Here is Kieran’s report. With one match played, Australia sit second in Group G behind Sweden, with tougher tests to come against both them and the US. New Zealand are third, ahead of the US on goal difference. And with that I’m going to sign off. It’s been a pleasure as always. I’ll be back to live blog much more of the Olympics in coming days and weeks, including the Matildas’ other matches. Until then.
Updated
After the match, Kerr said the Matildas sat down with Indigenous members of the squad to talk about how to best show respect for First Nations people, and decided on the pre-match Aboriginal flag together.
“We are really proud of it,” Kerr said. “It’s something we spoke about a lot as a team. We let the Indigenous girls drive it. We didn’t want to do something that goes along with the grain, we wanted to do something that was relevant for our country.”
All in all, that was a dominant start for the Matildas in a campaign that will set the tone for the 2023 World Cup. The co-hosts of that tournament, New Zealand, were good for their goal but may have suffered more were it not for the exploits of goalkeeper Erin Nayler, who some excellent saves. Hold tight for Kieran Pender’s match report from Tokyo.
Full-time! Australia 2-1 New Zealand
90+4 mins That’s all she wrote from Tokyo Stadium. A late, late shot at parity there for the Football Ferns but three minutes wasn’t enough to do the job. The Matildas get their Olympics campaign under way with a win – the first under their new manager and NZ will rue what might have been after an improved second-half performance.
Goal! Australia 2-1 New Zealand
90+1 mins How about that! Gabrielle Rennie is brought on from the bench in the 89th minute. Two minutes later and she’s scored what will likely be a consolation goal but could yet turn into a point. A defensive lapse allows NZ through and Luik is caught in between two players as Rennie takes care of Williams.
Updated
90 mins Fowler is in the thick of it, firing away a couple of balls forward. Carpenter is a little too close to the byline for a cutback. Heading the other way, Bowen has Foord in all sorts and in chase as she darts past the halfway line and into Matildas territory. Percival gets closer but not close enough.
87 mins A no-look pass from Kerr finds Carpenter, who has been an absolute machine, for want of a more eloquent turn of phrase. Just as that phase has ended Catley is down again, this time clutching her knee after a challenge from Bowen that didn’t look too bad. Again she is up.
84 mins Gustavsson looks to run out this match more defensively by bringing centre-back Alanna Kennedy on for forward Raso. None of that will stop this Bowen free kick, though, which sails right over the Matildas’ wall – which was quite high – and has Williams backtracking to try and get a glove to it. Lucky for her, it is marginally wide.
81 mins NZ are chasing hard because they know there is a lot riding on this first match. The other countries in the group are the top-ranked World Cup-winning US, and the other, fifth-ranked Sweden, just upset the US 3-0 this evening. It’ll be tough to crack those top two spots in the group for both of these sides.
A heavy collision while defending a set piece leaves Catley on the ground for some time and teammates coming to her aid. She is OK, and soon back up and about.
Updated
77 mins And with that Simon’s shift comes to an end. She takes her leave for 18-year-old forward Mary Fowler, who bolted into the World Cup squad in 2019. At the same time Yallop comes off for Kyra Cooney-Cross, who was a standout in the Melbourne Victory’s W-League title-winning team last season.
74 mins Bott earns the first yellow card of the match via a sliding challenge on Polkinghorne. She doesn’t make contact with the ball and there’s no hesitation from the referee. The chances keep coming for Australia. Carpenter is with the ball again and side-foots it to the near post where, again, Simon is waiting. She squeezes halfways past Moore and forces Nayler into action again. The Silver Ferns’ veteran keeper has done nothing wrong tonight.
70 mins Substitute for NZ with Paige Satchell replacing Green. Australia will have to watch out for Satchell – she’s speedy! Daisy Cleverley also replaces Chance.
67 mins “Hi Emma.” Hi Richard. “Thank you very much for the live Aus/NZ women’s football commentary. Greatly appreciate that you and the Guardian are providing this. Looks like our Kiwi ladies have a bit of a hill to climb, but it’s good to see the Olympics under way at last and Congrats to Brisbane on scoring the ‘32 games!”
The Kiwi ladies almost climbed halfway up that hill courtesy of a Lydia Williams error. The keeper raced to the top of the box to stop an incoming attacker. She doesn’t look sure of her footing at all, and she can’t adjust and ends up awkwardly chasing. Carpenter is there to save her blushes before the resulting shot can go in.
64 mins Raso pierces the defence and again Simon is in the right spot. She’s onside but encounters resistance from Nayler, who has rushed well off her line. But there is a deflection and Simon is in toe-poke areas, if only for Bott, who makes a crucial intervention.
61 mins Another well-anticipated through ball from van Egmond is run onto by Foord, and she tries her luck by putting it in the air at the top of the box where Simon is lurking, but she has two defenders on her.
59 mins A lovely ball in behind releases Kerr, who is beating Erceg and swings her right boot but it is not threatening. The Matildas just keep coming, supplied by van Egmond and this time it’s Catley who crosses for Foord and forces a save.
54 mins Neither Gustavsson nor Sermanni have looked to their benches yet. Perhaps we’ll see some fresh legs after the hour. Carpenter is bolting down the right again and gets away a cross that Raso does well to get her boot around. It’s close, but drops wide off the far post.
51 mins Carpenter is on the overlap and when she has the ball it usually ends up in the box. It does again here and Kerr almost scores with a flick back of her head while facing the other direction.
Second half! Australia 2-0 New Zealand
48 mins Kyah Simon might have made it three goals for Australia within two minutes of being back on the pitch but when she’s played by in Kerr she again can’t get enough on it to trouble Nayler. Thus far, NZ have started this half far more positively.
Kevin Plastow emails in. “Hi Emma,” he says. “Am I correct in thinking that this is not an under-23 tournament like the men?”
Yes, you are correct. There is no upper age limit on the women’s tournament. The men’s competition is under-23, with three overage players allowed per team. I should note that, given the postponement of the Games by a year, the IOC has agreed to permit all men’s players to participate who came in under that age bracket on the original dates last year.
Here’s the Matildas’ second goal off the set piece.
GOALLLLL! IT'S TWO FOR @TheMatildas!@samkerr1 with a thumping header from @stephcatley's corner!#Tokyo2020 | #TokyoTogether pic.twitter.com/soPs4iuETf
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) July 21, 2021
Let’s take a quick turn around the grounds. Japan and Canada have just finished their Group E match all even at 1-1 after Mana Iwabuchi’s 84th-minute equaliser for the hosts. Canada’s opener was scored by Christine Sinclair for the veteran striker’s 187th international goal on the her 300th cap.
And in Group F, the Netherlands have just netted their eighth goal against Zambia, who have one, after 64 minutes. Vivianne Miedema, the prolific Arsenal forward, scored four of those.
Half-time! Australia 2-0 New Zealand
45 mins Bowen is attempting to remedy that deficit, fashioning an attack inside the Matildas’ half. She passes to Catherine Bott, who is closed down by Catley. NZ recycle the ball but it’s soon back with Australia and specifically Simon, who EVE, who looks up to Foord on the left, who also looks up to Kerr in the box, who looks up and leaps head first. It doesn’t happen this time. There won’t be a first-half brace.
43 mins To wit, Australia have two-thirds of possession, and oh! Simon has the header close to goal and the open mouth beckons! But she can’t quite gain eough forward momentum to exert the power needed. The shot count is 7-1 in Australia’s favour, 4-0 on target.
40 mins Van Egmond and Yallop trade passes, now it’s back to Polkinghorne and Williams. There’s a sense of patience, of waiting before going and knowing they’ll be in the sheds in five minutes to reset.
37 mins Australia have their tails up now and Catley is on song with a pass to Foord. The latter’s first touch is deft and so is her mazy run towards the area. Will they score a third before half-time? No, because of a well-timed tackle from the in-form Erceg who thwarts an opponent once more. She has been marvellous.
Goal! Australia 2-0 New Zealand
33 mins Another nearly goal but for a well-timed block by Erceg. I may have spoken too soon on Simon, who combines well in midfield and finishes her move with a flourish to provide Kerr. It’s not long before the Matildas find that final ball for a second goal. Catley sends in a whooping, whirling corner and Kerr’s is in poaching mode. She has a head to it and the ball bounces off the inside of the crossbar and into the net. Sermanni isn’t looking happy in his dugout. Kerr is celebrating by standing still as a statue, Mark Bresciano style.
31 mins Kerr’s head flicks on a pass to an offside Foord. She was well off, actually. Soon later she’s away again but has Moore matching every move. She succeeds, though the ball bobbles straight to Kerr, who wastes not time barrelling a ball in front of goal. Raso practically dives on it but can’t quite make contact.
28 mins Carpenter takes on Olivia Chance but the ball is soon out of play. And she’s won a free kick, has Carpenter. A back three formation is one of those funny ones. Win and Gustavsson is a genius, lose and he is deemed to have made a terrible mistake. This is the lot of a manager. There is a sense that Carpenter and Catley, two world class attacking full-backs, may be wasted where they’re currently positioned, but who am I to say this?
24 mins I’ll say this about the Matildas. There is more flow in the front third than what we’ve seen in those recent friendlies. Something is clicking a smidge more than before. Kerr is up and about and is being supplied well by the midfield. Simon is still a little off with her passing and challenges but all in all more positive signs than in the lead-up to this tournament.
Goal! Australia 1-0 New Zealand
20 mins It’s Tameka Yallop in the roof of the net. An errant pass from NZ inside their own area falls to the Matildas and results in a cute Kerr backheel through to a soaring, searing Yallop who draws Nayler off her line. The keeper gets a hand to it but she can’t keep it out.
17 mins Raso is stopped in her tracks again, this time by Green on the edge of the box to draw a corner. But it’s what happened before that roused the senses, after Emily van Egmond delivered a delightful long ball that Kerr rises for but backs down to let is sail through to her teammate in Raso. Almost own goal! Carpenter whips in a cross and in an attempt to intervene Abby Erceg, at the near post, heads it straight towards her own goal, forcing Nayler into a reflex save.
14 mins A handball denies Raso a chance to make her move. NZ are pressing high, I wonder how long they’ll be able to keep this up. Kerr takes a lovely turmn down the right and has her eye on Foord across field but the defence have it under control. Kerr could have run that further.
11 mins Simon dispatches a lovely ball in behind. Foord is off the shoulder but the execution isn’t there this time. The Ferns regain possession and Katie Bowen is away for what turns out to be an aesthetically pleasing passage of play. She utilises Hassett on the right flank and something is building, but Bowen flunks an errant pass and it’s all over.
8 mins Foord wins a footrace with Catherine Bott to continue Australia’s aggressive start. NZ have settled somewhat after a nervous start, but Raso is quick, and she’s in the box before you’ve had time to blink. Simon attempts to head a high ball but Green wins the foul and NZ the free kick.
6 mins Simon thumps it wide to left wing-back Catley, who inexplicably sends the ball skyward and out. Long-time Ferns keeper Erin Nayler gets it away but it’s soon right back with her. A second crack evades Hassett and gifts Australia the throw-in slightly inside their own half.
Peep! Here we go!
3 mins Australia are on the front foot straight away and Kerr, who has been marked out of a couple of recent friendlies is right in the mix including a goalmouth scramble. Chance is on the ball and Hassett is through in space but Williams scoops it straight up.
The Matildas have their photo taken holding up the Aboriginal flag. Really nice acknowledgement. Lydia Williams and Kyah Simon are both Indigenous.
I’ve just had a question about how to watch the game on TV in Australia. The feed has just started on Seven’s main channel (Farmer Wants a Wife obviously ran over). But the teams have just walked out into an empty Tokyo Stadium and are lining up for the anthems.
Have a look at this goal from Marta against China tonight. She was already the Goat but is now also the first player, male or female, to score at five consecutive Olympics. She is 35. What a career.
A brilliant goal from Marta! Brazil's Marta Vieira da Silva scores the third and final goal against China.#Tokyo2020 | #7Olympics pic.twitter.com/g60lryD5FP
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) July 21, 2021
ICYMI there was major news earlier this evening, when Brisbane was granted the right to host the 2032 Olympics. It was a foregone conclusion given the Queensland bid was the only one left in the running, but something to look forward to all the same. It will be Australia’s third Olympics and second Paralympics.
Did anyone else watch the International Olympic Committee’s vote live on YouTube? Oh.
The teams are in!
As expected, Gustavsson is sticking to the back three he’s been trialling, with Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter flanking Clare Polkinghorne. Lydia Williams resumes her customary role in goal, and Aivi Luik gets a start in midfield. Sam Kerr leads attack with support from Caitlin Foord and Kyah Simon.
STARTING XI 🗒
— Matildas (@TheMatildas) July 21, 2021
Here's how we line up for our #Tokyo2020 opener!#WeAreMatildas #GoAustralia
NZ’s line-up is also unsurprising, though Anna Green gets the nod ahead of Claudia Bunge.
We're at Tokyo Stadium, 35 minutes from kicking off the first game of our @Tokyo2020 campaign.
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) July 21, 2021
Here is the starting XI for our @TheNZTeam Women's Football Team v @TheMatildas!#EarnTheFern#KoTatauTeKapaOAotearoa pic.twitter.com/bEmLReoV7a
Sam Lewis has prepared a nice preview for this match and looking ahead to the rest of the group stage.
“Expectations for Tokyo, given all that has happened and continues to happen, will vary. New Zealand come into the Games having not played a competitive match since March 2020. Sweden have an ageing squad while the USA have not entirely convinced in their preparation matches, scraping results against Portugal and Nigeria in June.
There is no predicting, then, how this will go for Australia, who are still winless under Gustavsson after a difficult, inactive pandemic period.”
Preamble
Well hello! Welcome to the Olympics that were postponed, the ones that should not be going ahead but now that they are are sure to produce some beguiling sporting moments. Football is one of the early risers on the day that is the Games. We’ve already had some softball today, when Australia succumbed to host nation Japan via the “mercy rule”, and in the beautiful game Team GB have already beaten Chile 2-0 in Group E, Brazil saw off China 5-0 in Group F and Sweden upset the United States 3-0 in Group G. That last result is a big one in terms of Australia’s hopes of getting out of Group G.
But first! The Matildas open their Tokyo 2020 campaign against New Zealand, an old rival that may not quite be a rival if one considers that Australia are undefeated in their last 28 women’s internationals against the Football Ferns (25 wins, 3 draws) dating back to October 1994. But Tom Sermanni’s NZ side may still not make for an easy ride, and the former Matildas coach knows Australia’s game well. That’s before mentioning that the Matildas have not had an easy run thus far under Tony Gustavsson, having lost four of their past five games including heavy defeats to Germany and the Netherlands, and the squad find themselves squashed between two unenviable feelings of expectation and pressure.
For some key info on how this tournament works, there are three groups of four teams, with the top two automatically qualifying for the quarter-finals along with the two best third-placed teams. Here are the groups:
Group E: Great Britain, Canada, Japan, Chile
Group F: China, Brazil, Zambia, Netherland
Group G: Sweden, USA, Australia, New Zealand
Let’s get the ball rolling, so to speak. As always, hit me with any thoughts as we go.
