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Australia July 1
Improving Kiwi Women Downed By Matildas
by Jeremy Ruane
Australia scored a 3-0 victory over New Zealand at the Novotel Pacific Bay Resort in Coffs Harbour on July 18, but they were made to work hard for the win by a Kiwi team which kept the Matildas honest throughout proceedings, before bowing to some long-range strikes.
Both squads are using the two-match series as part of their preparations for September's FIFA Women's World Cup Finals, and it's John Herdman's side which will be happier after this outcome, as New Zealand's coach explains.
“It's a very positive start. We're not happy with the result, of course, but performance-wise there are a lot of good things to take from the game.
“It's the first time I've been in charge of the senior team in a full international and we've gone to the dressing rooms at half-time with the score reading 0-0. And it stayed that way for an hour - the girls stuck to their tasks very well, restricting Australia to pot-shots”.
It was from one such pot-shot that the Matildas opened the scoring, with Asian Football Confederation Women's Player of the Year contender Sarah Walsh cutting in off the Kiwis' left flank and unleashing a sizzling effort across the diving Jenny Bindon into the bottom far corner of the net in the 57th minute.
“To be fair, it was a great goal from an outstanding player”, says Herdman, “and it opened the game up for both teams. We continued to play well, however, and enjoyed more set-piece opportunities and provided more of an attacking threat than we showed in the second Canada game, our most recent international prior to this series”.
Twenty minutes from time, Australia struck on the counter-attack, a dipping long-range effort from Heather Garriock hitting the underside of the crossbar and bouncing down. Walsh, following in, headed home from close-range.
And with eight minutes left, Lana Harch's left-foot drive from inside the penalty area took a cruel deflection off Abby Erceg and brought about the final 3-0 scoreline.
“It was a pretty good showing”, declared captain Rebecca Smith after the game. “We had some early problems in midfield but they were quickly resolved, and at half-time we were feeling pretty good about things.
“Defensively, we dealt quite well with the crosses which came over, our clearances were good and solid, and generally we were quite sound. But games are won and lost in the penalty area, while another
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thing the Australians are good at is getting in those spaces between the defence and the midfield.
“Both are aspects we need to work on, along with our ability to concentrate for the full ninety minutes. But while 3-0 down is not a good result, we are improving from game to game - from the first game against Canada, to the second game, to today's match, we're getting better and better, which is important”.
All bar Stephanie Puckrin enjoyed game-time in the opening game of this two-match series, with the changes made “stemming from the fact that the players who went off had given so much they had nothing more to give”, said Herdman after the match.
“We showed in the first half that we could cope with what Australia could throw at us, and that we're now at this level. But the big lesson we learnt today is you can't afford to give anyone time and space outside the penalty area. That said, the positives far outweigh the negatives after today's game”.
Australian coach Tom Sermanni greatly welcomed the additional fixtures for his side, coming as they do prior to two Olympic qualifying group matches in August. “I am largely pleased with this match.
“We had some good passages of play in a game that was an excellent hit-out against international opposition as we continue our preparations for September”.
The Matildas face Canada, Ghana and Norway in China, while New Zealand's group includes Brazil, Denmark and the host nation. Before the finals, the Kiwis will visit the USA in August, playing the reigning Olympic champions as well as FC Indiana, a leading Women's Premier Soccer League team.
In a week when trans-tasman sporting contests are very much in the public eye, New Zealand and Australia resume their women's footballing rivalry at the same venue on Sunday from 3pm, NZ time, with Smith hoping to lead her Kiwi charges to victory over the old enemy for the first time since October 1994, thirteen long internationals ago.
Australia: Emma Wirkus; Rhian Davies, Kate McShea, Cheryl Salisbury, Heather Garriock; Joanne Peters, Colette McCallum, Sally Shipard, Danielle Small (Lana Harch, 25); Caitlin Munoz, Sarah Walsh
New Zealand: Jenny Bindon; Ria Percival, Abby Erceg, Rebecca Smith, Marlies Oostdam; Hayley Moorwood (Katie Hoyle, 68), Rebecca Sowden (Emily McColl, 46), Priscilla Duncan, Ali Riley; Michele Clarke (Maia Jackman, 70), Rebecca Tegg (Merissa Smith, 57)
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