LONDON: Rebecca Welch became the first woman to referee an English Premier League football match when she oversaw Burnley’s 2-0 win away to Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Welch, a 40-year-old from Washington in northeast England, was working for the National Health Service when she began her refereeing career in 2010.
She rose through the officiating ranks and, in 2021, became the first woman appointed to referee a match in the English Football League when she took charge of the fourth-tier fixture between Harrogate and Port Vale.
Welch was also the first female official to referee matches in the Championship and third round of the FA Cup.
She had little to do early on during a slow start to proceedings in London on Saturday before Welch’s decision to not award a Vitinho handball frustrated Fulham.
Welch remained unmoved by players’ reactions when making her rulings and was happy to play advantage for both sides whenever possible in a match where long-range strikes from Wilson Odobert and Sander Berge gave Burnley their first win since December 2.
She booked Calvin Bassey after 25 minutes for striking Josh Brownhill. The Fulham defender refused to walk toward Welch when signalled by her on three occasions but eventually approached the referee and was cautioned.
Welch’s name was greeted by cheers when read out by the public address announcer at Craven Cottage ahead of kickoff.
But Fulham fans became increasingly annoyed as Welch’s first few decisions went in favor of the visitors and they cheered sarcastically cheers when the hosts were awarded a foul in midfield.
But it was hard to argue with Welch’s decisions until that point, although whistles and chants of “don’t know what you are doing” rang round the ground after she waved off Harry Wilson’s appeals just inside the visitors’ half — although this was the sort of comment any referee might expect in the same situation.
Welch, however, maintained her composure and authority throughout an assured Premier League debut.
Last month, Welch became the first woman to act as fourth official in a Premier League game as part of the officiating team for Fulham’s match against Manchester United.
Welch has also taken charge of several high-profile women’s fixtures, including games at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Welch becomes first female referee in English Premier League
https://arab.news/w3jny
Welch becomes first female referee in English Premier League
- Welch, a 40-year-old from Washington in northeast England, was working for the National Health Service when she began her refereeing career in 2010
- She was also the first female official to referee matches in the Championship and third round of the FA Cup
Rodgers’ Al-Qadsiah fall behind in title race as points dropped against Al-Fateh
- The Knights of the East move onto 44 points after 1-1 draw, six behind leaders Al-Hilal
- Julian Quiñones nets 18th goal of the season to move second in goal rankings
RIYADH: Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli will breathe a sigh of relief after Al-Fateh held Al-Qadsiah to a 1-1 draw at the culmination of Matchday 21 in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Qadsiah now sit three points adrift of Al-Ahli, five behind Al-Nassr and six behind Al-Hilal.
Al-Fateh, who continue to rise up the table after a difficult start to the season, entered the encounter with a set of changes made by José Manuel Gomes. Looking to counter Brendan Rodgers’ 5-3-2, the visitors set up in a similar formation, with Sofiane Bendebka operating higher up the pitch to press Julian Weigl.
The match began at a frantic pace, with two goals arriving in quick succession. Al-Qadsiah’s right flank has continued to be a target for opposition sides, with the space behind Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat exposing Jehad Thekri to repeated one-on-one situations.
Naif Masoud dribbled his way into the box before releasing Wesley Delgado down his left. The Cape Verde international squared for Matías Vargas, who finished with precision past Koen Casteels in the eighth minute.
Shortly after, Al-Qadsiah made their way back into the game. While Abu Al-Shamat’s marauding runs can leave space for opposition wingers, his attacking contributions remain a vital part of Al-Qadsiah’s play. A through ball from a tight angle found Julian Quiñones, who finished to equalize and make his 14th goal contribution in 10 games.
Despite the quick response, Al-Qadsiah struggled to find a way back into the game. Fernando Pacheco stood firm in Al-Fateh’s goal, making four saves on the night, as the hosts fired 19 attempts across the 90 minutes.
A final attempt for Al-Qadsiah came in the closing moments of the game, when Nacho found space inside the box, only for Al-Fateh’s defense to close him down and deny a clear shot at goal.
Brendan Rodgers remains unbeaten since taking charge at Al-Qadsiah, as the Northern Irishman led Al-Qadsiah to eight victories and three draws in his 11 matches at the helm. They face NEOM next in a bid to revitalize their title charge.
Elsewhere, surprise package of the season Al-Taawoun continued a difficult run of form, dropping points in a 1-1 draw to Al-Khaleej. Meanwhile, Al-Kholood completed the double over Al-Shabab, with Abdulaziz Al-Aliwa once again proving decisive by scoring a 78th-minute winner in a 1-0 victory.
The Saudi Pro League takes its first five-day break since the league’s return from hiatus in December, with Matchday 22 getting underway on Thursday. As the title race tightens, Al-Ahli travel to Riyadh to face Al-Shabab, while Al-Hilal host Al-Ettifaq on Friday. Al-Nassr conclude the round on Saturday as they make their way to Al-Hasa to face Al-Fateh.
