Key events
Matildas end on a high and take their leave
Caitlin Foord reminded Australia why her name is always a close second after Sam Kerr’s when it comes to the country’s top players. She marked her 150th cap with a classy goal and her trademark unrelenting effort to seal the Matildas’ 3-1 win over Mexico in the second international friendly in Sydney.
The energy was so high in the first 10 minutes that it was hard to believe this tempo of football could be sustained for long. Just as soon as Kerr fired off a shot at one end, Diana Ordoñez would be threatening at the other. Rinse and repeat for 22 minutes until Alanna Kennedy got the breakthrough, positioning herself perfectly in the six-yard box to collect the ball, turn on her heels and stab it past the goalkeeper. But it didn’t slow the tempo. Mexico responded instantly, making the most of a wayward clearance and finding Ordoñez waiting in front of an open goal. The Matildas’ second followed in quick succession, Kerr hitting the post and the deflection bouncing in off the goalkeepers back.
Foord probed and prodded but couldn’t get her timing right in the final third. It took a storming run out of defence from Torpey to make it happen. The through ball met Foord a few metres outside the area and she charged inside despite the defender pulling her shirt back. Shaking her off, Foord slotted the ball to the right of the goalkeeper and in doing so recorded her 41st goal in the green and gold.
The final touches were better. The chances were made and shots taken, but still not enough on target. Wheeler is a gem, Torpey is a force, Carpenter is relentless. The greatest dilemma facing Montemurro now is how to settle the defence. While Heatley has had many an impressive moment in her Matildas career, the consistency isn’t there. Even Catley doesn’t look as comfortable as she has in the past – in back-four iterations involving Clare Hunt and Kennedy in the centre. The focus is often on the Matildas attacking issues, perhaps more attention needs to be paid to the setup at the other end.
That’s the last we will see of the Matildas until the next international window at the end of September. It’s a long break, one which the players desperately need given their ridiculously busy schedules for club and country. Luckily there is a fair amount of football on at the moment for them to enjoy in their time off. Did you know that there’s a boy Matildas?
I’ll get to the Matildas in a moment. The other big takeaway for me from tonight is just how skilled and exciting this Mexican team is. This time from the first whistle, Ordoñez again found and exploited the weaknesses in the Matildas defence. Their aggressively high press caused all sorts of trouble for the hosts. That pressure undoubtedly contributed to the huge number of defensive errors from the hosts. Mexico have not qualified for the World Cup since 2015. It would be fantastic to see them back in 2027.
Carpenter, who notched up her 100th appearance in green and gold in the first game, says she is sorry for blocking Kennedy’s shot in the second half. Kennedy (and Kerr for that matter) could not keep a straight face as Carpenter writhed in pain on the grass.
She is pleased with the win, though.
We had a lot to work on from the last game. Obviously had to work out how to beat their press … I think we dealt with that tonight most of the time, still some shaky moments there but that’s what friendlies are for.
[Montemurro] said these are the situations we are going to be put in … so we need to deal with it. Teams are going to pressure us if we want to play the way we want to play which is with the ball.
Just quicker touches, quicker ball movement. I think there’s a lot to improve on, but that’s a good base to improve on.
Joe Montemurro says “a bit more patience” was the key tonight, after taking a number of lessons from game one.
Our biggest problem was we were too slow getting into the attacking third the other night. We worked on getting forward a little bit quicker. I think with Hayley there, staying higher was a bit easier.
These are exactly the games we need, this intensity, this pressure, this 90 minutes of go, go, go. We have to be better with the ball, we were caught a couple of times off the ball and were nearly made to pay for it.
We still need to clean things up.
Ah yeah, I’d say that would have been a penalty if not for the goal.
The milestone player has spoken to Paramount+ after the match, saying how special it is to represent Australia on 150 occasions. “But I’m just happy we won the game,” Foord says.
Did she know that goal was coming?
I just picked the far corner, I think it could have been a pen as well, but I stayed on my feet and put it in the far corner.
We’ve always been that team to bounce back. But we want to be that team that dominates and wins every game. That’s something we’ve got to build on now and work on heading into the World Cup.
Full time (Australia 3-1 Mexico)
The Matildas drag one back to draw the friendly series. An energetic and entertaining match in Sydney for Foord’s 150th cap.
90 + 4 mins: Mexico regain possession in midfield and the ball lands nicely at the feet of Corral on the edge of the area. The pressure from Rule is too much and she forces a corner. Sanchez’s corner finds its target on the top of the six-yard box but her header goes out past the far post.
90 + 1 mins: The substitutes for both teams are eager to attack. Mexico’s free kick on the left finds a head in the box but flies wide of the far post.
88 mins: The Matildas are winding down the clock, satisfied with the 3-1 scoreline. Torpey is coming off and Jamilla Rankin is going to have a run.
87 mins: A double change. Fowler is coming off for Remy Siemsen, and Alana Murphy takes Kennedy’s place. These are Murphy’s first minutes in nearly a year. It is hard but possible to make an impact this late in the game. I feel that’s a bit much to ask of her.
85 mins: The Matildas have slowed down. McKenna hunts for an option in midfield while her teammates stay static around her. Given the intensity earlier it had to die down eventually. They swap possession a few times before McKenna is fouled.
83 mins: There’s a crowd of 18,441 in Parramatta tonight. Catley sends a corner from the left to Rule just outside the area who volleys towards goal where a wall of players blocks it.
81 mins: Foord is still working hard to break through the Mexico line although may be tiring now. Carpenter likewise still looking like the world is in fast-forward whenever she has the ball. McNamara crosses to Foord at the back post, she can’t work the angle and the Matildas bring the ball back out of the area to start again.
78 mins: Ordoñez twists and turns but Rule isn’t phased, closing down every angle. That’s why she is a so important for her club Brighton. And the Mexican goal-scorer takes her leave.
76 mins: As the players found their places after the goal some changes have been made. Holly McNamara and Leticia McKenna are on, Kerr and Raso are off. Mexico have also made three changes.
GOAL! Australia 3-1 Mexico (Foord 71′)
Foord has her goal! And from an excellent bit of play no less. Torpey collects the ball in defence and makes a powerful run up the centre before setting up Foord. She floats into the box, holds the ball up to lose the defender and unleashes to the right of the goalkeeper. Not to mention she clearly had her shirt pulled most of that time.
70 mins: Mexico are beginning to look more dangerous again. The attacks are coming thick and fast leaving the Matildas making desperate moves at the back.
68 mins: The substitutions are coming. But first, Saldivar bodies Torpey off the ball and works her way into the corner as Wheeler comes in to take back control.
66 mins: Carpenter gets on the end of a long ball from Kennedy but she is almost too fast and crosses the ball straight to the goalkeeper with no Matildas pressure in sight. Mexico work it across their back three, Kerr floating dangerously. Rodriguez sends a long ball over the midfield to Ordoñez who has a chance to break free. Rule makes the professional foul, cops the yellow and free kick. The resulting delivery is pinpoint to the six-yard box. They scrap to clear it and the stadium roars as Raso breaks free in midfield.
62 mins: Foord passes off to Torpey at the halfway line then sprints forward to meet Torpey’s ball. She works into the area and crosses back to … no one.
60 mins: The Matildas are left scrambling again after a bad back-pass. Arnold is completely out of position and Catley is left to clear for a corner. The ball comes back out to Mexico’s defenders lurking in midfield and Rule gives away a free kick. Arnold comfortably holds on to the shot.
58 mins: Mexico finally get a chance to attack. Caserez cross from the right to Ordoñez in the area but she times it wrong and Ordoñez has to turn back to collect it.
56 mins: Kerr has another chance from close range but the goalkeeper is on top of her. Well saved. Raso storms up the right, crossing the ball in front of Kerr as she runs into the area. The ball goes past everyone to Foord at the far post who can’t get on to it fast enough and her attempted cut-back hits the side netting.
54 mins: Now it’s Raso with charging towards the area, looking like she will go all the way before Kennedy gets in the way. Raso is smiling before the play is even stopped. Wheeler leads the reset from the back.
52 mins: Kerr is fouled on the right touchline. Catley sends the free kick to Fowler who dribbles across the field then shoots hard and high.
49 mins: Foord is getting a lot of attention as usual and Espinoza is shown a yellow card for bringing her down. Fowler unleashes Torpey with a brilliant pass. She offloads to Foord who takes the ball to touchline before cutting back into the centre. Kerr can’t get on to the end of it but Kennedy is there to slam it towards goal. She has a second go at the rebound, sending it high. Carpenter is left clutching her middle on the ground after copping the ball at close range.
Second half
47 mins: An expected change for the Matildas at the break. Heatley has come off and Charlize Rule is on in her place. Rule is in the thick of it early but can’t keep up with the charging Saldivar who crosses to Caserez tussling with Torpey at the top of the box. Caserez hits the turf but no free kick is given.
The numbers are similar to Saturday’s. Matildas have had 70% possession and 13 shots on goal to Mexico’s seven. However, both have had just three shots on target.
The Matildas are certainly improved in front of goal, more accurate and taking their chances. But the turnovers in defence and errors when playing out from the back are a serious concern. That performance would be an issue any day but against this Mexico side, they just don’t have that wriggle room. Their forwards are pouncing on every little slip-up, leading to genuine chances that the Matildas should never have enabled.
Half-time (Australia 2-1 Mexico)
What a half. No need for stoppage time, no one has had a moment to catch their breath in that half.
44 mins: Another drive from Carpenter to meet Raso upfield. The winger quickly sends a lovely cross in to the centre of the area but Kerr can’t capitalise on the delivery.
42 mins: Wheeler is showing class all across the pitch. I question her omission in favour of Van Egmond last game … (and every game). Heatley, meanwhile, is determined to keep Arnold’s heart rate up. The back four are not gelling.
