Summary
Thanks for joining us for the first of four Matildas home games. One more against Slovenia to come and then two against Panama. Here is the report from tonight:
Updated
A bit more from Montemurro:
I knew they would be a lot of technical errors and risk and we went out to make sure that we could obviously be proactive, breaking lines, preparing to break lines and sometimes you’re to make mistakes but they are all important mistakes for us to grow and it is really, really important that I saw something that we’ve been working on and as I said it was the perfect night us in terms of the challenge and where we want to head.
Stay tuned for a match report dropping shortly
We’re hearing from Montemurro now, he says the match was a good benchmark to go forward with.
All in all there were patches of good and patches of bad for everybody. there was a sprinkling of good things, a sprinkling of things we can take with us but also a lot of good stuff that we can work on.
Talking to Andy Harper, Carpenter makes the point that the squad has only been together with Montemurro for a few days.
I think we can be proud of what we’ve done in that short amount of time and like I said, I am excited once we get everyone back in and we are seeing some new faces here as well and some people really putting their foot forward for the Asian Cup team which I think is important because we need the depth.
On Slovenia, Gielnik says:
I think they might even be a little bit better now that they have seen us and now we know them but at the start we had a fair bit of information. We knew they had some key players that have played in some of the professional leagues in Europe so we knew there was going to be a target player and some quite physical fast players but I think we kind of nullified most of their stuff, and I think we gave them more chances than what they may have deserved and we probably could have capitalised on a lot more of our chances but I think we will come out on top even stronger.
Matildas veteran Emily Gielnik is chatting to the Paramount crew now, she says she got the news that she was back in the camp while in France for Ellie Carpenter’s wedding!
I have been in and out and Chloe and I have had a similar journey and it was once again we got to share a moment, we were in France celebrating our best mate’s wedding, Ellie Carpenter, we were the MCs, so we actually found out on her wedding day. We got to celebrate with our best mates, celebrate love, Ellie was getting married, it couldn’t be more perfect, it was pretty perfect.
Playing with Ellie, it is always a privilege. When you have Ellie behind you, not much can go wrong, she is an absolute superstar and she is built different and I love playing with her and today was just a stepping stone. It is a privilege to play with her but I think we’ve got so much more growth …
Raso just making sure her impact was known:
CommBank Matildas go back-to-back as Hayley Raso wraps up the tie just seconds after McNamara's goal!
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) June 26, 2025
🎥: @10FootballAU#Matildas #AUSvSVN #WAtheDreamState pic.twitter.com/RS2oDFKonj
Sayer is having a chat now, she says she feels good and is loving being on the pitch at the moment:
I like playing anywhere. I think I showed today I can play anywhere. … [Joe] gave me the flexibility to bring my own game into his tactics.
I think coming back from my injury I have really come back stronger, faster, more aware of my positioning on the field. I think that has really shown. I think personally it has shown. But you can always get better in all these areas and I think my defending has really improved, which I think was able to get a lot of second balls today, but you can always improve everything. I want to get better dribbling on the ball. You could see that I got the ball taken off a couple times. But always room for improvement and that is how we get better.
McNamara is speaking to Andy Harper now, saying it was a relief to finally score her first goal for the Matildas.
Obviously I’ve missed a lot of chances and I think it has been weighing on my mind. I think just getting the goal, it is really important for me, important for the team, had a great ball by Hayley Raso.
My teammates, staff, they have put no expectation of pressure on me. I think a lot of it is internal, which is annoying, but I’m just glad to get that one … everybody worked so hard. A tough game but we also learn from it.
Here is McNamara’s goal:
Holly McNamara is on the spot to head home her first senior international goal 🥳
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) June 26, 2025
🎥: @10FootballAU#Matildas #AUSvSVN #WAtheDreamState pic.twitter.com/jrYcuk2u8H
Full-time: Australia 3-0 Slovenia
At first look 3-0 doesn’t seem to reflect the consistent attacking and pressure from Slovenia, but it all changed when Hayley Raso came on. Gielnik’s early goal caught Slovenia off guard before they could get organised, Raso was the key to breaking them down at the end of the second half.
90 mins + 4: Slovenia burst forward and Kajzba is able to cut inside the area from the right but her shot curls past the far post.
Updated
90 mins + 2: Siemsen releases McNamara running through who passes off to Heyman on the six-yard box. Her touch is jumped on by the goalkeeper and Raso can’t get there in time.
90 mins + 1: Slovenia have become slightly frantic after those two quick goals. A last-ditch sliding tackle from Prior stops a possible chance for Slovenia.
Goal! Australia 3-0 Slovenia (Raso 87')
An assist not enough for Raso who cuts in from the right and up the middle, takes her time around the defenders on the edge of the area and slots it easily past the goalkeeper. Grant has come on for Carpenter too.
Updated
Goal! Australia 2-0 Slovenia (McNamara 86')
86 mins: OK Carpenter has returned to left back, the world isn’t upside down. Sayer pounces on a bad pass, she finds Raso on the right who sends in an inch-perfect cross to the diving head of McNamara. Her first international goal!
Updated
84 mins: Carpenter is somehow up on the left and Slovenia break but can’t get past Nevin. Siemsen is fouled and Hunt’s free kick cuts through the midfield to Raso who tries to pass it forward but is blocked.
82 mins: Carpenter brings the ball up the right with a selection of options waiting in the area. She lays off to Raso who takes a touch and a shot which is deflected out for a corner. Nevin’s corner drops in space.
80 mins: Slovenia’s pressure pushed Australia from their attacking third all the way back to Micah before they can start rebuilding again. They lose possession again and Slovenia are the ones to slow it down at the back.
78 mins: Prasnikar is off for Slovenia which is good news for Australia. Her finishes aside she has been the best for the visitors. Hunt and Nevin pass at the back but give it away in a dangerous spot. The new subsistute turns on the defenders and shoots over the crossbar.
76 mins: Australia are making changes. Van Egmond, Gielnik and Rankin are off for Raso, Siemsen and Nevin. Heyman unleashes McNamara on a storming run but she again tries to cut across for a pass to Raso rather than take it on herself and it doesn’t get past the defender.
74 mins: Heyman sets up Gielnik in the area whose shot is deflected off the foot of a defender. There’s another chace seconds later with the goalkeeper is able to get a glove to and palm away for her defender to clear.
72 mins: Prasnikar has yet another chance in plenty of space. She takes her time and picks a spot but it goes just wide of the far post.
70 mins: Australia’s back four just don’t look totally comfortable. Kennedy has stumbled a few times tonight, including a couple of major errors leading to Slovenian changes on goal.
68 mins: It looks like Sayer has dropped back into midfield in Chidiac’s place to allow Heyman to sit up front. Slovenia hold on to possession for a while, with limited pressure from Australia really.
66 mins: The Matildas have shuffled the formation around a bit after those changes. Kennedy has pushed up into midfield. McNamara makes a break and is one on one with the goalkeeper who manages to throw and arm out to stop her shot. It’s a great save. Sayer has a chance with the rebound but her shot lacks power and purpose.
64 mins: Australia and making two changes. Heyman and Prior are coming on for Chidiac and Heatley.
63 mins: On the counter one of the fresh Slovenian players takes advangtage of a Kennedy mistake and has a clear shot on goal and forces a diving save from Micah.
61 mins: Carpenter’s runs have so much energy when she is able to get going but we haven’t seen it enough this match and on the ball at the back she hasn’t look so powerful. Slovenia is making four changes. Australia have a corner, headed away by Slovenia. Kennedy sends it back in with a long ball over the top to Hunt but her volley finds Gielnik offside.
59 mins: Australia strike back quickly once Makovec is off and Sayer slams the ball straight into the goalkeeper from close range and can’t get a foot to the rebound either. Sayer tries to make another switch pass which doesn’t have the distance to reach Gielnik.
57 mins: Sayer loses possession in the attacking third and Slovenia respond aggressively with a counter-attack ending with Prasnikar again getting a shot off which goes straight to Micah. Makovec had come back on but has fallen to the pitch again off the ball and is asking for a change.
55 mins: Makovec has gone down heavily on her knee by the looks of it, she appears to be in a lot of discomfort and is quite upset. She is able to walk off the field though. The pause gives Australia an opportunity to take a breath after a dismal start to the second half. Play resumes and McNamara is fouled.
53 mins: Chance for Slovenia! Oh dear very poor communication between Hunt and Kennedy it seems and Slovenia somehow put the shot from point-blank range straight at Micah. It comes back seconds later and Prasnikar puts it over the crossbar.
51 mins: Slovenia look like they are about to break through the backline again but it’s offsidde. Micah’s clears but Slovenia come rolling back again and Prasnikar has another chance on goal.
Updated
49 mins: Slovenia are dictating the opening minutes, pressing high. Makovec shoots from outside the area which forces Micah into a relatively comfortable save.
Second half
47 mins: The second half has started with nearly two minutes of Slovenian Kolbl getting treatment for a head bump. They then have a surge forward and things are under way, clearly they won’t be sitting back just like the first half.
Updated
Here is the goal:
Emily Gielnik returns to the international scoresheet after just two minutes back in green and gold 🙌
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) June 26, 2025
🎥: @10FootballAU#AUSvSVN #Matildas #WAtheDreamState pic.twitter.com/stXMiJ1f7J
Half-time: Australia 1-0 Slovenia
After a Gielnik goal in the first few minutes of that half Slovenia picked up their game, increased the pressure and were able to hold Australia from finding the net again. Sayer and McNamara were fast and promising but lacked confidence at the final hurdle, they really need to back themselves to take those chances to score a bit more. Take a look at someone like Gielnik who knows when to go it alone and when it’s better to look for another option.
45 mins + 2: Chidiac steals possession to the right of the area from a Slovenian throw-in and crosses it low to McNamara who nudges it on to Van Egmond, her whose shot misses wide. At the other end Kolbl has a ping from just inside the area which goes close over the crossbar.
Updated
44 mins: Hunt sends her free kick over the top to McNamara but she is without options and Slovenia are able to clear it.
42 mins: Sternad has another chance on goal for Slovenia. From a nice through pass she is able to beat Kennedy and take a shot which goes wide at the near post. Released by Kennedy, Carpenter makes a run up the right for the first time and sends it forward to Gielnik. Gielnik pauses in front of the goalkeeper but can find space to get the ball past her. She tries again with the rebound but shoots it wide.
40 mins: Sayer and McNamara are doing well with possession in the final third but then falling short with their final touches or passes. Conversely when they are on the receiving end they are also just not quite getting there in time, perhaps not quite reading the play well enough.
38 mins: McNamara picks up the ball in midfield and as Australia begin to rush forward you can hear Montemurro with his refrain from the sideline ‘keep the ball, keep the ball’, and in response Australia pause, slow down, take it back before working forward again.
36 mins: Micah is drawn out dangerously and has to rush back to her line while Heatley comes in to save the day. Slovenia are really thwarting them in the midfiel at times.
34 mins: Australia regroup from the back, passing back to Micah and then working forward through Kennedy. Australia lose possession after a throw from Rankin, take it back and then waste it by rushing forward without a plan. Something Montemurro was keen to avoid.
32 mins: McNamara is brought down and Van Egmond lines up for the free kick. It finds a head in the box but the Slovenian goalkeeper picks up the ball easily.
30 mins: Sayer takes the ball into the box and has nothing to offer in the face of three defenders. It’s in stark contrast to how someone like Foord would work that left corner, highlighting Sayer’s inexperience.
28 mins: Gielnik looks strong and comfortable in a way that some like Van Egmond, Carpenter do not. Sayer has another change to release McNamara but again the weighting of the pass isn’t quite right. Their pairing looks so promising though.
26 mins: Montemurro is shouting ‘keep the ball, keep the ball’ from the coaches area on the side. I doubt they have been doing that to the standard he was hoping for so far. Slovenia are using their set pieces well and peppering the crowded box. A couple of quick clearances and nervy ricochets and Australia are out of the woods again.
24 mins: Slovenian free kick taken short and Mcnamara blasts off on the counter-attack. She releases Carpenter whose touch is slightly too heavy but gets another chance and passes it off towards Gielnik, but she can’t get there before the defender. Carpenter should have kept possession then and had another go.
22 mins: Slovenia are applying pressure well in midfield, forcing turnovers and then catching Australia’s defenders looking a bit stuck.
Nice switch from Gielnik to Sayer on the edge of the area, who takes a touch and fires off a shot which again goes high.
20 mins: Micah is called upon again as Slovenia show some impressive moves up front. A pass over the top finds Kramzar’s feet in the area but is cleared by Chidiac only to be sent back in straight at Micah.
18 mins: Beautiful run through the middle from Sayer and pass forward to McNamara who cuts it back to her again, but Sayer can’t control the touch and sends the ball sailing high over the crossbar. Maybe should have held on to it herself and gone all the way then.
16 mins: A cross from Kolbl ends up being a shot on target and Micah is forced into a slow-motion save. Nearly a Torpey-esque goal there.
14 mins: Australia turn over the ball around halfway and Kramzar breaks through, she tried to slot it through to Sternad but she can’t get there.
12 mins: Kramzar challenges the Australian defence but wastes her last touch. they are going to need to keep a close eye on her. Slovenia have their fourth corner.
Updated
10 mins: The Matildas often look a bit frenzied at the start of a new international window, and the start of this friendly has been no different.
8 mins: Hunt clears a second corner and Slovenia regain possession in their defensive half before pushing forward with more confidence. Kennedy clears that foray over the sideline.
6 mins: A nicely taken Slovenian corner is punched away by Micah. A bit nervy at the back it seems.
4 mins: A disappointing start for Slovenia. Australia were able to build patiently to that goal with minimal pressure from their opposition. Just before the goal there was another change from a Sayer cross that was deflected off a defender just past the far post.
Goal! Australia 1-0 Slovenia (Gielnik '3)
Emily Gielnik opens the scoring in the first two minutes. A corner comes in from Van Egmond on the right and lands right in the middle of the six-yard box where it gets jammed under a couple of defenders before Gielnik is able to hack it out and into the back of the net. Not neat but still counts.
Peeeeep!
Kick-off is upon us. Let the football begin.
HBF Park in Perth is not looking particularly full at this point, certainly in contrast to the crowd sizes the Matildas have played in front of over the last couple years.
My colleague Joey Lynch has pointed out a bit of shared history for the two coaches tonight, at South Melbourne FC.
Best of luck to both Joe Montemurro and Sasa Kolman tonight in Perth as the Matildas take on Slovenia.
— South Melbourne FC (@smfc) June 26, 2025
Both coaches have a strong connection to our club. Joe served as Senior Assistant Coach, U20 Championship-winning Coach, and Technical Director, while Sasa played a key role in… pic.twitter.com/rMbeN0r2xI
Chidiac had a quick post-warm-up chat with Paramount, she says she didn’t really have benchmarks for herself coming back into the squad.
I wanted to come in as myself as much as possible. Coming off a strong season with Victory, I want to implement that with the team and take any opportunity I can get.
[Slovenia] are a brave team on an attack and counter-attack side, but we will definitely bring it to them.
For Australia, Alex Chidiac and Emily Gielnik are straight back into the starting XI, and Montemurro has given Teagan Micah her 7th start in a row in goal despite Mackenzie Arnold being back from injury.
Here’s the rest of the squad:
Slovenia line-up
Slovenia XI: Zala Mersnik; Lana Golob, Sara Agrez, Kaja Korosec, Dominika Conc, Lara Prasnikar, Spela Kolbl, Sara Makovec, Kaja Erzen, Zara Kramzar, Maja Sternad
(Pending nicely designed graphic tweet…)
Australia line-up
Australia XI:
STARTING XI 🗒
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) June 26, 2025
Joe Montemurro's first line-up is IN! Here's how we start for our game against Slovenia at HBF Park! 👊#Matildas #AUSvSVN #WAtheDreamState pic.twitter.com/SwjBtXf1xV
Montemurro is speaking now before the game, saying he has “demanded” a few things of his players including keeping the ball more and being more proactive with the ball, and not going forwards “needlessly” but preparing for it better.
Now on to the coach. After 10 months of delay and speculation, the worst kept rumour in Australian football was confirmed at the start of June. Joe Montemurro is now tasked with reviving the Matildas mania spawned by the 2023 Women’s World Cup and developing his mixed squad of veterans and newbies into a side strong enough to be contenders for the Asian Cup title in under a year’s time.
In the second game of that series Amy Sayer was the star, scoring twice in just her second game back for the national team after her ACL injury.
It’s only been a few weeks since the Matildas last played on home soil – in the friendly series against Argentina. I think it is worth revisiting the spectacular debut of Kahli Johnson:
Preamble
G’day and welcome to our live coverage of the Matildas’ friendly match against Slovenia in Perth. This match kicks off a four-game spell for the Matildas in Western Australia over the next few weeks, in a particularly long international window. It couldn’t come at a better time for the newly appointed coach, Joe Montemurro, to get to know his squad and start preparation for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup and beyond.
Kick-off at HBF Park is in just under an hour, where it is a cool 15C.
Feel free to share any questions or comments with me, Jo Khan, via email.
Can the Montemurro era start with a bang? Let’s find out!
