And with that, I’ll leave you with Emma Kemp’s match report from CommBank Stadium. That really was a treat. See you next time.
Updated
Here’s goalscorer Clare Polkinghorne: “It was a battle for 90 minutes. We were expecting it, they’re a proud footballing nation. We knew they’d come out swinging.
“First half we lacked a bit of confidence and energy but second half we turned it round.
“Sometimes you’ve got to show a bit of courage and character we did that and scored a couple of goals.
“We love playing at home. Saturday was amazing and they turned out again tonight.”
Marta is the focus of celebrations in the Brazilian corner. The woman is a bona fide legend of the game.
Marta is being bombarded by fans throwing shirts at her to sign and she’s signing every single one.
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) October 26, 2021
Incredible to see a player of her calibre playing here in Australia. #AUSvBRA pic.twitter.com/XZTAbrECCS
Phew. That was a wild game. Australia could probably count themselves fortunate to go into the break 1-0 up, such was the Brazilian pressure they found themselves under. Kerr then pounced to double the hosts’ lead after the restart and it seemed like back-to-back wins were on the cards. But then came the Brazilian comeback. Two goals in seven minutes drew the visitors level and from that point this game could have gone anywhere. As it was, it stayed at 2-2, and (can I say this?), football as entertainment was the winner tonight. Thrilling stuff.
Full-time: Australia 2-2 Brazil
90+6 mins: There goes the whistle! All over in Parramatta, where it ends 2-2. What a breathless, ding-dong game!
90+5 mins: Marta now shoots on goal! It appears to take a deflection up and over the bar, but the referee gives a goal kick. And that should be that.
90+4 mins: Geyse tries to find a way through now, but she is presented with a wall of three yellow shirts and her eventual shot is blocked at close quarters.
90+2 mins: Ooh, brilliant footwork from Marta - to get past first Wheeler and then Beard - nearly fashions a goalscoring chance for Brazil! Nothing doing in the end.
90+1 mins: Nevin floats a free-kick into the Brazil box but Erika is there to head clear for Brazil.
90 mins: Five minutes of added time to be played - plenty of time for either side to find a winner!
88 mins: Marta looks aggrieved after some desperate defending from Nevin denies Brazil what might be one last opportunity. Brave defending from the subsitute.
87 mins: Brazil make a couple of changes - Thais for Adriana and Geyse on for Adriana.
lol, uh, say hi to everyone Tameka 👋 #AUSvBRA pic.twitter.com/icMkKt9tOH
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@Evan_M_G) October 26, 2021
Updated
85 mins: The resulting free-kick is pinged into the Brazilian box, but it’s punched clear by Leticia. The keeper falls to the ground and it look like she’s taken a knock. We’ll have a slight breather.
84 mins: Ooh, that’s a poorly timed challenge by Erika on Kerr, who had done her completely on the right hand side. Kerr indicates to the referee that it was a bookable offence. The ref agrees and brandishes yellow in the direction of the Brazilian.
83 mins: What can the injection of fresh legs give Australia? Is there one more twist in this tale?
82 mins: Yep, off goes Catley, Foord and Polkinghorne, on come Beard, Henry and Nevin
81 mins: Into the final 10 minutes of what has been a thoroughly entertaining game of football. Australia look like they’re about to make some more changes.
79 mins: Marta goes over to take a corner and the Brazilian fans in that section of the stadium go wild, jumping up and down, and swirling scarves above their heads. I’m not there, but it sounds like those who are are making a lot more noise than 12,087 fans would normally.
77 mins: The crowd number is 12,087 - slightly less than Saturday, but still impressive for a cold Tuesday night in Parramatta.
76 mins: Ellie Carpenter’s on the run. There’s one player who isn’t fatigued. But this time she can’t find a way through the Brazilian back line.
74 mins: The Brazilian fans inside the stadium are going bonkers. Fitting really, as this is a bonkers game. Fifteen minutes to go and you wouldn’t bet on more goals.
73 mins: Kerolin bursts through and nearly puts Brazil ahead! They’ll have to settle for a corner.
72 mins: Debinha is back up, thankfully. That was a worrying moment. Williams also went down amid the chaos, and she is also back on her feet.
Goal! Australia 2-2 Brazil (Debinha 71)
71 mins: Debinha levels things up! Williams backpeddles to tip a Tamires cross-shot onto the bar but Debinha is the first to react, nudging the ball over the line as Kennedy strives to get there first. Debinha cries out in pain and it seems her head made contact with the post. Immediately her teammates call for medical assistance.
68 mins: Now it’s Marta’s turn to hit the deck in pain after Catley catches her on the knee. The Matilda is booked for the challenge, as Marta runs off before she can come back on.
67 mins: Anyway, we’re nicely set for a grandstand finish to this game, as Brazil chase an equaliser and Australia look to kill off the game.
66 mins: Duda’s night is over - she’s taken off with Julia Bianchi coming on to replace her.
Updated
65 mins: The concession of that goal will be hugely disappointing for Tony Gustavsson - the marking was non existent as the Matildas were drawn to the near post.
Goal! Australia 2-1 Brazil (Erika 64)
64 mins: Bingo. Brazil are back in this one! An entirely unmarked Erika doesn’t even need to get off the ground as she heads a corner past Williams, off the inside of the post and into the back of the net!
Updated
61 mins: By this game’s manic standards, we’ve hit a slight lull as a few fouls are given away. Sure it’ll pick back up again before too long.
Updated
59 mins: Polkinghorne catches Marta and that’s a painful one for the Brazilian star.
57 mins: Van Egmond clatters into Adriano in the middle of the park and belatedly - once the Brazilians’ attack ends - she gets a yellow card, the first of the game.
55 mins: Kerr now has 49 goals for the Matildas. Tim Cahill’s national record stands at 50. The only question is whether Kerr will match it tonight.
54 mins: That really was quite some goal. The passing in the buildup was sumptuous, as was the finish from Kerr, who gets on the scoresheet after having the good grace of late to give the headlines to others.
Goal! Australia 2-0 Brazil (Kerr 53)
53 mins: Sam Kerr! What a fantastic team goal! Australia play their way out of defence with the kind of aplomb that was missing for much of the first half. The ball is worked from one side of the pitch to the other, before Carpenter (who else?) feeds Kerr (who else?) and the captain finds the far corner with a deadly finish!
Updated
50 mins: Wheeler loses the ball to Duda and there could be danger here as Brazil surge forward. But the Matildas get back in numbers and Polkinghorne makes another crucial challenge.
49 mins: Fowler hits the post! What a fantastic effort! She starts the move with a lovely long ball before getting it back, jinking through two Brazilian defenders with some incredible footwork and slamming the ball against the upright, with Leticia beaten at her near post!
47 mins: So, some fresh legs on. And Simon get involved soon after the restart, getting forward down the right before crossing in towards Kerr. Nothing doing this time, but the storm that Australia weathered towards the end of the first half does indeed seem to have calmed for now.
Second half under way
46 mins: Back under way in Parra. Yallop and Cooney-Cross have made way, with Wheeler and Simon on.
“Hello again.” Hello again Michael Witheford. “Well that was thoroughly entertaining, but as good as the foster a pup show? Who can tell… Sam’s playing in the middle but her touch has been a bit wayward. On Saturday she was switched from one wing to the other so much I thought Kevin Muscat was coach. I’m not sure if Fowler is supposed to be playing off Kerr. Sam is having to take on their defence single-handed at times. Anyway, hopefully they’ve weathered the storm.” I feel the calm of this half-time break is just the eye of the storm, to be honest. Tired Matildas limbs could come into play as the second half progresses - they were made to work very hard during the first half.
Wow, that was quite the half. Australia lead 1-0 but they were forced to hang on for dear life for most of it, following Polkinghorne’s 11th-minute strike. Brazil’s high pressing game worked a treat and the Matildas were regularly unable to get the ball out of defence. The hosts will surely be glad of the break, and will have to recharge their batteries if they are to keep the Brazilian attack blunted again the second half. Don’t go anywhere.
Half-time: Australia 1-0 Brazil
45+1 mins: Another half chance falls Brazil’s way before a manic first half is brought to a close! Australia lead 1-0 at the break.
Updated
44 mins: Debinha looks to play in Marta with a little dinked ball over the top... it doesn’t come off this time though, as the flag goes up.
43 mins: Duda shows off some silky skills before feeding Antonia outside her on the right wing. But her cross is cut out by Catley who relieves the pressure, albeit momentarily.
42 mins: Foord wins a free-kick, which she tries to take quickly. The referee calls her back, which might be a blessing in disguise, as the Matildas seek to see out this half with a 1-0 lead.
41 mins: Australia have about five minutes more to soak up the sustained Brazilian pressure before they can take a breather at half-time.
40 mins: Fowler looks to find Kerr with a speculative ball forward. Leticia is off her line quickly though, and claims the ball without fuss.
38 mins: Whyman is yet to make her international debut, and it looks like she might have to wait a bit longer as Williams gives the thumbs up. She’s OK to continue.
37 mins: Williams goes down immediately after Debinha’s shot goes behind, and the trainers are called on to take a look at her. Jada Whyman is on the bench tonight, with Teagan Micah injured.
36 mins: Debinha now surges forward, but her shot on goal is well off-target. Good job too, as Williams looks like she’s injured herself.
35 mins: Yallop gives the ball away as Brazil’s high press again causes problems for the home side. They just can’t get the ball out of defence at the moment - Brazil should be applauded for the way they’re pinning Australia back.
33 mins: Marta takes it... it hangs in the air, Williams misses it, but Duda fluffs her lines at the back stick and the ball bounces out for a goal kick.
32 mins: Back at the other end, Antonia again gets forward well, before cutting inside and seeing her attempted curler deflected behind for another corner.
31 mins: Lovely turn and pass from Kerr to send Yallop away down the right. Her cross momentarily causes a bit of chaos in the Brazil box, but eventually Angelina clears and then Cooney-Cross’s ball back in is easily cleared.
29 mins: But wait, here comes Foord, storming away down the Matildas’ left after a brilliant through pass from Fowler. Foord drifts towards goal with the ball at her feet, but she isn’t able to get a shot off and the move breaks down.
28 mins: Brazil are well on top at the moment - the pressure they’re exerting on the Matildas back line is fairly incessant and Australia haven’t been able to get out of their own half for a while now.
27 mins: What a superb challenge by Yallop on Tamires, a potential goal-saving tackle in the box. The Brazilian wants a penalty, but it was a perfectly-timed sliding tackle and there won’t be a spot kick.
26 mins: Australia look to play the ball out of defence again. Again they’re hassled and harried and eventually have to hack it upfield.
25 mins: Adriana has a crack from distance. No dice this time.
24 mins: This has been a hectic opening to the game. Chances at both ends, with the bits in between played at breakneck speed.
22 mins: Williams to the rescue for Australia! Kerolin turns Catley inside. and out before firing on target. But Williams stands firm and deflects the ball behind for a corner. Brazil are looking very dangerous at the moment.
21 mins: Marta and Debinha combine again but the former can only stab an effort goalwards in the end, and it doesn’t even reach Williams in the Australia goal.
19 mins: But it’s Adriana who nearly pulls her side level here! Off the post! It’s a great effort from the woman who was on the scoresheet at the weekend, following a jinking run to the edge of the box. But her effort pings back off the base of the upright, with Williams beaten all ends up!
17 mins: The good news for Brazil is that Marta and Debinha are both involved in their team’s forays forward. Always a danger these two.
16 mins: Phew, I’m trying to take a breath to reflect on Polkinghorne’s opener, but having no luck.
@mike_hytner As I pointed out to @JPHowcroft the other night. Polks is the kingpin of the Matildas side. This comment is only mildly driven by Brisbane bias...
— phil withall (@phil_withall) October 26, 2021
14 mins: Pretty end to end stuff at the moment. It’s Kerr’s turn now to race forward, only to see her attempted shot blocked easily. This is ding-ding stuff!
13 mins: Polkinghorne again in the thick of things as Tamires races to the byline before cutting the ball back across the face of goal. It loops over Williams, and looks like it might creep in at the far post... until Polkinghorne heads it off the line!
Goal! Australia 1-0 Brazil (Polkinghorne 11)
11 mins: The defender breaks the deadlock with a composed finish after the ball falls kindly for her from a weak defensive header, adjusting her body to fire past Leticia and into the back of the net off the underside of the bar!
Updated
10 mins: Another chance for Foord! Kerr’s cross find her at the back post, off the chest of Antonia, but her effort is tipped behind for a corner!
9 mins: Antonia, the Brazil right-back tonight, mirrors her counterpart’s recent efforts as she hares forward hersefl. She fires over a cross-shot but Williams is well behind it and gathers the ball safely.
7 mins: Carpenter and Kerr link up beautifully and the full-back marauds forward before sending over an inch-perfect cross. Foord is there! But she somehow conspires to scoop the ball up and over Leticia’s crossbar! Big chance goes begging.
6 mins: The Matildas break quickly, with Kerr. But the move breaks down when her attempted cross is blocked.
5 mins: Here come Brazil, but Tamires’s left-footed cross swings across the Australian box without reaching anyone in a blue shirt.
4 mins: Van Egmond involved again here, showing the other side to her game as she holds off a strong Brazilian challenge.
3 mins: Ooh, that’s a nice touch in midfield from Van Egmond, who flicks it forward with the outside of her boot.
2 mins: A roar goes up as the Matildas win possession for the first time tonight. No clue on what the crowd number is from the images I’m seeing so far.
1 min: Immediate pressure from Australia as Brazil are forced onto the back foot. The visitors manage to play their way out of defence though.
First half under way
1 min: And we’re off! Gustavsson cuts a relaxed figure on the bench as things get going in Parramatta. The Swede looks right at home on Australian soil.
And now, Advance Australia Fair, before we get to the business end of the night.
We’re approaching kick-off time as the teams come out to a cacophony of noise . Both teams are sporting yellow tops - but don’t worry, Brazil are in their training tops for now and will soon peel them off to reveal their blue playing shirts.
We start with a Welcome to Country before the national anthem of Brazil plays.
Michael Witheford has been in touch. Hi Michael. Safe to say he doesn’t share my enthusiasm for dog shows. “So Channel 10 – the new “home of soccer”, have shunted the game to 10 Bold,” he writes. “Because they thought dog’s meeting their new owners would make cracking TV.” But I’m sure we share the same view that this game should absolutely be given main billing tonight.
Saturday night’s attendance at CommBank Stadium was around the 15,000 mark and the TV viewing figures were equally strong, after the game aired on Channel 10’s main channel.
Weekend #TVratings Saturday October 23, 2021
— Mediaweek (@MediaweekAUS) October 23, 2021
Network 10’s Matildas v Brazil football gave the primary channel its best Saturday share of 2021.
Saturday Top 20 + network/primary shares.
Sports: #AUSvBRA football #AUSvSA T20 cricket #CoxPlate #USGP #F1 https://t.co/JmKQ55CxKG pic.twitter.com/HmRxcWMPVo
Sadly, despite the above, we’re back onto the secondary channel tonight with... checks TV guide... The Dog House Australia, The Cheap Seats and NCIS: Los Angeles on the main channel’s bill this evening. Admittedly, Dog House is essential viewing for anyone who possesses a soul, but still, you’d have thought tonight’s game might have taken precedence. One step forward, two steps back...
I'm saying this once: tonight's game is on 10Bold. Not 10. If you go to 10 and ask where the game is, it's on 10Bold. Like 10 but Bold. The Matildas are on 10Bold.
— Marissa Lordanic (@marissalordanic) October 26, 2021
In other news, Alen Stajcic has just been appointed new Philippines national women’s team boss. As many are pointing out on Twitter, it means the former Matildas coach is now the current Malditas coach.
🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
— The Philippine Football Federation (@philfootball) October 26, 2021
Let us all welcome our new PWNT 🇵🇭 Head Coach, Alen Stajcic!
READ: https://t.co/HwWJRVRaRC#PFF#PHIWNT#LabanFilipinas#WAC2022#RememberTheGoalhttps://t.co/HwWJRVRaRC pic.twitter.com/27tRGjY0Ib
Tonight's lineups
Emma Kemp is at CommBank Stadium tonight, and she has the team news for Australia:
“The warm-ups are under way at Commbank Stadium as the crowd slowly trickles in. Marta is starting after coming off the bench on Saturday and for Australia Emily van Egmond replaces Kyah Simon in the XI. EvE was superb as a substitute, assisting and scoring in Saturday’s 3-1 win. While that was emphatic there is a feeling this could go either way.”
STARTING XI 🗒
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) October 26, 2021
Here's how we line up for #AUSvBRA #WeAreMatildas
Brazil make six changes to their team, including Debinha and Marta, who both start tonight.
Bom dia, Brasil... 💚💛
— Seleção Feminina de Futebol (@SelecaoFeminina) October 26, 2021
As #GuerreirasDoBrasil estão escaladas para o segundo jogo preparatório contra a Austrália! A bola rola às 6h05 e você assiste ao vivo na tela do @SporTV. Vem com a gente! pic.twitter.com/YreiOR3x0z
Updated
Wholesome content alert. This is from the end of Saturday’s match, and is well worth watching.
I'm not crying, you're crying...
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) October 24, 2021
It was so amazing to be able to see our family & friends among the crowd. We've missed you. #WeAreMatildas pic.twitter.com/jvjKELv2yQ
Here’s my colleague Emma Kemp with more on those problems at the back for the Matildas.
“The issue, once again, was in defence, where errant passes and lapses in concentration allowed Adriana to score in the second half and Brazil numerous opportunities to counter-attack. Pia Sundhage’s outfit will know this leading into Tuesday night’s second friendly.”
Read the whole thing here:
Preamble
Here we go again then. Hot on the heels of Saturday night’s opener in this two-game mini series in Sydney’s west, the Matildas go in search of back-to-back wins against Brazil following their 3-1 win four days ago.
Tony Gustavsson’s women were impressive at times first time out against the team currently ranked seventh in the world by Fifa (Australia are 11th, don’t forget), but equally some well-known frailties reared their heads, chiefly at the back. Coach Tony Gustavsson at least was honest and aware enough to acknowledge that after the match, when saying this team still has a lot of work to do.
Brazil may not be the team they once were, despite their lofty ranking, but wins have not come easily to Gustavsson since he took the reins - Saturday’s was just his third as Matildas coach - and another one tonight will be gratefully received as the clock ticks down towards a Women’s World Cup on home soil in 2023.
Another entertaining 90 minutes is on the cards at the excellent CommBank Arena on the banks of the Parramatta River. Kick-off is about 45 minutes away, so stick with us. In the meantime, do get in touch on email or tweet @mike_hytner with any thoughts on tonight’s game.
