Final thoughts
The Matildas have just defeated Brazil 6-1 in a game of football. Let that sink in. This is Brazil we’re talking about. Despite knowing a draw would be enough today (to win the tournament) the Matildas played for the win from the opening whistle and even after a 4-1 first half they didn’t get complacent and allow Brazil a sniff of a comeback. Two further goals completed what was a rout.
The Matildas are so hot right now you wouldn’t touch them with asbestos gloves. Solid in defence, clinical in attack, this was a performance of a real team, one without glory hunters, once that plays for each other.
Interestingly there was no exuberant celebration from the Matildas at the final whistle. Read into that what you will. My take on it is that the Matildas are already contemplating bigger, more important tournaments to come. And they are doing so, hopefully, with a belief that they are very much a team on the up, a team capable of anything.
Thanks for your company this morning and your messages. May your Friday be over quickly and your weekend take an age. Cheerio.
Congrats to @HayleyRaso and @TheMatildas for being crowned the #ToN2017 champs! #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/WrYXd3PWF6
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) August 4, 2017
Updated
Full-time: Australia 6-1 Brazil
It’s all over, what a win by the Matildas who, after winning all three games against teams ranked 1, 6 and 8 in the world, are now the champions of the inaugural Tournament of Nations.
90 min + 3: Cooper shadows Debinha, which is perhaps a fancy version of Debra. Debinha can’t manage a shot but she lays off to a teammate who can. But it sails far, far over the goal. And that is that!
90 min + 2: Tamires, now, with a free kick from the right of the Aussie box. She thwacks it with her left peg but Arnold makes an easy save.
89 min: Cately stands over a freekick on the right and curls it towards the Brazil goal. Ibini gets a head on it but it’s all loop, no power, and it lands on top of the goal netting.
88 min: Kellond-Knight is now replaced. Gema Simon runs on to the pitch at great speed, like someone in a gorilla suit at the start of the City to Surf hoping to get on the evening news by ‘winning’ the first 50m of the race. With just a few minutes to go you can see why Simon was in such a hurry.
86 min: Kind words from Sarah Johnson on Twitter, who’s enjoying this blog. The Matildas’ performance is making everyone a little giddy. And rightly so.
Kellond-Knight gets a yellow for throwing an arm across the chest of Zaneratto as the Brazilian looked to get in behind her.
84 min: You could argue Kerr’s second touch was slightly fortuitous but no-one would listen. That was classy. And with her goal in the bag, Stajcic replaces her. Her Royal Highness Princess Ibini gets a run.
GOAL! Australia 6-1 Brazil (Kerr 81)
What a goal from Kerr! Butt waltzes through the Brazil midfield and, from the right, crosses into the Brazil box where Kerr is sandwiched between two blue shirts. Kerr brings the ball down on her chest as she turns and, with a defender on both sides, touches the ball ahead before toeing the ball past Neuhaus and into the net.
GOAL for Australia! And it's six thanks to @samkerr1 #AUSvBRA #ToN2017 pic.twitter.com/cR8vq5sKkn
— The Women's Game (@TheWomensGame) August 4, 2017
Updated
80 min: Caitlin Cooper, just on for Gorry, chases Chu into the Aussie area and executes a perfect slide tackle to knock the ball out for corner just as Chu shaped to shoot from close range.
77 min: Zaneratto slides a lovely ball in behind Australia’s back line and Maria (on as a sub) chases it with no-one but Arnold in front of her. But her first touch is so heavy her foot may as well have been an anvil.
75 min: Australia take a short corner but the cross finds a blue shirt. Then, from the right, Australia win the ball back and a cross is aimed at Kerr on the edge of the area. Showing just how switched on she is, how much time she seems to have, she chests the ball back into the path of Foord, I think it was... but the flag is up for offside.
73 min: Brazil attempt a quick counter and race downfield but there are too many Matildas in cover.
Sub for the Matildas. Alleway off, Alana Kennedy on.
71 min: In a crowded Brazil area Kerr finds herself in space but the ball is practically under her feet so her shot doesn’t have much venom. Neuhaus dives to her left to make the save.
70 min: Australia have five goals. Against Brazil. Five. With more possible. Not a bad way to start mufty Friday. Well, it’s mufty Friday for me. In fact, every day is mufty Friday for me. Even Tuesdays are mufty Fridays.
GOAL! Australia 5-1 Brazil (Foord 68)
Moments after that block Butt picks up the ball in midfield and chips a curling frame-able through-ball over the Brazil backline and into the path of Foord who times her run to perfection. Neuhaus comes out but Foord rounds her easily and passes the ball into the empty net! Boom!
66 min: As you might deduce, the intensity of this game has dropped a little. Australia don’t need to push too hard forward and risk opening up space for Brazil. In any case, Brazil have fashioned few decent opportunities.
Though here’s Camila putting the paces through it... right into a gold shirt. Well blocked.
65 min: More from the evolving news story at Tullamarine. ‘Reporter’ Nathan Pennings with the update:
“Just had a message from my friend, who’s the captain of QF424 - ‘Can Mr Durie please turn off his phone so we can take off. I’d walk back there myself but don’t want to miss any of the match updates’. Wow.”
62 min: Camila to Ludmila... I’m waiting for Miss Smilla, but she’s probably still feeling the snow. Not the yellow snow, one hopes.
Kerr, stronger than she looks, evades Monica who had a fist full of Kerr’s shirt. Kerr, in the Brazil area, toes the ball to Butt who shoots but shanks it, never quite having her balance.
Updated
60 min: Brazil work the ball from wing to wing but there are too many gold shirts frustrating their attempt to cut in on goal. Nice to see the Matildas are staying switched on.
57 min: After a great shift De Vanna, with two goals in her swag, is replaced by Hayley Raso, a like-for-like exchange.
55 min: De Vanna burns Tamires for pace on the right and, like Carpenter moments earlier, runs deep into Brazilians territory. De Vanna tried to square to Kerr, however, but the pass never got through.
Dylan Durie has a message for Jacob Murray-White, with whom he used to work a decade ago. “I’m following this blog from a plane on the tarmac at Tullamarine [so he sees Murray-White and raises]. If you could also tell the pilot of QF424 to get the show on the road I have a 2pm meeting in Sydney. Thanks.”
I’ll make a few calls, Dylan. I’ve a lot of pull with air traffic control.
53 min: Carpenter forces a save from Neuhaus after the young Australian runs 40m into the area down the right wing. Brazil kept expecting Carpenter to square to Kerr but they held off long enough to give Carpenter a great sight of goal. She appeared to be aiming for the top left corner but she hit it too centrally and Neuhaus was able to get both gloves to it.
51 min: Kerr shoots wide of the right post, making decent contact on a volley after a series of pinball passes by Australia in Brazil’s half.
50 min: After a few weak attempts to get the ball clear from their defensive third Kerr boots the ball downfield just to give the Matildas a moment’s peace.
49 min: Brazil are attempting to apply more pressure to Australia at the back and as a result the Australians have much less time on the ball.
47 min: Ludmila is crunched by a back-tracking Foord in the Aussie area as Ludmila looked to cut inside and shoot. No foul but Ludmila is down clutching both her face and leg. But she’s okay.
Peeeeeeep!
46 min: Australia kick-off and immediately win a corner on the right. Kellond-Knight, captain today, to take it. She hits it too far and despite Australia getting it “back into the mixer” Brazil clear without much bother.
I’ve got my coffee, thanks for asking, and am ready for the next 45 mins. Are the Matildas? If they can keep this up this could get embarrassing for Brazil who look out of Australia’s class today. Shame the World Cup isn’t around the corner. It’s fair to argue that, outside of the top-ranked USA, the centre of power of women’s football is now in Europe, but Australia look as good at the moment as they’ve ever done. Let’s hope they can keep this momentum going into France 2019.
Jacob Murray-White writes in to say he’s following this blog from an Adelaide cab. Nathan Pennings, meanwhile, writes in to accuse me of being drunk and to go home, due to my mention of firecrackers and wheat fields. I assume that’s a compliment, Nathan.
Half-time: Australia 4-1 Brazil
What a half of football from Australia, especially after conceding a dreadful early goal. The Matildas have been too fast and too hungry for Brazil; and the Brazilians appear not to have watched Australia’s game against Japan, for they are allowing Australia way too much room in behind for the speedy Kerr to run into.
Back in a moment, with a coffee in my hand. Talk amongst yourselves.
Or read this piece on the money madness sweeping world football:
45 min + 3: Lovely feet by Foord sees her slalom through two defenders and get inside the Brazil box. She tries to beat one defender too many, however, and is dispossessed just when it appeared she’d get a shot off.
45 min + 1: Butt is foiled by Monica, the Brazilian cutting off the ball just as the Australian thought she’d have a chance to shoot from close range.
44 min: De Vanna whips in a cross from the right and Kerr rises to meet it on the penalty spot. Her looping header is heading for the centre of the goal but Neuhaus justs climbs high enough to tip it against the crossbar, where it then drops onto the roof of the net.
The Matildas are rampant, folks. Kerr will surely get a goal in this game.
GOAL! Australia 4-1 Brazil (Gorry 40)
That surely is the game, and the cup!
Kerr does well to retrieve a ball set to roll over the Brazil byline. She then passes back to Carpenter some 25 yards from goal. Carpenter makes a smart first time pass inside to Gorry who jinks past two defenders and, from inside the area, shoots across the face of goal and scores off the inside of the left post!
39 min: So, just like in the Japan game, the Matildas concede early then score the next three. No goal to Kerr, this time, but she has assists for the Matildas’ second and third goals. That was De Vanna’s 42nd goal for the Matildas, by the way. What a champion she has been. Volatile at times, like a firecracker in a wheat field at the height of summer, but a pure goalscorer.
36 min: Leticia makes a fine run down the right and floats a lovely deep cross to Zaneratto. Her first touch, with her chest, loses her defender, Carpenter. She then swivels and shoots... just wide of the far post. Arnold may not have got to that. A lovely move from Brazil who, up til then, appeared to be floundering and in danger of sinking without a trace.
GOAL! Australia 3-1 Brazil (De Vanna 34)
That was a mirror image of the second goal! A long ball from the left, this time, sent Kerr haring down the left flank. She angled towards goal, attracted Neuhaus to her, then rolled the ball into De Vanna’s path. The veteran striker tapped home.
Updated
GOAL! Australia 2-1 Brazil (Foord 31)
Moments after Arnold dives at the feet of Ludmila as she tried to round the Aussie keeper, Australia score!
A long ball from the back dropped into Kerr’s path and she sprinted away then unselfishly squared to Foord who sidefooted home from a few yards out.
Updated
27 min: Logarzo has hurt her a leg in a challenge and she will have to be replaced. Bad luck for her; that looked ugly. A knee-twister. Tameka Butt comes on in her stead.
26 min: Great chance for Kerr! Kerr does well to muscle the defence off the ball then plays a smart one-two with, I’m not sure. The ball back at her feet Kerr tries to slide the ball into the bottom right corner ... but she doesn’t get enough on it and Neuhaus makes a fairly routine save.
25 min: Kerr springs De Vanna like a lock-picker, her turn and pass sending De Vanna on a clear run at goal. De Vanna angles her run into towards the goal to hold off her chaser. De Vanna shoots but Neuhaus does well to get down low to smother the shot. De Vanna then goes down over Neuhaus, injuring the Brazilian keeper.
23 min: A rebound falls to Gorry’s feet, 23 yards out on a slight angle. She takes a peek at the goal then sweeps a long-range shot that looks destined for the top left corner. Neuhaus was beaten, I reckon, but the ball lands on the roof of the net. So close.
21 min: A lovely pirouette from Ludmila leaves Kellond-Knight for dead and she runs into the Aussie area. She shapes to shoot but instead squares the ball and it rolls right across the front of goal. Camila shoots from an angle but hits the side netting. That’s a let off for the Matildas.
20 min: Van Egmond picks up a yellow for a late challenge.
18 min: De Vanna scoots into the box, slides a teasing right foot across along the deck. Logarzo might have had a shot but she lets it run, knowing Gorry is following on the left. It does indeed roll into Gorry’s path and she tries to score inside the right post as she sees it, but it goes wide. A good chance.
16 min: On the left Carpenter is practically wearing Andressinha like a cape as the Brazilian harries her from behind, as close as you can get to another player without exchanging DNA. Carpenter does well to hold her off and dish the ball to a teammate.
13 min: Foord has the ball in the net and wheels away to celebrate... but the flag is up. On replay, it seems fair enough. Kerr won the ball on the edge of the area and passed to De Vanna ahead of her. De Vanna squared to Foord who then ‘scored’. But the pass from Kerr to De Vanna was the dodgy one, De Vanna a good metre ahead of Kerr.
11 min: Kerr attempts to overlap Gorry on the left but Brazil shut the move down. A good thing too as Kerr had acres of space in front of her.
9 min: What a mad start to this game. Not the greatest initial shot by De Vanna, but she reacted well.
GOAL! Australia 1-1 Brazil (De Vanna 7)
Neuhaus dives to her right to block De Vanna’s shot but the ball rebounds back to De Vanna and she taps into an empty net.
Penalty to Australia
Yes, Kerr it was, pulled back by Camila, Brazil’s goalscorer. Fair call. De Vanna will take the spot kick...
6 min: Free kick to Australia and Van Egmond floats a curler across the area but there are no yellow shirts on the end of it... but PENALTY, Kerr was ruled to have been pulled back.
4 min: That’s two early goals conceded in two games. Very disappointing having to chase this game after just two minutes.
Here’s how easy that goal was:
Seventy-five seconds in and Brazil are ahead. #ToN2017 pic.twitter.com/NOofl9apkq
— The Women's Game (@TheWomensGame) August 3, 2017
GOAL! Australia 0-1 Brazil (Camila 2)
Good lord! Brazil score and Australia should be ashamed of that. Tamires took the free kick from the right edge of the area, rolled the ball towards the penalty spot where Camila ran in unopposed and shot through a scrum of players and into the goal. The marking? Where was it? On that planet with the Doctor?
Peeeeeeeep!
Here we go, folks. Brazil kicking off and running left to right. And an early free kick to Brazil after Kellond-Knight pulls back Fran by the jersey as Fran chased a long ball. Could have been a yellow, that.
Almost ready:
National anthems. #ToN2017 #AUSvBRA pic.twitter.com/LvsgMCyu2k
— Jake White (@TheJakeWhite) August 3, 2017
The two teams are on the pitch and it looks to be a cloudless afternoon in California. From where I sit, Melbourne, the pitch looks in great nick.
The teams stand for the anthems — and there are major sound problems on the incoming audio; so much reverb and echo, it’s like the sound is coming from some kind of trance dance party. Or a Dr Who episode where the Dr has been drugged by a cheeky Cyberman and is wandering alone among some forbidding moonscape.
The teams are in the tunnel in Carson, California (which is near Long Beach, about 20km south of Los Angeles).
Actually, just Brazil are in the tunnel. The Aussies are making them wait. Last minute instructions from coach Alen Stajcic. Or, if they are like my kids just before we leave for school, some of them have forgotten to put their footwear on, or get their permission slips signed, and there’s now a last minute rush.
Ah, here they are, resplendent in gold. Brazil, then, will wear blue to avoid a clash.
So a bit of a shakeup in the Aussie team since the Japan game. Alana Kennedy drops onto the bench, as does Polkinghorne. Alleway comes in to central defence and Carpenter to right back. Hayley Raso, who did well on the right flank against Japan, also moves to the bench along with Emily Gielnik. This allows Lisa De Vanna to start and form a front three with Foord and Kerr.
For Brazil, star Marta starts on the bench. I’ve read a report that she has a swollen foot and isn’t 100%. If that’s true, that’s a bonus for the Matildas.
For formation spotters, you’re welcome:
Starting XI: #AUSvBRA #ToN2017 pic.twitter.com/qbxYbP9K8W
— The Women's Game (@TheWomensGame) August 3, 2017
Teams:
STARTING XI's | Here is how both teams are lining up. #GoMatildas #ToN2017 #AUSvBRA pic.twitter.com/ho9IF5ZkY7
— Westfield Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 3, 2017
Brazil, as you’d expect, are a very good side (though not as dominant as they’ve been) and, had they not thrown away victory against the USA on Monday, they’d have a chance of claiming the title for themselves today. As it is, they have only pride to play for. Will it be enough?
The last time these two teams played was in the quarter-finals at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Talk about a heart-breaker. After the match was goal-less through 120 minutes it took a penalty shoot-out to separate the teams, and Brazil won 7-6 with the home crowd going Herbie Goes Bananas. You might recall that both Katrina Gorry and Alana Kennedy (both of whom are playing today) missed spot kicks while, as I may have mentioned at the time, the Brazilian keeper, Barbara, repeatedly came of her line like a drunk driver spectacularly failing a roadside sobriety test in the US. But we’re over it, right? Right?
But I’m not a believer in the idea that a sporting team can extract revenge over another for a major loss. That is, I don’t believe that a Matildas win against Brazil today would be revenge for that Olympics loss last year. How could it be? It doesn’t change the result. What’s happened has happened. Today is about today and if we’re thinking about yesterday then we’ll regret it tomorrow. Makes perfect sense, don’t it?
Preamble
Morning folks, nice to have your company for this live blog of the Matildas’ final Tournament of Nations match against Brazil, a match the Australians need only draw to claim the suddenly prestigious trophy. A week ago few of us had heard of the inaugural ToN. Now we’re sweating on the Matildas claiming it. Oh the capriciousness of sports fandom.
It’s true, of course, that the winning of the ToN pales into insignificance alongside the winning of a World Cup, the Asian Cup or, for that matter, World’s Best Dad (I hold that title; got the tea mug and everything). Considering the calibre of the competing teams, however, should the Matildas get at least a point against Brazil in Carson, California today they should certainly feel that they’ve accomplished something of note. If a trophy on their mantelpiece will help remind them of this then all the better.
To recap, the Matildas started the competition by beating the USA 1-0. That’s the same USA who are World Cup-holders, and the top-ranked side in the world. The same USA who’d never, ever, lost a game against the Australians in a reign of terror dating back to 1987. That win on its own will be the Matildas’ major takeaway from the ToN, as it will surely prove to them that they are capable of challenging for higher honours instead of being that plucky team whose lot in life is seemingly to endure heroic World Cup quarter-final defeats.
Next up, after a shaky start and an early goal conceded, the Matildas spanked world No.6, Japan, 4-2. The headline grabber was striker Sam Kerr who scored a first-half hat-trick and made a claim for being the most in-form Australian footballer, of either gender. She surely has the most acrobatic title sewn up.
So, two games, two wins, 6 points. Had the USA and Brazil drawn their match on Monday the Matildas would have already won the ToN but the USA’s unlikely comeback win means that, as it stands, the Matildas need only a point today to win the tournament. There’s even a chance that, considering their 3-goal for-and-against buffer over the USA, they could lose today and still lift the trophy depending on the result of the USA v Japan fixture. No doubt, however, the Matildas will be playing for the win, and the win alone.
Kick-off: 4.15pm local, 9.15am AEST
Paul will be here shortly. We have a kick-off time of 9:15am AEST. In the meantime, remind yourselves of how the Matildas got to within touching distance of winning some silverware at this tournament in the US:
Updated
