Women's football weekly review: Ella Toone shines while Rasheedat Ajibade nets four
We take a look back at domestic women's football action across Europe as players returned from international break to reunite with their clubs. From key performers to upcoming fixtures, here's a rundown of some key things to know.
Football
Women's football returned to action at the weekend after a two week break to accommodate the international window.
The current season is still in its infancy, but there have already been some big performances and huge results across the board.
We're looking back at the action across Europe's top five leagues from the most recent instalment of weekend football.
Top players of the week
Here are just a handful of the standout performances from the action across the leagues...
Ella Toone
Manchester United's Ella Toone ran the show in their 4-0 thumping of Brighton on Sunday (16 October) in the Women's Super League.
Fresh off a winning European Championship with England this summer, in which she scored in the final against Germany, it took just three games for the attacking midfielder to hit her stride.
The 23-year-old had three goal involvements against the Seagulls, scoring twice and providing an assist for Leah Galton to put the Reds up three goals to nil before half-time.
United went on to win the game 4-0, maintaining their 100% winning start to the new campaign and taking top spot in the league table.
Rasheedat Ajibade
It was a dominant display for Atletico Madrid against Sporting Huelva, with Rasheedat Ajibade at the heart of the action.
The Nigerian forward scored four of Atletico's five goals as they bounced back from their defeat to Levante prior to the international break.
The first of which came on the half hour mark to break the deadlock. She scored the second soon after half-time, finishing off a wonderful solo run from Shelia Garcia.
Ajibade would have to wait a while for her hat-trick, completing it in the 88th minute, finishing cooly in a one-v-one. The 22-year-old capped off her five-star display by rounding the keeper to slot home her fourth of the afternoon.
Stefanie van der Gragt
Dutch international Stefanie van der Gragt is enjoying life in Italy so far.
She joined Inter Milan in the summer and over the weekend aided her new side secure a big win over their rivals AC Milan.
Not only did Van der Gragt score a goal in the opening 10 minutes with a towering header from a corner, but she helped keep a clean sheet despite being up against a player like Sweden's Kosovare Asllani.
Honourable mentions go to Jacqueline Burns of Reading - who saved a penalty against Arsenal on her Women's Super League debut as her side fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat - and Melvine Malard who scored in Lyon's 3-1 win away to Bordeaux. Despite an unfortunate own goal early on, the 22-year-old showed great composure to bounce back and provide a threat on goal in the absence of key players like Ada Hegerberg and Catarina Macario.
Top games of the week
From rivalries to goal routs, here are this week's top games...
Inter Milan 4-0 AC Milan
One of the greatest footballing rivalries came together over the weekend, but it would be Inter Milan who enjoyed a big win against their opponents.
And, much to the dismay of AC Milan and their travelling fans, it was by some distance, too.
The home side put four unanswered goals past their visitors, with Elisa Polli on the scoresheet either side of half-time.
It extends their unbeaten start to the new season to six games, one point ahead at the top of the table, while a third loss of the campaign leaves AC Milan sitting in 8th place.
Real Madrid 7-1 Alaves
It may be hard to believe given the end result, but it was the visitors who struck first in the 22nd minute to give them a surprise lead given they're planted to the bottom of the table with 0 wins from four.
And, unfortunately for them, they were not able to maintain that or hold on for a result as Real Madrid came out into the second half with a point to prove.
All seven of their goals came in the second 45: Esther Gonzalez scored a hat-trick while Caroline Weir bagged a brace, before their rampant victory was sealed in the 85th minute as Caroline Moller scored the seventh and final goal of the game from the bench.
Their rout of Alaves became even more significant with Levante dropping points, meaning Madrid are now one point from second, and three points from first, with a game in hand on the teams above them and all below them (bar Granadilla Tenerife, who they will play in that game).
Soyaux-Charente 1-4 Le Havre
Since being promoted back to Division 1 Feminine, Le Havre have been picking up big results, including this one.
It marks their second win of the new campaign, and having already taken points away from Paris Saint-Germain in a draw prior to the international break, they now sit in 5th.
That means they are now just four points from breaking into the top three, a stark contrast from the side who were relegated from this league two years ago, losing 18 of their 22 games.
Big results this early on in a season have the tendency to prove vital later down the line, and should they dare to dream big about a taste of Champions League action, this 4-1 victory could be one of those key moments.
Top results of the week
The league campaigns across Europe are still in their early days, but some key results unfolded...
Man City 4-0 Leicester City
Manchester City registered a vital win against Leicester City this weekend, putting their first points on the board.
It has been a turbulent start to the season for the blue half of Manchester, with plenty of incoming and outgoing transfers have a notable impact on the form they ended last season on.
European Championship winner, Lauren Hemp, was among their goal scorers, as Khadija Shaw bagged a brace.
Summer recruit Yui Hasegawa sealed the win with an 88th minute strike.
City now sit in 8th with one win from three.
Sassuolo 0-1 Roma
Roma's narrow 1-0 defeat of Sassuolo is a tale of two outcomes.
Elisa Bartoli was on target in stoppage time to clinch the three points and break the hearts of the home side.
For Sassuolo, a point would have lifted them from the bottom of the table having drawn one and lost four in the run up to the game.
But late, late drama means that Roma continue hot on the tails of Inter Milan at the top of the women's Serie A - separated by just a point.
Bayer Leverkusen 0-1 Meppen
Meppen secured an important victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the Frauen-Bundesliga.
A penalty on the hour mark, of which Lisa-Marie Weiss converted, was to be the difference maker for the visitors.
Despite enjoying well over half the possession, the home side struggled to find the back of the net.
**Top games during the week ahead: Schedule **
More big games await clubs across Europe, but midweek provides new challenges in the form of the Champions League.
Here are some key ties to look out for as we look forward...
Wednesday 19 October - Champions League
Barcelona v Benfica (21:00 CET)
Lyon v Arsenal (21:00 CET)
Thursday 20 October - Champions League
Paris Saint-Germain v Chelsea (21:00 CET)
Saturday 22 October
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City (12:30 CET) - Women's Super League
Liverpool v Arsenal (13:00 CET) - Women's Super League
Milan v Juventus (14:30 CET) - Serie A
Sunday 23 October
Levante v Real Madrid (11:00 CET) - Primera Division
Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich (14:00 CET) - Frauen-Bundesliga
Sassuolo v Inter Milan (14:30 CET) - Serie A