going to score against a side that can play and defend really well and is physically very strong too.”

Score they did, though, and thanks in no small part to the sub in question, Ecuadorian forward Michael Arroyo, who came on at the start of the second half and had a big hand in the in-form Silvio Romero’s match-winning two-goal salvo.

The equaliser came when Arroyo clipped a pinpoint cross into the box for Romero to glance home, and the second when his corner kick found its way to the Argentinian striker, whose shot deflected of a Jeonbuk defender and into the back of the net.

It was no surprise to see the two link up to such great effect, as the 29-year-old Arroyo explained: “Whenever I’m on the pitch, I connect really well with him and Oribe (Peralta). We work well together and we’re all delighted he scored.”

Heaping praise on the whole team for America’s comeback, Arroyo added: “We had a very clear idea of what we wanted to achieve. We had a very positive mindset because that was the only way we could fulfil our dream of playing that game against Real Madrid. We had to come from behind, and we all did our bit to make it happen.”

Delighted to have helped the Mexican outfit achieve its objective, the Ecuadorian said: “We did it, thanks to God, and now we’re up against Real Madrid, which is what we were all dreaming of.”

Arroyo has two goals in mind when the two sides meet in Yokohama: to link up once more with Romero so that America can keep finding the back of the net and to swap shirts with Cristiano Ronaldo, one of his idols. Which of those two tasks will be easier for him to complete? All will be revealed this coming Thursday.

Frizell still stunned by dream 12 months

Five years since paying for his own air fare to the UK so he could represent Wales in the Four Nations, life has moved on considerably for Tyson Frizell.

After reporting back for pre-season training with St George Illawarra late last year, the former Australian rugby schoolboys international, was merely hoping for an injury-free season following back surgery.
                 

Fast forward 12 months, and the barnstorming back-rower has not only played for NSW but is on the cusp of winning a third international cap for Australia in Saturday's crucial Four Nations clash against New Zealand.

The unassuming 25-year-old also re-signed with the Dragons until 2020 and admits he's achieved more than he ever could have hoped for.

"Every player has their targets at the start of the season, Origin was probably something I hoped could happen," Frizell told AAP.

"I never in a million years thought I'd be playing for Australia."

It was only a suspension imposed on Wade Graham by the NRL judiciary that opened the door for Frizell to play for NSW in games two and three.

Two all-action displays that yielded tries in each game impressed Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga enough to select him in the PM's XIII to face PNG in September and the Four Nations.

It's all a far cry from his first taste of international action with the Welsh team in 2011 where his side were on the back of a 42-4 loss to England followed up by a 36-0 humbling at the hands of New Zealand at Wembley Stadium.

"He was a very talented footballer. In training he was very professional but off the field he knew how to enjoy himself, he was great fun.

"Some of the boys were reminding me of the game we played against Australia that year.

A childhood dream has come true

The childhood dream became a reality for one young woman last week – a dream that was just that until the AFL Women’s League came into fruition earlier this year.
             

Emily Bates, drafted to the Brisbane Lions at pick no. 2 in the inaugural AFL Women’s Draft, has undergone the same path as her male counterparts, the only difference is that she would never have the opportunity to be drafted.

Following the draft, Bates told The Courier-Mail of her excitement to be recognised as a “semi-professional” athlete and the opportunity she’s been given.

“I never expected to be able to play in an AFL league and wear the Brisbane Lions colours, so when they finally announced it, it was a dream come true,” Bates told The Courier-Mail.

The 21-year-old midfielder has followed her late father, Lloyd – a former coach at Yeronga – around the footy field since she could first walk.

Bates’ playing career began at 11, when the first women’s competition was established and she signed up at the Devils.

Since then Bates has played on the MCG, Etihad Stadium, the Gabba and Metricon Stadium in representative or exhibition match and will be one of many role models for young girls.

“To me it means the young girls who start playing footy now will have role models to look up to and learn from and they will believe they can play it forever, they won’t have to drop it for another sport just to reach the elite level.”

Jade Ransfield, Kate Deegan, Kate McCarthy and Emily Bates outside the Gabba.

And although she may have represented the Western Bulldogs at exhibition level, Bates is now a true Lion.

“I played for them (Bulldogs) the last five exhibition games, they are a bit of a pioneer in women’s football and I have always admired them for that,” Bates told The Courier-Mail.

“So they were my club, but I’m on to bigger and better things at the Lions.”

"Why can't it be us?" Underdogs dare to dream

The Western Bulldogs are embracing their underdog status, but that doesn't mean they don't believe they have a realistic shot at winning this year's AFL premiership.

           

The Bulldogs set up a preliminary final against Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium with a stunning 23-point upset of Hawthorn, ending the Hawks’ bid for a fourth premiership in a row.

That came after their comprehensive elimination final win over West Coast in Perth, which many expected would be too big a hurdle for them given their injury issues.

“We have been underdogs the last two weeks and it’s probably something that sits well with us as a group,” Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli told Channel Seven’s Game Day.

A qualifying final stumble against the Giants put them into a sudden-death semi-final against Adelaide, but their class shone through against the Crows in a comfortable 36-point win.

The Swans now face Geelong in Friday night’s preliminary final off a six-day break with the Cats having earned a weekend off following their qualifying win over the Hawks.

“They’re going to be fresh but it’s a prelim final so anything can happen,” Swans star Josh Kennedy said.

Dream come true for Crows fan Cramey

Lifelong Crows fan Courtney Cramey has described her signing by the Club as a “dream come true.”

On Thursday, Cramey and Northern Territory-based midfielder Angela Foley were announced as pre-signed players for the Crows in the 2017 National Women’s League.

It was only fitting that Cramey – the South Australian state women’s captain since 2011 – was the first South Aussie listed by the Crows, while Foley is the team’s inaugural NT signing.

In 2004, she returned to footy when she learned about the South Australian Women’s Football League and hasn’t stopped playing since. Recently, Cramey notched up the 150-game milestone in the SAWFL where she represents two-time reigning premiers, Morphettvillle Park Football Club.

Cramey, or ‘CJ’, made her first state side in 2009 and was selected to play in the previous four AFL Women's Exhibition Matches. She’s an All Australian, and veteran of three national championships as a player, as well as two as a youth girls coach.

A strong leader on and away from the football field, Cramey hoped the National Women’s League would inspire future generations of players.