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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Joey Lynch

Australia 2-0 New Zealand: international women’s football friendly – as it happened

Matildas Australia Joey Lynch New Zealand Football
Australia's Hayley Raso, centre, is congratulated after scoring her team’s second goal against New Zealand in Adelaide.
Australia's Hayley Raso, centre, is congratulated after scoring her team’s second goal against New Zealand in Adelaide. Photograph: James Elsby/AP

But that’s about all that’s needed from me tonight. I’ve been Joey Lynch and thanks for keeping me company as the Matildas saw off 2025 and the last of their fixtures before next year’s Asian Cup with a 2-0 win over New Zealand.

Samantha Lewis’ match-report will be with you shortly.

But for now, let’s sign off by sending one final congratulations to Annalie Longo at the end of a magnificent career.

It’s now the turn of Montemurro to chat with Andy Harper on the broadcast – candid as ever with his thoughts and goals for the game.

I’m proud of the players. They’ve they’ve really taken to the ideas. I asked tonight to take a little bit more risk at times. You saw that we were one-on-one at the back when we were attacking -- which didn’t bother me. We’ve got to get used to that if we want to create overloads against teams that that do bank up a lot. They were playing a 4-1-4-1 so they were quite dense and midfield and quite deep. I think we got caught once in the first half [in transition] and once in the second half. But it’s that risk reward, isn’t it? When you when you have a lot of the ball and then you want to be able to be proactive; those things are going to happen. We’ve learned a lot this camp. You could feel that the players have really bought into the ideas. They want to keep the ball, they want find moments. They want to be they want to be proactive. That pleases me leading up into the tournament.

Because [New Zealand was] very, very deep, we probably couldn’t keep them close enough to us and maybe, because we push numbers forward beyond their line, we probably didn’t get [close to goal] quick enough, especially in the middle. But look, I think we control most of the most of the actions. It was a good precursor, because that’s going to be some ideas that we’re going to come up against in the Asian Cup. So it helped us to get some good pictures and some good ideas.

One [thing] tonight that was very, very important; you saw Alanna Kennedy as a deep lying midfielder, sometimes as a centre-back. We want our centre-backs to be proactive. You saw Steph Catley pushing forward, -- Clare Hunt, not so much -- but when you’ve got that protection in front of midfield, we can rotate it. And it hurts things, because it’s a way of breaking down teams. When you can send centre-backs forward and then it becomes a chain reaction; we can go forward. We ticked a lot of things. We ticked a lot of combinations. I got to see a lot of ideas. And the good thing about it is that the fluidity of the ideas are starting to come out.

It’s nice to control games. It’s nice to come out here and see, see a team in green and gold control the action and control the game -- which is something we’ve been talking about a lot.

Looking over at the probably favourites for next year’s Asian Cup, Nadeshiko Japan have made it back-to-back wins over Canada this evening, defeating the North Americans in Nagasaki.

It’s now the turn of Steph Catley to chat with Harps, providing the insights we’ve come to expect from one of Australian football’s greatest ever.

I think [the two wins were] a result of a lot of things sort of coming together. It was nice after the England game – where we didn’t get to implement any kind of time on the ball or anything that would have been working on in possession, because we went down 10 quite quickly. It’s been nice to put that all together, especially leading into the Asian Cup. We haven’t had long with Joe, but we’ve been working really, really hard on and off the pitch to make sure we’re ready. To score some goals, play some good football, and just have time together was, was really, really important.

We’ve had limited time [with Montemurro] and at times we’ve had players in and out of the squad. But the way Joe coaches and his philosophy is quite... easy to understand and it’s easy to grow into. It sort of allows people to show their strengths as individuals. But the foundations of what we’re doing are very, very clear. I think everyone has settled really, really nicely and there’s a lot of confidence in the squad. Sometimes, I think that’s the most important thing. As long as we believe in what we’re doing and believe in each other, then we can go a long way.

Harps has now moved over to Annalie Longo, whose legendary Football Ferns career has now come to and end.

I’m immensly proud of the girls tonight. To turn around in a few days, and, I think, put in a much better performance today. I’m pretty proud, I’ve given everything to this jersey. I’m excited for the legacy to come. I know there’s a lot of hard work [to come] but I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve done.

I’ve love playing here in Australia and New Zealand. I spent most of my career in A-League. So I appreciate all the support. And thank you to my family. They’ve been immense throughout the whole thing. So, a special thank you to all the support crew back home for giving me for so much.

After scoring in both of the Matildas’ wins over New Zealand this window, Raso is speaking with Andy Harper on the broadcast.

I love playing for Australia. It’s my happy place and I feel like I thrive here. I’m delighted to get those goals but even happier they get the win leading into the Asian Cup.

There’s good feels around the camp. We’re obviously preparing for the Asian Cup; so everything we’re doing now is for that. We’re all working really well together. We’re looking forward and making sure we’re focused on what’s ahead, but we wanted to get two wins in these games in preparation for that.

I’m definitely feeling good. I really like playing here and playing for Australia. I’m fit, I’m in a good training environment [at Eintracht Frankfurt] and getting good games in, week in, week out. So then I come here and I’m ready to go.

Full Time: Australia 2-0 New Zealand

The final whistle rings out and brings to an end the last game the Matildas will play before next year’s Women’s Asian Cup.

It wasn’t quite as overpowering nor as comfortable as it was in Gosford last week but the Australians largely cruised to the win tonight; holding most of the ball and appearing to focus on trying to execute a slower, more deliberate strategy decreed by Montemurro.

After his eighth game in charge, in his third window, has the coach, who was appointed after a year-long search for Tony Gustavsson’s departure, had long enough to nail down what he wants to see and achieve what he wants to achieve? Especially given that he hasn’t really had his strongest squad the whole time? Probably not as long as he would have wanted, to be sure, ‘Pep’ very much a football tragic that loves diving in and out of everything football, but we only find out if he’s had enough next March.

Importantly, after last month’s lowpoint inflicted by England, that makes it two wins from two in this window and ensure that the vibes and confidence will be on an upward trajectory heading into next year’s tournament.

Kerr and Carpenter’s play in the first half, alongside Foord and Raso, carried particular promise, with the striker putting in perhaps her best performance since returning from an ACL injury as the fulcrum of her side’s attack. Add Gorry and Cooney-Cross behind them, with Wheeler holding down the fort behind them, and it presents an intriguing proposition.

That’s now two straight clean-sheets, too, with Catley looking assured marshalling the side from centre-back.

90+6 Mins: With potentially the last attack of the game the Matildas look to get Gorry down the right but she runs out of real estate in her pursuit of the ball. Goal kick.

90+4 Mins: Brown comes back on and is soon back in the action, finding Riley in a bit of space on the right. She opens up an angle as Catley closes in to shoot from outside the box but Micah has it read well and gets behind it with plenty of time to spare.

90+2 Mins: A break in play as Brown goes down requiring treatment. Looks like she’s okay but she has to leave the park as play resumes.

90+1 Mins: Johnson gets the ball to Gorry at the top of the box but there’s not a lot of power behind the midfielder’s resulting shot and Santos makes the claim.

90 Mins: Johnson finds herself out on the right and sends in a cross looking for Nevin at the far post but Bott, once more, is there to get in the way; sending it out for a throw-in.

88 Mins: Longo dances one way and then the other inside the penalty area to lose Catley and set up a shot, going away from goal, but the veteran is denied a goal on farwell.

86 Mins: Cooney-Cross tries to catch Santos napping with a cheeky, high-angle effort from the resulting free kick but the debutant keeper, on the second time of asking, grabs the ball.

85 Mins: The newly introduced Johnson tries to bustle her way past Bott and just as it looks like she’s succeeded, a professional foul from the defender halts her progress. Free kick Australia, Cooney-Cross and Catley standing over it.

84 Mins: There’s been a bit of drive added to the Australian midfield since Gorry was subbed on but ‘Mini’ was left reeling there, sliding in to lay a challenge and copping an (completely unintentional) errant knee from Riley.

83 Mins: Foord has been one of Australia’s best (as ever) across this series but she’s going to have to leave without a goal, replaced by Kahli Johnson.

Emma Pijnenburg, meanwhile, has replaced Taylor for the Ferns.

82 Mins: Foord again goes close! Cooney-Cross is probably fouled on the edge of the area but her teammate plays advantage in grabbing the ball and shooting, only for debutant keeper Santos to get down low and keep it out.

80 Mins: Foord just cannot buy a goal. Despite her throwing money at anything that comes her way.

On this occasion, McNamara and Cooney-Cross combine to get the latter into some space on the left that she can use to fire in a cross to her Arsenal teammate near the far post. The resulting header, though, finds the side netting.

78 Mins: Polar bears in Arlington, Texas and Hunt winding up to try her luck from long-range. The attempt goes about as you’d expect: well over the bar.

77 Mins: The ball comes to Foord, relentlessly chasing a goal of her own, but her effort from the top of the penalty area goes over the goal.

76 Mins: The Matildas have had over 70% of the ball throughout this game but their latest foray forward doesn’t trouble the visitors: McNamara escorted out as she tries to chase down a ball played in behind.

Fresh off her goal, Raso makes way for Kyra Cooney-Cross.

75 Mins: Maybe some signs the game might open up for its final 15 minutes after that goal? A bit of speed is injected into the game as both sides exchange a series of turnovers in the middle of the park, with the ball eventually going out for a Ferns throw in.

Goal! Australia 2-0 New Zealand (Raso 70')

There’s the two goal buffer that should seal this win for the Australians.

An out-swinging corner is sent in by Catley from the right, triggering a series of unfortunate events for Kitching and the Football Fern backline.

Raso rises to try and meet the delivery but it beats her and smashes Kitching straight in the face – a proper falcon – and as she goes down and her teammates are looking for the ball Raso is pouncing, bending it into the net to make it two-goals in two games.

Kitching has remained down on the surface after the goal and the Sunderland midfielder is going to be forced off, replaced by Maya Hahn.

Updated

67 Mins: Foord attempts to find a teammate in the box but as she has done on many an occasion this evening, Bunge is there to block it away.

Catley and Nevin work a short corner routine in the next phase but there are plenty of players wearing black behind the ball and they comfortably see of any hint of danger.

65 Mins: Two changes for the Ferns, as Annalie Longo and Lara Wall replace Foster and Katie Kitching.

It marks the 144th and final time that Longo, an Olympian and World Cup winner, will take the field for New Zealand, with the beloved veteran set to retire at the end of this game. She takes the armband from Taylor as she comes on.

64 Mins: As you may have guessed from the last update, Gorry has come on. So has Yallop, replacing van Egmond and Wheeler.

63 Mins: Almost a second for the Australians! A backpass is left by Bunge for Santos… but the keeper isn’t coming to claim it. Raso swoops and forces Bunge to scramble desperately to see off disaster.

The Matildas swarm the box in response but Gorry’s attempt to deftly chip a shot in from the of of the box goes over the bar.

62 Mins: The Matildas once again spread the pitch and their opponent out as they try to fashion a chance. They eventually work the ball to McNamara but Rennie pounces quickly to snuff out the danger.

60 Mins: Commentator and former Matilda Grace Gill says that the game has started to ‘meander’ as the game hits the hour mark. Have to agree with her, a game that wasn’t quick to begin with has slowed in this second half.

59 Mins: Something has definitely gone out of the Matildas attack since Kerr and Carpenter left the field, the former’s facilitation and hold-up play decidedly absent when they look to combine on the edge of the area and the surging ones of the other notable in their absence as the Kiwi defence maintains its shape.

58 Mins: Looks like Tameka Yallop and Katrina Gorry are preparing to come on.

Torpey lifts a ball towards the far post but it’s too close to Santos, who claims.

58 Mins: The Matildas look to get the ball up the pitch quickly but Foster is once again aware of the danger presented by Raso and marshals the winger’s run to ensure the ball sent forward goes out for a goal kick.

57 Mins: Bott wins the ball of McNamara deep in her own half, before Foord brings down Kate Taylor from behind and affords the Ferns an opportunity to clear their lines with a free kick… one that goes straight out for an Australian throw-in. Womp womp.

55 Mins: Foord didn’t get on the scoresheet in Gosford and you can see how desperate she is to get one tonight, the Arsenal midfielder straying into an offside position before Raso plays her a ball on the counter.

54 Mins: Catley whips in an in-swinging corner and Hunt shapes to fly for it but crashes into a moshpit of players, with the ball sailing over said pack and promptly cleared away.

53 Mins: Raso has two bites at the cherry as she attempts to send in a cross on the right but on both occasions, Foster blocks it away. Corner to the Matildas.

51 Mins: Riley pops up again in a threatening position, drifting a cross in from the left in the direction of Rennie. She gets tangled up with Nevin and goes down but there’s no real sense from either side, nor referee Hong Yu, that it’s a penalty.

50 Mins: Torpey has gone to right-back with the addition of Nevin, who has taken up station on the left.

van Egmond drops and gets the ball from the backline and finds Foord as the Matildas look to spring forward but the Kiwis hold firm and send it away before it can get close to their penalty area.

48 Mins: Raso sends a ball in from the right but CJ Bott is there to clear it away. McNamara tries to get something going from the second ball but the Kiwis hold firm once more, clearing it away and forcing Australia to reset.

Second Half

The second stanza is underway, with two changes for the Matildas.

It’s the Chelsea duo of Kerr and Carpenter making way, replaced by Holly McNamara and Courtney Nevin.

Updated

In case you missed my (and Andy Harper’s) cheeky plug during the first half, the Guardian’s 100 best female footballers in the world has launched, with 100 through to 41 now revealed.

Foord comes in at 71 on the list, Carpenter at 61, and Catley at 53.

Important, though to also give the Ferns their plaudits.

After being outclassed in Gosford, the Kiwis have buckled down and have been able to ensure that just two of the Matildas ten shots have been on target.

Up the other end, taking advantage of an Australian midfield that has been a bit too open to transition, they’ve been able to manufacture a series of chances that, on another night, could so easily have resulted in one or even two goals.

After being one of the few bright lights in another wise dark night on the Central Coast, Riley – a one-time Matildas before she made the switch to the Ferns – has once again impressed and the backline, facing down an attacking trio of Foord, Kerr, and Raso has been strong.

Updated

Half-time: Australia 1-0 New Zealand

It wasn’t the breakneck dominance we saw from the Matildas last week in Gosford last week and the Kiwis on another night probably have an equaliser but Australia nonetheless go into the dressing room ahead thanks to Kennedy’s goal.

Despite the chances from the Ferns, the hosts have largely controlled this game and are dominating the possession and territory stats. After he hinted at wanting to check maybe one or two more things before the Asian Cup, we can only assume this slowed approach of the side is coming from Montemurro: eager to see how his side can drag their opponents out of shape before exploiting the space being left on the flanks. And while there’s not much drive coming through the middle of the pitch but there have been repeated flashes out wide.

Making her first start at home in two years, Kerr has been fantastic. She doesn’t have a goal or that many shots but she’s been absolutely integral to what the Matildas have been trying to achieve in this first half; serving as the foundation for so much of what her side is attempting to do by holding the play up, providing a gravitational pull of danger that (often multiple) defenders have to respect, and combining with her teammates on quick, sharp passing that allows runners to penetrate the Kiwi defence.

Updated

45+1 Mins: After one minute of added time is signalled the Matildas quickly win the ball back and Foord once again tries her luck from range after cutting inside, with this attempt, too, going across the face of goal.

45 Mins: Raso, who has been very busy in this first-half, tries to get down the right and send the ball in but Bunge, who has also been very busy in this opening 45, shuts it down and wins a goal kick.

43 Mins: A chance for Foord goes begging.

More superb hold-up play by Kerr springs Foord in behind but she’s just unable to find the angle to goal she needs and sends her shot across the face of goal

42 Mins: More slow build-up play from the Matildas – we’ve seen enough of it now that you have to think, after the speed they played with last week, they’re under instruction from Montemurro to play this way.

Eventually, they work the ball forward and Foord is able to carry the ball into the penalty area from the left and send in a low cut-back for Raso but, under pressure from Foster, her attempt goes wide.

40 Mins: New Zealand bursts forward in transition and Riley sends it to Clegg. She moves to the top of the box but gets her foot under the ball and skies her attempt high and wide.

38 Mins: A huge chance for the Kiwis! Should it be 1-1?

Wisnewski is played in-behind the Australian backline by a surgical pass and is able to have a shot from inside the penalty area but her effort is too close to an on-rushing Micah and deflected away. Milly Clegg lunges at it to try and keep the attack alive but it’s teasingly out of reach.

Updated

37 Mins: This time it’s the turn of Torpey to go close!

Raso cuts inside and finds the on-rushing left-back who, in turn plays a one-two with Foord to advance into the area. The defender does will to get herself set to shoot but her effort goes just wide. Build-up that would have been well-worth a goal.

36 Mins: A long ball over the top gives Kerr something to chase but the flag goes up to ensure that, even if she had got to it before Santos, it wouldn’t have counted.

35 Mins: Andy Harper noting on the broadcast the hold-up play and the focus on quality over quantity with her touches that are marking Kerr’s game tonight.

Have to agree with him, Kerr is proving an absolute menace tonight and it’s mostly coming not from her attempting to force anything but, instead, serving as the foundation upon which her teammates are launching themselves at the Kiwi goal.

34 Mins: Oooh, nice chance for the Australians. Carpenter carries the ball forward and centres it for van Egmond, who comes under pressure but is able to keep the ball moving and switch it across to Foord on the left. She drives in a low shot but it just finds the side netting.

32 Mins: Australia have increased their control of the possession stats to over 70%, marked by a series of balls getting sent in on the right.

31 Mins: A shout-out on the broadcast for Foord’s placement in The Guardian’s 100 best female footballers in the world – even if it’s followed by a note that Foord’s place has dropped a few places.

Now, where could one read that list. Oh bother, I dropped something…

29 Mins: A nice bit of play develops after both sixes, Kennedy and Clare Wheeler actively show to receive the ball.

The attack peters out in the Kiwi penalty area but it’s always worth taking note of when midfielders are actively showing for the ball rather than hiding in ‘cover shadow’ – it’s a sign of positive intent, a willingness to embrace risk, and confidence in the gameplan.

27 Mins: Riley cuts inside Raso on the left and plays a cross-field ball for Gabi Rennie. Kaitlyn Torpey, starting at left-back tonight, gets across to make the challenge and while the attacker wants a corner, it’s going to be a goal kick instead.

26 Mins: Kennedy whips a ball in from the left but it can’t be turned in.

25 Mins: Some miscommunication at the back by the Matildas almost leads to a very awkward moment. Micah comes haring out of her area attempting to claim the ball but she cannot claim the ball.

With an attacker lurking, the hosts are forced to scramble it clear to save their keeper blushes.

Updated

24 Mins: Successive crosses are whipped into the box by the Matildas but eventually Santos is able to make the claim.

After copping the opening goal, these are important moments for the visitors: they can’t afford to ship another in quick succession and risk having the floodgates open once more.

22 Mins: Australia are now back on the ball and there’s a clear pattern to the Matildas play when they’re asked to build-up from the back.

They’ll knock the ball around slowly as their wide-players, particularly Raso and Carpenter on the right make runs seeking to drag their opponents up the field out of possession – opening up pockets of space down the flank.

Eventually, they’ll be enough room for a ball to be played in and for one of the lightning attackers in green and gold to get onto it, with Kerr dropping in to provide a combination option.

Goal! Australia 1-0 New Zealand (Kennedy 19')

Australia have the lead and in what is a very big game for her after her send-off against England last month, it’s come from Kennedy!

Carpenter finds Kerr with a throw-in on the right and the captain, in turn, feeds the ball to Raso. She darts into the penalty area and cops a crunching challenge from Moore but Kennedy, who is playing as a six tonight, is there to meet it with a first-time effort that Santos can’t keep out.

17 Mins: After that scare, the Matildas look to build-up once more – they’ve had 66% of possession thus far – and they eventually get the ball down the right to Raso.

The winger’s cross flies across the face of goal and out to Foord but the Arsenal attacker’s ball back into the mixer is cleared away.

15 Mins: Big chance for the Kiwis! The Ferns win a corner kick on the right and eventually after a short-corner routing, Foster gets the ball in.

It bounces down to Grace Wisnewski in a really dangerous position but her attempt is not as good as she would have hoped and held by Micah.

Updated

14 Mins: Carpenter has gone on an adventure, as she does, drifting over to the left. And she’s chasing down a ball lofted down a flank, as she does. She can’t gather it, however, and the Kiwis will have possession.

13 Mins: Emily van Egmond’s resulting corner from the left is rather comfortably cleared away by the Matildas and Australia will look to build once more.

12 Mins: Another ball lobbed into space down the right is claimed by Raso. Some really nice combination play between Raso, Kerr and, Carpenter eventually sees the latter drop a ball into Foord’s head at the far post but her attempt is scrambled out for a corner at the near post by Alina Santos.

11 Mins: A throw in on the left-flank for the Kiwis sees them win a free kick after Riley gets bundled over by Raso.

It’s whipped in by Michaela Foster but claimed with confidence by keeper Teagan Micah.

9 Mins: After sniffing the Australian penalty area a couple of times in the opening few minutes it’s been all Matildas since: the Football Ferns left chasing their foes.

On this occasion, however, they’re chasing a Caitlin Foord who strayed into an offside position and will have a free kick.

9 Mins: A piece of broken play on the edge of the Kiwi penalty area – looks like another poor back pass from a defender – allows Kerr to lash a half-chance on goal from range but it goes wide.

8 Mins: Catley and Carpenter converse over the dead ball before the Arsenal defender takes control.

She whips in a ball that is headed clear by the Kiwis, who look to break quickly through Indiah-Paige Riley but Carpenter gets in with a strong challenge to snuff that out.

6 Mins: Catley whips in an in-swinging corner from the left but the Ferns are able to clear the ball away.

The Matildas look to build once more and Kerr is brought to ground from behind by Bunge, winning a free kick. Too far out to score but something that can maybe create a dangerous situation.

5 Mins: Steph Catley grabs the ball and carries it forward to shift territory into the Kiwis’ final third. The ball is eventually put out for a Matildas throw in that Carpenter sends to Sam Kerr.

The skipper’s first touch of the game wins a corner, as Bunge applies a challenge that sends the ball out.

4 Mins: Again, patient build-up from the Matildas as they attempt to retain possession and execute the patterns of play that Montemurro wants to see.

Eventually, Carpenter lobs a ball into an avenue of space for Hayley Raso to run onto on the right and she opts to shoot rather than cut the ball back, hitting the bar!

3 Mins: The Matildas comfortably repulse New Zealand’s attempts to penetrate their defensive third but the visitors retain possession and look to reload… until an attempted long ball from Claudia Bunge goes straight to Ellie Carpenter. Australian ball.

2 Mins: Australia are looking to play out from the back in the opening few minutes but the Kiwis have come out in a well-organised structure, forcing a turnover by Alanna Kennedy and winning possession.

Kickoff!

We are underway in Radelaide!

Emily Husband spotted next to Joe Montemurro on the Matildas bench.

The former title-winning Central Coast Mariners coach was drafted in as an assistant after the last A-League Women season and as one of Australia’s best coaches, Montemurro’s eventual successor could already be being groomed.

Not only are the Football Ferns looking for their first win over Australia since 1994 in tonight’s fixture but they’re also looking to a clean sweep in senior internationals against Australia in 2025: last Friday’s 5-0 loss inflicted by the Matildas joining two wins by the Socceroos over the All Whites back in September.

The national anthems of the two nations ring out – New Zealand’s first, followed by Australia’s.

The broadcast throws to a video of the mascots for tonight’s game yelling “Go CommBank Matildas.” Youngsters are, of course, famously known for their observation of naming rights deals signed by national federations in their fandom.

Updated

The two belligerents are in the newly renovated player’s race at Hindmarsh Stadium. Grab a Farmers Union and a pie floater, because kick-off is imminent in South Australia.

Elsewhere this window, Spain and Barcelona have been dealt a big blow after scans confirmed that three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí is set for an extended period on the sideline after fracturing her leg in a training-session fall.

If you were following along with some of the Matildas rivals at the Asian Cup, you would have noted that China, led by Australian coach Ante Milicic, were smashed 8-0 by England last week.

The Lionesses will face another lesser heralded foe in Ghana this window but as Suzy Wrack writes, these games allow Sarina Wiegman a chance to look at the bigger picture.

Ahead of her first game on home soil in two years, Sam Kerr spoke on the Paramount broadcast.

It feels good to be back. It’s good to be back in the sunshine. Good to be back with the girls. I played the games before [in Europe], but it’s different playing in Australia. It feels really nice.

Obviously happy to play tonight. Last game. I hope I could have got up, but the calf was still a little bit sore. [But] I’m good to go tonight.

Updated

Tillies coach Joe Montemurro was asked on the Paramount broadcast about the level of experimentation in tonight’s Matildas XI.

“There’s a little bit of experimentation tonight. A little bit more. I need to tick off one little moment, or one little scenario that we think we could get at the Asian Cup.

So, we’re close, we’re close to solidifying the situation with in terms of the squad. But the reality is, is that we’ve still got a little bit of work to do. And tonight we’ll still do a little bit more work leading into it, we’ve got that opportunity.”

We now cross live to gauge the reaction of Chelsea fans upon learning that Sam Kerr, who was absent from the Blues’ last game before the window in addition to sitting out last week’s game with a sore calf, is starting tonight.

The rather pedestrian defensive performance on display from the Football Ferns last Friday has put focus on two of the more curious absences from their squad: veteran defensive pair Katie Bowen and Rebekah Stott.

Both are playing at a high level with their clubs: Bowen arguably the Kiwis’ most in-form player as she anchors Inter Milan’s backline and Stott captaining a Melbourne City side flying high in both the A-League Women and Women’s Asian Champions League.

Indeed, so strong has the latter’s form been across the past year, she was crowned MVP of the newly revamped Women’s Asian Champions League last season and was subsequently nominated for the FIFA Women’s World 11.

And yet, neither is in this squad.

Mayne was asked about Stott’s absence following the Gosford game and responded, “She knows what she needs to do. Any player that’s not here had got the feedback they need.”

Curious, because one does wonder what two highly-credentialled defenders need to prove to get into a side that has now conceded 13 goals across its last three games.

Updated

New Zealand XI

Six changes for the Ferns, with Claudia Bunge coming into the backline and Alina Santos making her debut between the posts.

Football Ferns legend Annalie Longo starts on the bench in what will be her final game for her country – the 34-year-old announcing in the build-up to this game that she’s set to hang up the boots after a 19-year international career.

Stepping away from professional club football after the end of Wellington Phoenix’s last A-League Women, the veteran had retained by Ferns’ coach Michael Mayne to help guide the side during a period of transition and, should she get on the park, she’ll end her career with 144 appearances for the side.

That makes her New Zealand’s fifth highest capped international women’s footballer, trailing only Ria Percival, Ali Riley (who rather surprisingly wasn’t afforded a farewell game when she hung up the boots last month), Betsy Hassett and Abby Erceg

Updated

Big time noticing how every broadcast of a national team game played in Australia these days starts with a tourism advert for the city/state hosting it.

The State Governments bidding to host these games gotta get their money’s worth, I guess.

Updated

This series, of course, represents the final international window the Matildas will get before the best of Asia descends next March for the Women’s Asian Cup.

While Australia’s women have mostly played in mid-size stadiums in recent times – Hindmarsh is listed as having a 16,500 capacity, 15,000 of which are seated – Jack Snape detailed last week how organisers of that tournament feel vindicated for scheduling the Matildas in some of the country’s biggest stadia for next year’s tournament; Sarah Walsh, herself a former Matilda and now the chief operating officer for the Women’s Asian Cup declaring that the risk of scheduling the team in these large venues is “paying off”.

Walsh says that a major marketing campaign is planned in the coming weeks, and it will be interesting to see how that plays out in ticket sales for the games not involving the Matildas – organisers currently running a promotion offering a free junior ticket with every adult ticket purchased.

Though the Matildas remain a brand that mostly creates its own demand, convincing the residents of Western Sydney to buy a ticket to see North Korea face Uzbekistan, or the citizens of Perth to head out to watch Chinese Taipei against Vietnam, might be a tougher ask.

And in the A-League Women, we already have a case study in the halo surrounding Australia’s favourite football team not quite bathing others in the kind of light they’d be hoping for.

Updated

Australia XI

Six changes to the Matildas side that hammered New Zealand in Gosford.

Sam Kerr will make her first start home soil since returning from an ACL injury – her first start Down Under since November 2023 – while Teagan Micah comes in between the posts.

Alanna Kennedy returns after sitting out the first game through suspension and this probably looms as a big game for her.

Clare Hunt, Tash Prior, Wini Heatley were already putting the squeeze on her place in the XI and now with Steph Catley increasingly kicking inside for both club and country that pressure will only become more significant. Proving herself in the midfield perhaps an avenue to shoring up her place.

Updated

As mentioned, it was a pretty comprehensive win for the Matildas in last week’s meeting between these two sides, with Amy Sayer, Hayley Raso, Ellie Carpenter, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Katrina Gorry netted in a comprehensive win.

Indeed, while it wasn’t a perfect performance by the Matildas – the Kiwis created a few half chances and didn’t exactly present the kind of defensive obstacle that they’ll face with any kind of regularity – it was probably their best performance yet in the short tenure of Joe Montemurro.

Here’s how Jo Khan saw everything in the minute-by-minute and here’s my match report to get you up to speed.

Updated

Preamble

Howdy all, you’ve arrived at the Guardian’s live coverage of the second fixture of this two-game international friendly series between Australia and New Zealand’s women, tonight emanating from Hindmarsh Stadium in Radelaide, South Australia.

Last I checked, my name remained Joey Lynch and I’ll be taking you through all the action from this evening’s clash, in which the Matildas will be looking to back up the 5-0 thumping they handed out in the first meeting between these two in Gosford last Friday and the Kiwis will be looking, if not to claim a first win in this fixture since 1994, to at least salvage some level of pride.

Kick-off in the City of Churches is at 8.00pm AC⚡DT, 8.30 AEDT, or 10.30pm NZDT if you’re following along from Aotearoa.

Line-ups soon!

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