Canadians in Europe: David scores, but LOSC gets routed
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Jonathan David was the lone bright spot as Lille was hammered by PSG, while Sabrina D'Angelo was injured in Aston Villa's loss and Evelyn Viens scored, but Roma might have seen their title defence end at Juventus.
Here's a look at Canadians in Europe this past week.
Jonathan David, Lille - Saturday's match at Parc des Princes once again demonstrated why there is a big gulf at the top of the table between Paris Saint-Germain and the rest of Ligue. Luis Enrique's undefeated side continued their march to another title by thoroughly dispatching visiting Lille by a score of 4-1. Les Dogues' lone bright spot came from Jonathan David as he looks to challenge for the Golden Boot. Trouble for the visitors began early. In the sixth minute, Ligue 1's leading scorer Ousmane Dembélé forced a diving save out of Lucas Chevalier, but his parry dropped right to the feet of an unmarked Bradley Barcola for the France winger to tuck into the net. While Chevalier did well with the initial shot, he needed to smother it rather than offer up a rebound. The hosts would be two up just after the 20-minute mark as the one-way traffic continued. Désiré Doué floated a cross over to the far post where it was headed down and over the line by Marquinhos in the 22nd. Had the Brazil defender not scored, there was no shortage of PSG players at the goal line to poke it home with Chevalier and his backline both looking disorganized and unsure on the delivery. But the leaders weren't done there. Dembélé got on the scoresheet in the 28th minutes as the LOSC backline was once again picked apart far too easily. Using Nuno Mendes as a dummy, Barcola chipped a ball into the area for Goncalo Ramos. He dropped a pass back to Joao Neves at the penalty spot. Rather than shoot himself, he side-footed over for Dembélé to slot home his 18th goal of the year. Thoroughly outclassing their opposition, PSG would grab their final goal of the match ahead of halftime. After Lille managed to momentarily deal with yet another PSG attack, the ball fell just outside the area for Doué to hammer home with a fine volley in the 37th. Les Dogues headed into halftime with an insurmountable deficit. David was introduced into the match in the 63rd, coming on for Chuba Akpom. In the 80th, after a give-and-go with David, Ethan Mbappé spun and fired at the net from just inside the area. Gianluigi Donnarumma made a diving save, but David was on the doorstep to slot in the rebound for his 13th league goal of the season. The marker put David third in league scoring behind Dembélé with 18 and Marseille's Mason Greenwood on 15. David now has 84 league goals with Les Dogues. Only Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette (155), Gaetan Laborde of Nice (86) and Montpellier's Andy Delort (85) have more among active players. The win put PSG 12 points clear of Marseille atop the table. Les Dogues fall to fifth, two back of Monaco for the final Champions League place.
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Sabrina D'Angelo, Aston Villa - With the Women's Super League back in action after the international break, Welland, Ont.'s Sabrina D'Angelo returned between the wickets for Aston Villa, but her afternoon was cut short in a 2-0 loss to Everton. D'Angelo was forced out in the second half after taking a blow to the head. The visitors took the lead in the 16th, thanks to a breakdown in the back for Villa. From a corner, D'Angelo punched away to the near post. Katie Robinson was unable to clear and Everton retained possession. The ball was bundled around the area before Jordan Nobbs had the chance for a clearance, but she was quickly dispossessed. Toni Payne's cross from the right was deflected by Robinson. Jill Baijing's had the opportunity to clear, but she mistimed her header and it fell right to Maren Mjelde to volley home over D'Angelo. There was an audible groan from the home supporters as the Villa women looked at each other for answers with captain Rachel Daly visibly upset with her team's effort. The 1-0 scoreline held into the half. Shortly after the restart, D'Angelo's match would end. A collision led to D'Angelo picking up what appeared to be a facial injury and she came off in place of the debuting Katelin Talbert. There was no word on the severity of the injury to D'Angelo after the match. It was a baptism by fire for Talbert whose mistake led directly to the Toffees' second to effectively ice the match. Heather Payne slipped as she tried to deliver a cross to the near post, so it was lofted more than she intended. Talbert came off her line to claim it, but bobbled it and failed to recover it when she had a second opportunity. This allowed for Honoka Hayashi to pounce and fire home in the 59th. Whether it was nerves or not, Talbert had to do better there. The loss was a costly one for Villa, who still sit only four clear of Crystal Palace at the bottom of the table in the relegation zone. The win sent the Toffies into eighth, now 10 clear of Palace.
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Evelyne Viens, Roma - Heading into Sunday's match with first-place Juventus, L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que.'s Evelyne Viens and Roma's margin for error to maintain a title challenge was slim, but after dropping a six-pointer in a 4-3 loss, their window to retain the Serie A Femminile title might have slammed shut. It was Juve would draw first blood just before the 20-minute mark. From a deep free kick from distance, Elena Linari completely mistimed her clearance, forcing Moeka Minami to scramble and leave the ball at the feet of Mathilde Harviken and the Norway defender rifled home from close range in the 19th. It was a goal from nothing for the hosts. But that lead would be short-lived. Only three minutes later, Minami would even things up. Meeting Manuela Giugliano's cross with a glancing header, the Japan centre-back's effort snuck inside the far post to make it 1-0. Roma would then take the lead just two minutes later thanks to a sensational effort from Emilie Haavi. Pouncing upon an errant clearance from Martina Lenzini, the Norway forward ran at goal and unleashed a fine strike to beat a diving Pauline Peyraud-Magnin and Roma was up 2-1 in the 24th. Juve would answer back immediately. From the restart, Sofia Cantore dropped the ball back for a trailing Cristiana Girelli and her deflected shot beat Isabella Kresche and the match was even again at 2-2. It would stay at that scoreline until after the half. In the 54th, Girelli bagged her second. After a give-and-go with Paulina Krumbiegel along the touchline, Lenzini whipped a fine cross across the face of goal for Girelli to meet with the outside of her right boot and make it 3-2. It was a fine team goal from the hosts. But Roma would again have an answer, this time through Viens. Giugliano whipped in a corner to the far post. Linari's header was cleared off the line by Peyraud-Magnin, but Viens was on the doorstep to get it over the line and tie things up again at 3-3 in the 57th. The goal was Viens' fifth on the season and her 18th league goal in a Roma shirt. Juve would take the lead for the final time only three minutes after that through - who else? - Girelli with another fine goal. Running to the front of goal, Girelli met a picture-perfect cross by Emma Kullberg with the outside of her right boot to complete her hat-trick in the 60th. Seeing out the victory, Juve pulled 13 points clear of Roma, in third, atop the table. It was a costly loss for Roma, who could have pulled within seven points of the leaders with a victory. Inter sits between the two teams on 38 points, three clear of Roma and 10 behind Juve.