Belgian trip for Everton Ladies

Aug 22 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON LADIES were yesterday told the news that they’ll be playing phase two of their UEFA Cup campaign in Belgium, when the next round gets underway in October.

The women’s competition is run differently to the men’s, as only one team hosts all matches played in each group and every side plays each other once in a seven-day period.

It was thought Mo Marley’s side would face a trip to Germany, with 2006 winners FCC Frankfurt hosting the matches for Group B3.

But UEFA decided that Belgian’s KFC Rapide Wezemaal will stage the games in two months time.

It’s the first occasion Everton have played in the competition, and had a successful week in Lithuania during phase one, which saw them score 20 goals without conceding and finish top of their group.

That earned them a place alongside Frankfurt, Radide Wezemaal and Icelandic team Valur Reykjavík in the next group stage.

The team is already facing a domestic back-log of matches due to the World Cup taking away five weeks of their season.

So when the six Everton players return from China at the end of next month, they must add another trip to the continent to their already heavy schedule.

Meanwhile, England’s other representative Arsenal have been given the honor of hosting their group at Borehamwood along with Italians Bardolino Verona, Alma KTZH of Kazakhstan, and Austrian side Neulengbach.