The Matildas are two wins from two in their home Asian Cup after a straightforward 4-0 defeat of Iran in their second group-stage game on a humid, rainy night on the Gold Coast.
Midfielder Amy Sayer, in her first tournament start, opened the scoring in the 8th minute after a curling cross spiralled over Iran goalkeeper Maryam Yektaei’s outstretched arms.
Manchester City’s Mary Fowler made her first start since tearing her ACL almost a year ago, poking the ball into the net in the 26th minute after a deep Caitlin Foord cross was spilled by Yektaei.
Having flagged before the match he would be making rotations, Joe Montemurro made five changes to the side that struggled to break down the Philippines in Perth on Sunday, including starting the two goal-scorers and handing a tournament debut to centre-back Charlize Rule.
Chloe Lincoln, the surprise call-up in Australia’s first match after a wave of goalkeeper injuries, made her second straight start, while Courtney Nevin replaced vice-captain Steph Catley at left-back.
Alanna Kennedy, who started in midfield in place of Clare Wheeler, added a third goal in the 34th minute after a deep cross from the free-floating Fowler was brought down and cut back by captain Sam Kerr, allowing the London City player to fire low and hard into the bottom corner.
“For me, scoring isn’t something that I do often, but I was happy to get a couple of goals as well,” Kennedy said afterwards.
“[The plan] was just to keep things simple, grow into the game, do the role that I’ve been asked to sit and be an anchor in that six role, and try and support at the back as well – a bit of balance.”
Unlike the last time these two nations met, in an Olympic qualifier in late 2023 where the Matildas scraped a 2-0 win against a defensively resolute Iran, the visitors lacked structure and energy, particularly on the rare occasions they found themselves with the ball at their feet.
Many players were seen re-adjusting their heavy, rain-soaked hijabs and struggling in the humidity, though the events of the past weeks have likely also taken a toll.
Tensions were high before the game kicked off, with about 100 Iranian fans setting up a demonstration outside the stadium that featured Lion and Sun flags, signs criticising the regime, and a metres-long banner showing the faces of hundreds of Iranians killed in anti-government protests earlier this year.
That emotion was carried into the stadium, and came to a head when the two teams lined up for the anthems, which Iran’s players refused to sing in their opening game against South Korea on Monday.
This time, however, each player performed a salute and loudly sang the anthem, but not before pockets of Iranian fans in the crowd began whistling, booing, and beating drums to drown out the music.
Just one of the prohibited flags made it into the stadium, with security escorting its holders out in the first half, but the drumming and chanting continued as Iran battled to protect their own penalty area.
Yektaei, who impressed in Iran’s opening game and made some world-class saves on Thursday, was substituted at half-time with an injury. Kennedy added her second – and Australia’s fourth – just before the hour, nodding home a pinpoint corner from Emily van Egmond.
Australia had two further goals to Caitlin Foord and Sam Kerr chalked off after lengthy VAR checks in the first half, but it mattered little as the Matildas dominated across 90 minutes, with Iran registering just one shot all game.
With an eye on the third group-stage game against South Korea on Sunday, Montemurro made five changes in the space of 10 minutes with Hayley Raso, Remy Siemsen and Holly McNamara replacing Foord, Kerr and Fowler in attack. Steph Catley and Kaitlyn Torpey replaced Clare Hunt and Ellie Carpenter 10 minutes later. But there are concerns for Raso, who copped two balls to the face in short succession in the final 10 minutes, and was replaced by Michelle Heyman as part of concussion protocols.
With Iran’s tournament all but over, Kennedy said there were some jerseys exchanged with the young Iranian players in the tunnel afterwards, many of whom were visibly enamoured to play against their idols.
“It’s a privilege to know that they look up to some of the players in our team,” she said.
“A lot of respect for them, for the courage and bravery that it takes for them to be here tonight. It was a really competitive game, and our hearts are with them at the moment.”
