FORM GUIDE 📈 Cyle Larin scores on Southampton debut | Olivia Smith finds winner vs. Manchester City
The transfer window has slammed shut for the winter, with several Canadians making their debuts for their new clubs over the weekend in Europe.
A few of them, such as Cyle Larin’s start to life at Southampton, are already making headlines.
Here are the highlights of Canadian internationals in action this past week:
Larin marks Southampton debut with a goal
Things could not have gone much better for Cyle Larin in his Southampton debut. After joining the Championship club late last week on transfer deadline day, he made an instant impact.
Checking into their match against Watford on Saturday in the 67th minute, Larin scored the match-winner just three minutes later with a thunderous header, instantly ingratiating herself with the Saints’ faithful.
Your Player of the Match, Cyle Larin 👑 pic.twitter.com/19cJlZ0UWq
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) February 8, 2026
It was a significant moment for Larin in Canada’s ever-intensifying battle for the striker positions at the 2026 World Cup. Larin knows he needs this move to go well in order to keep his spot secure, and Saturday was an excellent start.
Smith scores huge goal for Arsenal
Last week, she lifted a trophy, and now this week, Olivia Smith made sure Arsenal stayed in contention for another one, picking up the winning goal in her side's 1-0 victory over Manchester City on Saturday.
The loss was just City’s second of the campaign, and they are still eight points atop the table, but, with a game in hand, Arsenal cut their own deficit to ten points. Not hot on City’s heels by any means, but certainly not over yet. Arsenal have eight matches remaining to make up that gap.
Beating the keeper with great composure 😮💨
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) February 8, 2026
Mariona with a beautiful ball to set up Olivia Smith who makes no mistake in front of goal!#BarclaysWSL @ArsenalWFC pic.twitter.com/CdFPu3CqFr
For Smith, it was her fourth league goal of the campaign, and third in three straight matches in all competitions after scoring in the Women’s Champions Cup Final last week.
Fellow Canadian Jade Rose played the full 90 for the league leaders in their 1-0 loss as she enjoys a tremendous first FA WSL campaign.
In other news…
CanMNT
Jacen Russell-Rowe made his debut for Toulouse in Ligue 1, coming off the bench in the 74th minute in a 1-0 loss to Angers.
Aribim Pepple scored his seventh goal in all competitions, and fifth in the league, at the weekend as his Plymouth Argyle side lost 4-1 to Lincoln City.
Niko Sigur had an outstanding performance and picked up an assist in a 2-0 victory for Hajduk Split against Slaven Belupo in Croatian league action.
Junior Hoilett marked his Swindon Town debut in League Two with an assist in a 3-0 victory over Oldham Athletic, coming off the bench in the 61st minute.
Nathan Saliba went the full 90 in Anderlecht’s 2-0 loss to Genk on Sunday. He also started Thursday’s 1-0 loss to Antwerp in the first leg of the Belgian Cup semi-final.
Ismaël Koné put in a strong shift despite his side’s 5-0 loss to Inter Milan yesterday in league action.
Ali Ahmed started and played 70 minutes in Norwich’s 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers in Championship action.
Liam Millar came off the bench at the half in Hull City’s 3-2 loss to Bristol City on Saturday.
Promise David started in a 0-0 Belgian Cup semi-final draw against Charleroi and played 74 minutes in the first leg. He then went 80 minutes in Belgian league action in a 2-1 win over La Louviere.
CanWNT
Sabrina D’Angelo suffered a head injury, which saw her removed in the 51st minute of Aston Villa’s 4-1 loss to Liverpool.
Jayde Riviere and Simi Awujo were both second-half substitutes, in the 57th minute and 64th minute, respectively, of Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over Leicester City.
Vanessa Gilles did not appear in Bayern Munich’s 4-1 win over Freiburg.
Ashley Lawrence went the full 90 in OL Lyonnes 4-0 victory over Saint-Étienne on Sunday. She also played the full match in a win by that same scoreline over Marseille in the Coupe de la Ligue.
Florianne Jourde came on in the 88th minute as PSG defeated Paris FC 3-0 in the derby. She also went 60 minutes in a 3-0 win over Évian in midweek cup action.
Evelyne Viens went the full 90 in Roma’s 1-0 victory over AC Milan on Sunday.
