Summary
Another disappointing night for the Matildas to round off a disappointing two-match series against Canada. The poor results keep piling up for coach Tony Gustavsson. Before tonight’s match he implored doubters to trust the process, it remains to be seen if those pleas will be followed in the wake of another defeat.
It all started so promisingly with a superb first half performance full of brio and intent. Mary Fowler’s early goal was the least Australia deserved as Caitlin Foord and Katrina Gorry probed and Cortnee Vine showed dash down the right. But after failing to kill the game off they disintegrated after the break.
Two Adriana Leon strikes changed the game but they were the result of a higher energy second half performance from the visitors who matched their hosts’ intensity and watched them wilt under the pressure. While Leon will grab the headlines the star of the show was 19-year-old Jade Rose. Still at Harvard University, Rose kept Sam Kerr quiet for most of the night and time and again proved immovable in the centre of defence. Not only that she showed poise on the ball, creating the second goal with a perfectly weighted through-ball.
Thank you for joining me tonight. Stay tuned for more from our team at Allianz Stadium, and keep your eyes peeled for more reaction in the coming days.
Updated
Tony Gustavsson has spoken to the host broadcaster, beginning with praise for the crowd for spurring on his side in the promising first half. His explanation for the change in performance after half-time was praise for Canada, complimenting their increase in intensity. Hmmm, not for the first time, more questions than answers.
Despite the result, there were plenty of positives to take away from the night. The match was excellent entertainment, Allianz Stadium looks superb, and the crowd made plenty of noise with hundreds staying behind to grab selfies and signatures. There is no doubt the Matildas are beloved.
Emma Kemp has already filed an early match report. I hope she waited until after half-time to begin to construct her narrative.
“We had a couple of injuries, we lost our momentum, but it wasn’t good enough in the second half,” admits Australian captain Sam Kerr.
“This is really disheartening” laments Grace Gill. “These are disappointing results.”
@JPHowcroft It's just a friendly, that's where players learn from mistakes. You don't play them to win them, you play them to teach.
— Dianne Dennis (@DianneDennisCA1) September 6, 2022
After three years of declining results, a year out from a World Cup on home soil, I’m not sure a national team with the ambition of lifting a major trophy should still be in a teaching phase.
Again, stealing from Harper: what happened at half-time?
Andy Harper’s summary of the two-match series is brutal. After rhapsodising about all the things Canada have learned on their tour, he concludes with: “and Australia played well for a half.”
Full-time: Australia 1-2 Canada
For the second time in a week, Canada have defeated Australia by a goal. More disappointment for the Matildas.
90+7 mins: Almost! The ball into the box is dangerous but after bouncing it lands at the feet of a red shirted player and cleared. The second ball finds Kerr but her glancing header is saved.
90+6 mins: Surely this is the final action of the night. Beckie is booked for a collision with Gorry on the right wing. Free-kick to the Matildas. Can they snatch something at the death?
90 + 5 mins: Still the Matildas push. Another long ball. This one isn’t cleared first time, but it matters not because Gielnik thwacks an aimless hoof at a 30m volley that flies miles wide.
90+4 mins: Canada are now just happy to see out the result. Australia are still desperate for an equalizer. A lofted ball into the area is cut out by – you know the rest. Give Jade Rose the matchball.
90+2 mins: there will be at least six minutes of injury time. Canada are in a mess all of a sudden with players off the field injured, others limping harmlessly behind play. Not to worry, Jade Rose is all they need. For the umpteenth time tonight the teenage central defender is strong and composed for her side. Then she wins an ugly 50-50 header. Super player.
89 mins: Nevin thumps a long ball to Kerr but Rose again does well in the air. Sheridan then makes a mess of the clearance and in broken play Australia have a chance! Kerr seizes the chance to run with the loose ball but her shot is blocked. It ricochets towards Chidiac, who shapes to shoot, but a Canadian defender flies across to block at the last. That was a superb desperate intervention from Quinn. But they have injured themselves in the process.
Updated
88 mins: From the resulting throw-in the ball works well for Australia but the cross is again weak and Canada clear. Both sides look disjointed and tired.
87 mins: Chidiac and Cooney-Cross do well to press and force a turnover on the left. The noise lifts a factor of decibels inside the stadium as the attack shifts to the right, but the low cross is cut out.
86 mins: Jade Rose; please and thank you.
Who has been your @rebelsport Player of the Match from #AUSvCAN in Sydney? pic.twitter.com/JqpcwPj12c
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) September 6, 2022
84 mins: Australia have some rare possession but after seeing all the passing lanes blocked the ball is pumped long to Kerr and Crummer, who lose out in the aerial duel.
A Mexican wave. Sorry, I'm afraid we have to knock the stadium down. #AUSvCAN
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) September 6, 2022
82 mins: Very closing-minutes-of-an-international-friendly areas at the moment with players down receiving treatment, subs left right and centre, and a weird noise coming from the crowd unrelated to the action.
81 mins: Australia look disjointed and rudderless after all those substitutions and the way the second-half has gone. Canada are pushing hard for a clincher.
80 mins: A very healthy crowd of 26,997 has just been announced.
79 mins: Lovely move from Canada. It starts with Rose – who else – striding out of defence. Grosso turns nicely and once she’s facing forward the move builds and it takes a smart intervention from Williams at the near post to prevent an excellent team goal.
78 mins: Loads of subs from both sides. Too many to list. Mary Fowler is one of the players to come off. She had another good game tonight. Like many teammates she faded in the second half, but she has rare quality.
76 mins: Another Canada pressing win in midfield turns possession over. Football Clichés klaxon: this really has been a game of two halves. Maybe there’s a big magnet in one end of the revamped Allianz Stadium, meaning teams attacking only one end can gather momentum?
74 mins: It’s end-to-end at the moment with the field stretched and tired bodies in midfield. Neither side can take advantage with Rose continuing to keep Kerr in her pocket and Leon unable to bully her way past Yallop.
72 mins: Better from Australia with Fowler and Grant probing on the edge of Canada’s box, but neither can deliver the killer pass into Kerr and Canada clear.
70 mins: Gustavsson is now sat on the bench arms crossed with a face like thunder. Meanwhile his team complete their first proper attack of the half with neat build-up play through midfield and down the left almost resulting in a chance for Cooney-Cross. Going the other way Canada should do better in transition but the runner leaves too soon is caught unnecessarily offside.
68 mins: The excellent Prince takes a spell for Canada but even in her absence the visitors are all over Australia. The Matildas can’t get hold of the ball, and after Williams is drawn into action Gorry is soon dispossessed. This has very quickly become very ugly for the hosts.
66 mins: One of those hopeful balls to Kerr almost pays off with a snapshot drawing a good save from Sheridan. Nonetheless, it’s slim pickings for the Matildas since half-time and the host broadcaster is rattling off the long list of poor results in recnt months.
GOAL! Australia 1-2 Canada (Leon, 64)
Jade Rose! JADE ROSE! What a player. She steps out of the line to intercept, turns away from pressure, strides forward then strokes a perfectly weight through-ball for Leon to run onto, compose herself and hammer beyond Williams. There was a hint of offside but it was a lovely goal. Australia can’t say they haven’t been warned.
63 mins: Foord, who was very dangerous in the opening half, leaves the field with what looks like a calf injury. Let’s hope that’s just a knock.
62 mins: The match is now being played very much on Canada’s terms but the final ball has not matched the quality of the build-up play. Australia are resorting to balls into the channel but in Rose, Kerr has a foe who has pace and strength to go with incredible composure. Football Clichés klaxon: she is a Rolls Royce of a defender.
60 mins: From the resulting set-piece, Leon hammers a free-kick that Williams claims in her bread basket with excellent positioning and footwork.
58 mins: Luik does well defensively but then she coughs up possession allowing Canada to pour forward. The ball into the box is repelled but Gorry is booked soon afterwards for a lunging challenge in the scramble for the loose ball.
56 mins: Australia’s intensity has dropped after the interval, and Canada’s has ramped up. There are spaces opening up for red shirts in midfield and it feels like the inverse of the opening half. Prince shows she’s not just a one-way footballer with an excellent defensive tracking run to keep Grant honest after nice work from Gielnik.
54 mins: Now it’s Kerr’s turn to miss-time her run. Australia already looking for those early long-ish balls at the start of the half, the latest of which goes out for a throw-in. Canada meanwhile are starting to hit their straps and Prince is again looking threatening before St Georges draws a simple save from Williams.
52 mins: Hmmm, what will we see now from the Matildas? Can they regroup and return to the form of the opening period? Canada remain on the front foot and Prince probes down the left before her angled ball into the box is cut out. The visitors are doing much better at recycling play and after retaining possession well in midfield there’s a driving run, a throughball, and Prince scores! Or not. The offside flag is up and the marginal call goes Australia’s way.
50 mins: Fowler’s distribution has been outstanding tonight and another sweeping ball into the run of Foord invites the winger to drive into the box, but her delivery is easily cut out. Canada go straight down the other end and earn a corner that Williams claims confidently.
GOAL! Australia 1-1 Canada (Leon, 48)
All that good work in the first half undone in seconds. Canada built nicely down the left and after Sinclair drifted wide to accept possession, Leon took up a neat position at the near post and finished smartly after Sinclair initial cross was blocked.
47 mins: The second half is underway. The camera zooms in tight on Tony Gustavsson, who, with his blonde centre-part and stadium mic, ooks like H from Steps… oh oh, tragedy!
Updated
Changes at the break… for Australia Gielnik replaces Vine and for Canada Grosso comes on for Scott and Beckie for Levasseur.
Half-time: Australia 1-0 Canada
Superb half from the Matildas. They dominated the Olympic gold medallists from start to finish. They would not be flattered by a much healthier scoreline.
44 mins: Canada with a rare incursion down the right but Polkinghorne stands firm in the box. Gorry then releases Kerr early but once again the brilliant Rose is across to time a perfect tackle. Jade Rose is a very good footballer.
42 mins: Foord drags a shot wide of the near post after cutting in from the left. That was the first slow-ish build-up from the Matildas that demonstrated control of tempo, unpicking the Canadian midfield.
Soon afterwards Vine fluffs her lines again, failing to hit a target with a cross from the byline with plenty of time to do better.
41 mins: The work-rate from the Matildas has been exceptional. Canada just haven’t been given time to breathe.
40 mins: Australia are winning the ball back at will, and every time they do it threatens to catch Canada shorthanded in transition.
38 mins: Another drive forward, this time from Gorry, comes to nought. Foord does superbly on the counter-press to win the ball back, then she goes over in the box – penalty surely!? Not given! Still Australia press, and with Canada in disarray Vine is played through with only Sheridan to beat – and she makes an absolute Horlicks of it, stabbing a weak effort with the outside of her right boot instead of taking command of the situation. The Matildas should be more than one up.
Updated
35 mins: Foord again drives towards goal but this time she invites Vine to cross and her dangerous ball across the six-yard box is punched clear by a diving Sheridan. Australia are well on top in Sydney but they’re struggling to convert their dominance into chances.
33 mins: Williams does superbly to punch the corner clear. It sparks a counter that should result in a chance but Vine fluffs her line in transition. Australia recycle the ball well and mount another raid down the right, then Foord carves through the middle and shapes to shoot but takes one touch too many and Canada clear. The Matildas are stationed well though and they regain possession easily.
32 mins: Of course, that means a rare cross is skewed awkwardly over her crossbar by an off-balance Polkinghorne.
31 mins: Canada have hardly had a sniff. Australia have been excellent off the ball.
29 mins: Lovely deep long diagonal switch from right to left from EVE to Foord. Rose does superbly in defence, matching the run all the way and denying even a corner.
27 mins: Grant enjoys a nice couple of minutes, first stepping up to play a neat ball around the corner to Gorry, then standing firm defensively to win the ball back twice for her team, the second allowing Kerr to swipe a snapshot from range that forces Sheridan into a low – albeit comfortable – save.
25 mins: Rinse and repeat. Van Egmond sees Vine’s run in transition after good link-up work from Kerr, but EVE fails to execute. Earlier, Yallop demonstrates the urgency of the Matildas defensively tonight, recovering after being muscled off the ball. However, she then goes down for treatment and looks a little proppy walking to the touchline.
24 mins: Van Egmond again guilty of conceding possession. It’s a fine line for players in her position, clearly empowered to take risks and play the difficult passes. They are chance creators when they come off, but it can make for an ugly stats sheet at the end of 90 minutes.
22 mins: Polkinghorne does well to tidy up after her poor touch invited Canada to counterattack. There is a zip to Australia without the ball tonight that is making them very difficult to play against. A little more composure on the ball would be nice.
21 mins: Foord earns the first corner of the night with her pace down the left. Gorry’s delivery causes havoc in the box and Luik has a sniff of goal with a ball bouncing across the six-yard line.
19 mins: Australia try to play out from the back but they’re lucky to escape the Canada press with Gorry almost caught in possession.
17 mins: Luik comes across and gets a well-timed foot in to repel a raid down the right. The kind of challenge that gets plenty of appreciate claps from the crowd. Luik is 37, and at pretty much half her age, Jade Rose executes a similar interception moments later, this one at full tilt in pursuit of Kerr.
15 mins: Canada are growing into the contest and finding some nice half-spaces in front of Australia’s back four. The Matildas continue to be architects of their own discomfort by giving the ball away cheaply coming out of defence.
13 mins: A couple of times already the Matildas have had momentum coming out from the back only to hit quicksand in midfield. In the latest example after play stalls o the left Van Egmond fails with a crossfield Hollywood pass.
11 mins: Both sides look sternly in the direction of the assistant referees after first Australia, then Canada, think they’ve sprung the offside trap only to see flags raised. Kerr’s was touch-and-go, Huitema a clearer indiscretion.
10 mins: Canada have finally strung a few passes together and Prince gets to the byline to dink over a cross that’s easily claimed by Williams. The visiting press clearly has Australia nervous when the central defensive partnership receive the ball in deep areas.
8 mins: Vine again catches the eye, involving herself twice in a move that involves Grant overlapping on the right. This is an effervescent start from the hosts who are applying their manager’s pleas to press more to great effect.
5 mins: Vine has been busy early on down the right, and she set up a decent attack moments before the goal with her energy setting up van Egmond to progress through the lines. Australia have been sharp out of possession, not letting Canada settle and snapping into tackles in a mid-block.
GOAL! Australia 1-0 Canada (Fowler, 3)
The Matildas have started brightly, and they’ve been rewarded with a goal. It was classic transition football with a poor clearance from Sheridan quickly knocked forward to Kerr. A couple of passes later and Kerr is on the right edge of the box, drilling a perfect cross for Mary Fowler to stroke home unerringly from the penalty spot. Just the start Australia wanted.
Updated
2 mins: Australia try to string a series of quick passes together from the kick-off, but some loose control ends the move. From the second phase a hopeful throughball trickles all the way to Sheridan.
Kick-off!
We’re underway in Sydney…
An equally polished performance of “Advance Australia Fair”. If the football is as good as the singing tonight we’re in for a treat.
“O Canada” has just been sung superbly a cappella. It was so good the Canadian players were jumping and cheering as it ended. That was rad.
Out come the two sides onto a dramatically lit Allianz Stadium pitch. There’s firework smoke haze, spotlights, and the feel of a pop concert.
Christine Sinclair takes soles position of 2nd place on the All-Time International Appearances list 🍁
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) September 6, 2022
With her start against @TheMatildas, Sinc moves past Carli Lloyd and within 37 caps of becoming the most capped player in the history of international soccer!#WeCAN pic.twitter.com/Z5DMyTv23U
The new Allianz Stadium is resplendent tonight, all shiny and new and filled with fancy lights and noise from the PA system, which is alternating between loud pop music and interactions with fans.
With 20 minutes to go before kick-off, fans are still making their way in (and risking missing the firework display), possibly stopping off for a quick cheeseburger spring roll or two from one of the many concourse outlets (disclaimer: I have not seen a cheeseburger spring roll and know not what they are, nor can I vouch for their tastiness and/or health benefits).
Word is the crowd is expected to be around the 25,000 mark once we get under way.
Updated
It’s cool and dry in Sydney this evening, perfect conditions to enjoy the first football match at the revamped Allianz Stadium.
Grace Gill is developing into an excellent pundit, and she’s questioned the merit of recalling 37-year-old Aivi Luik in the centre of defence to cover for the injured Alanna Kennedy. Her comments on freeing up Katrina Gorry also hit home.
1v1 with Bev 🎙 @CANWNT
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) September 5, 2022
"Australia, there's another level to them. I think they'll bring that. But for us to come here without the backline that we're depleted with, and get 2 results, it would speak to the character of the group."#WeCAN pic.twitter.com/UGWHTTBvyE
Tony Gustavsson was defensive in conversation with the host broadcaster’s gently probing pregame questions. “Sometimes it can be over-focussed on short-term results,” he said. But the reporter admirably pointed out that results have not been positive for a while now. “That’s up to you to answer,” he replied.
“Outside the circle they want to see results” he said. “Those emotions can sometimes can cloud your judgement.”
As for the material improvements, Gustavsson prioritised high pressing and better passing.
Canada XI
Three changes for Canada with Scott, Rose, and Levasseur replacing Grosso, Beckie, and Yekka.
Your @CANWNT Starting XI 🍁
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) September 6, 2022
Sinclair captains Canada as they close out their two match series with the @TheMatildas #WeCAN pic.twitter.com/tx0BEC3FWH
Australia XI
As expected, there are a few changes to the Matildas line-up.
In come Luik, Vine, Foord, and Yallop.
Out go Nevin, Kennedy, Cooney-Cross, and Gielnik.
STARTING XI 🗒
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) September 6, 2022
Here's how we line up tonight against Canada! 👊
⏰: 7:40 pm AEST
📺💻📱: @10footballau #WeAreMatildas #AUSvCAN pic.twitter.com/rBusGj0yzY
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the second friendly between Australia and Canada. Kick-off at Allianz Stadium in Sydney is 7.40pm / 5.40am EDT.
What are we in for tonight? Will it be the long awaited jump-start on the Matildas’ flagging World Cup campaign? Another evening full of unanswered questions? Or perhaps even a performance that calls for drastic action…
At the end of 2017 Australia were ranked fourth in the world, they are now down to 12th, a status not helped by a run of three matches without a victory, one of those a 7-0 hammering by Spain. Head coach Tony Gustavsson limps into his 26th match with just eight wins under his belt.
The Swede was met with such excitement on his appointment that he received an notably long honeymoon period. The goodwill extended to him, and one of Australia’s most popular teams, may yet come at a cost.
The 2023 World Cup on home soil has been the target for many years, and back in 2017, two years before the bid was submitted, it was seen as perhaps the final piece in the jigsaw to crown the Matildas the best in the world. As Gustavsson noted on the weekend, changing course now may already be too late.
“We actually broke all the Fifa windows down and we have five Fifa windows, that means we have 46 days,” he said. “Out of those 46 days, 14 days go to travel and recovery. That leaves us with 32 days. Out of those 32 days before the World Cup roster is announced, it’s going to be 11 games and 11 pre-game sessions.
“That leaves us with 10 proper training sessions; 10 sessions where we can play 11 v 11 and work on all the details. That’s how soon we’re going to announce a roster [before] coming here and preparing for the World Cup. So it’s around the corner. Every minute counts.”
Unable to fall back on results, Gustavsson remains focussed on the process. “There’s a belief in the process and I don’t think that belief is going to be lost, even if we lose the game. We’d be more worried if the game didn’t look good or if the performance is not there,” he said.
Have the games looked good? Have the performances been there?
It raises the stakes for the second match in a double-header against Olympic gold medallists Canada. The first went the way of the visitors in Brisbane, Australia must demonstrate progress in Sydney.
As always there’s plenty to chew over before kick-off. If you want to be a part of it you get in touch via email or tweet me @JPHowcroft if that’s easier.
Easy does it 👌#WeCAN pic.twitter.com/Jf27dMAaOo
— CAN Soccer’s WNT (@CANWNT) September 5, 2022
