Here’s your match report:
Final thoughts
The Matildas continue to stake their claim as the rising force in world women’s football. They are, in every sense, a team, and a team on the up. Tonight they pulled together after conceding a first minute goal and, though it looked close at the end, they were comfortable winners. They also played the better football. Whenever you’re playing a Brazilian team that’s something to be proud of.
Sam Kerr continues to wow the locals with her exploits and tonight she added two goals and a backflip to ensure even more young kids around the country will seek out Sam Kerr posters to stick on their walls. But the Matildas are much more than a one-woman team as tonight’s effort showed; Catley, Van Egmond, Kennedy, Gorry, Logarzo and Raso were all superb.
The result of this two-game series will further boost Australia’s confidence and make them believe they are a real chance for the 2019 World Cup. It will also add voices to the chorus calling for Australia to bid for the 2023 title. Women’s football in Australia has surely never been in a better state.
Thanks for your company. See you next time.
Emily Van Egmond: “It’s obviously really special [the crowd]. It’s really pleasing to see people come out. Why do people always underestimate Newcastle?”
“I felt like we dominated after the opening goal and we’ve become really good at seeing the game out at the end... We’ve just matured as a team. We’re starting to get the experience and you’re seeing that out on the park.”
Words from Sam Kerr: “I am having a great time. And I’m lucky to be playing with a national team that’s in great form... The centre backs started using the ball really well [in the second half] and we really opened them up.”
The backflip? “That one tonight was for the fans. I haven’t done one on home soil for a while.”
Full-time: Australia 3-2 Brazil
Australia have done the double over Brazil and they are now set to enter the top 5 in Fifa rankings. The players looks delighted to have outlasted Brazil in an often spiteful contest. Rafaella refuses to shake hands with Kerr as she, the Brazilian, storms off the field.
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93 min: Australia are doing well to keep the ball deep in Brazil’s half, using the sideline and numbers to hold up play. Is there time for a late late goal? No! That’s the whistle!
91 min: Gorry shoots from distance but it’s always curling wide.
90 min: Rosana chops down Foord from behind. That was cynical but Rosana somehow avoids a card.
88 min: Cristiane comes so close to equalising! Ludmilla does so well to get on the outside of Catley and deliver a cross from the byline into the path of Cristiane running into the six-yard box. But Cristiane is a little behind the ball and she scoops her shot over the bar!
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GOAL! Australia 3-2 Brazil (Marta 86)
Marta drills it low and to Williams’ right.
86 min: PENALTY TO BRAZIL! Carpenter is ruled to have knocked over Marta in the box as the Brazil No.10 chased down a through-ball. Not sure about that but the decision has been made.
83 min: Foord and Moreno scrap for the ball a little vigorously. Marta then gives Foord a shove. The ref has words.
81 min: Cristiane gives the lineswoman a gob full after Brazil are on the wrong end of an offside call in a promising position. Looking at the replay Cristiane was right but her temper was clearly more about the game situation than that specific incident.
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79 min: Novocastrians are fine supporters of sport and they’ve done it again. There are 16,829 of them in the house. That beats the crowd in Penrith making this the largest crowd at a Matildas home game in history.
78 min: Marta scoots forward again but she’s surrounded by five gold shirts and she has no choice but to pull up, pass backwards and wonder what the hell her teammates are up to.
76 min: On a rare foray forward Marta skins Carpenter but her low angled shot from the left is smothered by Williams getting down low.
74 min: Rafaella brings down Foord with a late challenge. There’s been a few of those lately from the frustrated Brazilians. Da Vanna is preparing to come on and add to Brazil’s pain. Here she comes, Logarzo making her way to the bench after a fine shift.
That’s Da Vanna’s 126th cap and she’s on 43 goals for the national side. She says she wants to overtake Tim Cahill’s record for the men’s team. He’s on 48.
72 min: Brazil are looking rattled and it would be no surprise if the Matildas add another goal or two.
** Me attempting a @samkerr1 style backflip** #AUSvBRA @TheMatildas pic.twitter.com/e626cNeoLt
— Marko 🌈 (@AusLoafer) September 19, 2017
70 min: Van Egmond with a free kick from deep on the right and it nearly falls to Kerr who is constantly in the right place at the right time.
68 min: Marta takes a corner from the right and it curls straight to Williams in goal. She drops it, however, a rare mistake for her, but there’s no-one in blue to make her pay.
GOAL! Australia 3-1 Brazil (Kerr 66)
Hardly matters now! Kerr has two, this one a tap-in from the six-yard box after a pin-point cross from Logarzo on the left. Kerr celebrates with the backflip half the crowd have come to see.
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63 min: Kerr has the ball in the net after driving the ball across Neuhaus into the far corner after a Gorry through ball found her in space. But the flag was up, Kerr an inch or two offside. Kerr wags her finger reproachfully at the lineswoman but it was the right call. The ref then tells Kerr as much and Australia’s star player concedes the point with a broad smile.
61 min: Foord whips in a low trajectory cross from the right and it finds its way to the other side of the box where Logarzo controls it and has an age to measure a shot and perhaps score her first international goal. She hits it well enough but directs the ball straight at Neuhaus.
60 min: Australia’s pressure has caused Brazil to sit very deep.
58 min: Catley, who has been superb, plays a one-two with Logarzo and goes for a powerful run up the left flank before running into a blue shirt.
55 min: Australia have stepped up since the break and they are really harrying Brazil into error.
Here’s Foord’s goal:
Caitlin Foord Scores goal to put Australia 2-1, Video courtesy of: ABC 2 Friendly #womensfootball #AUSvBRA #GoMatildas @caityfriend22 pic.twitter.com/WNuX7eVUcV
— WomensSoccerUnited (@WSUasa) September 19, 2017
53 min: The game is far from over, of course, but it’s a certain kind of team that can overcome early deficits. This Matildas team just has that belief.
50 min: Van Egmond makes a hash of a looping cross, partly because she didn’t know whether to hit it on the volley or wait for it to bounce. She waited then scuffed it.
48 min: Gorry won’t get a better opportunity to score in her life, but on the bright side she has herself an assist. The real assist came from Kerr, however.
GOAL! Australia 2-1 Brazil (Foord 47)
Now we know why Foord came on. To score! Kerr, outside the box, inveigled a lovely ball through the line to Gorry who, having beaten the offside trap, only had the keeper to beat from six yards. She completely mis-kicked the ball but it skewed into the path of Foord who slid in to score.
Peeeeep!
Australia kick us off for the second 45. No changes from Brazil, one from Australia. Foord comes on for Raso. Not sure why. Raso was very busy and effective in the first half and caused Brazil a few headaches.
Here’s that Kerr goal. A belter.
.@samkerr1 levels it here in Newcastle with a header from a free-kick #AUSvBRA pic.twitter.com/7fScWYc0AI
— The Women's Game (@TheWomensGame) September 19, 2017
Half-time: Australia 1-1 Brazil
That’s oranges! A tough and often willing first half. Back for more soon!
In case you missed it, I wrote a feature late last week on the early years of the Matildas before their first official international fixture in 1979 (yes, as recently as that). People quick to dismiss women’s football (and women’s sport in general) have either forgotten or don’t know how tough the early players had it – and how many of the attitudes and expectations holding girls and women back remain today.
47 min: After some great persistence by Carpenter on the right, and a brilliant by-line cross from Raso, Gorry is slipped the ball in space in the box and her shot cannons off the right post!
45 min: There will be three minutes of time added on.
44 min: Raso dinks a ball in behind for Gorry but Neuhaus gets down to it quickly while Gorry can’t stop following through, catching the keeper on the head. That’ll smart.
42 min: “A game changer for football in Australia” is how Kerr is being described by the commentary team. Hard to argue with that.
40 min: Kerr almost gets a quick-fire double, spinning on a loose ball in the box but she’s unable to hook it towards goal.
GOAL! Australia 1-1 Brazil (Kerr 38)
Now that’s how you head a ball! Van Egmond takes a free kick from deep and near the right touchline. It fizzes towards the edge of the Brazil box where Kerr, unmarked, directs it with venom, and just enough loop, over the head of Neuhaus and into the net! Some effort!
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35 min: Another Marta corner and another chance! Marta’s in-swinging corner flies a little longer than the last and it’s Benites getting a head on it after losing her marker all too easily. Like Cristiane before her, she can’t sneak it under the bar.
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34 min: Raso might have done better there. She does well to control a sharp Kellond-Knight through ball and she shoots on the turn – hooking the ball wide of the left post.
33 min: Brazil waste a great chance to go two up! Marta swings in a perfect corner from the right and it drops onto Cristiane’s head like an alighting bird. Luckily for Australia Cristiane can’t keep her header down. That’s another lucky break for the Matildas after Marta’s earlier miss.
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30 min: There’s been a few minutes of scrappy football from both teams, a result of a little niggle and tough tackling which is affording players little time on the ball. Or little comfort on the ball, at least, as the players’ eyes go up for incoming ordinance.
28 min: Logarzo it was who made that strong tackle on Fabiana, not Catley.
26 min: A lovely run by Beatrice sees her wend her way from the left flank and into a shooting position in centre field but she loses control at the last minute and Catley makes an important tackle.
Moments later Fabiana is on the deck while her teammates ask the ref why Catley, who clattered into her like a runaway shopping trolley in a car park, has not received a card.
23 min: Williams makes a strong save with her legs to deny Marta! Cristiane left Carpenter in her dust before she slipped a short pass to Marta. Marta had time, perhaps too much time, and in the end she hit a low ball straight at Williams. That’s twice Carpenter has been caught out.
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21 min: It’s been all Australia really... well, since the Brazil goal in the opening minute that is. Having established a lead Brazil look happy to sit back and hope to strike on the counter.
Catley swings in a cross from the left touchline and it finds Kerr who tries an angled back-header towards goal. But the flag is up. Kerr was offside.
19 min: Raso carves out a sliver of space in the box and goes down under a challenge. Penalty? Nope. To be fair, Raso doesn’t ask for one, though the crowd is momentarily excited. Australia takes the subsequent corner but it amounts to little.
18 min: Polkinghorne does well to race down a Marta through ball with Cristiane breathing down her neck.
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16 min: Logarzo’s first touch after a searching Gorry ball lets her down in a promising position.
14 min: Nice work from Raso to pilfer the ball in midfield. She swerves inside a tackle and tries to dink a pass through to Kerr, but the opening shuts too quickly.
12 min: Raso pulls back Augusto by the shirt but the referee keeps her cards in her pocket.
10 min: Another half chance to the Matildas, so they are not hanging their heads after conceding so early. Logarzo, I think it was, lofting a long ball into the box. Kerr slipped away from Rafaella and got a head onto it but the flag went up before Neuhaus claimed the ball easily enough.
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9 min: Kellond-Knight, in space, curls a left foot cross into the box. Van Egmond stoops and gets a head on it. It’s on target but there’s no sting and it’s an easy save.
8 min: Marta runs behind a slowly rolling ball as she scans the field for passing options but she doesn’t realise how close she is to the left touchline and the ball rolls over the line for an Aussie throw. Marta can only laugh.
6 min: Kerr and Logarzo putting defensive pressure on Brazil as they try to play it out.
Phil Withall reminds us all that, in live blogging land, brevity counts.
@PFConnolly was writing a long winded email. Brazil's goal made it redundant. Another golden missive shifted to the recycle basket of fate
— phil withall (@phil_withall) September 19, 2017
5 min: Carpenter overlaps in midfield and finds herself in acres of space 30m out. It looks like she’s attempting a swinging cross to the far post but it doesn’t curl and would have snuck under the bar but for the intervention of Neuhaus.
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4 min: Raso and Gorry give themselves a chance to head home a pin-balling ball in the box after a Kerr cross from the right but Neuhaus cleans up in the Brazil goal.
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2 min: Didn’t Brazil score early against Australia when the Matildas won 6-1 at the Tournament of Nations? I think so. That goal was a little too easy for Brazil. Carpenter failed to track the run of Marta and Fabiana’s run into the box was also unimpeded by any defenders.
GOAL! Australia 0-1 Brazil (Fabiana 1 min)
What a start for Brazil! Moreno slips the ball to Marta on the left wing. Marta leaves Carpenter for dead and she slides a ball across the six yard box where Fabiana is waiting at the far post to tap it in!
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Peeeeeeep!
Kerr taps the ball to Van Egmond and we’re away ... Ellie Carpenter running into Marta’s hip causing the crowd to groan.
The Matildas get in a circle of love for some final instructions and encouragements. There are some very interesting braids among them that I hope my daughters don’t see because if they ask me to fashion their hair in such styles they will be sorely disappointed.
The anthems are done and kick-off is nigh! What a great way to spend a Tuesday night. The weather looks good, the surface looks brilliant... football should be the winner on the night.
.@MJStadium looking a treat tonight. @TheMatildas taking on Brazil! A huge night in the Hunter. #AUSVBRA pic.twitter.com/Bnz2rK6gwJ
— Ben Homer (@benhomer23) September 19, 2017
The players are emerging from the tunnel to a wonderful reception. It looks to be a good crowd – though the top decks of both sideline grandstands are vacant.
There’s a chicken and egg argument to be had about the prominence of women’s sport in the public imagination and media coverage. Whatever your thoughts this looks wonderful. Front page treatment:
Hold the front page! #womensfootball pic.twitter.com/A9cxlYEacT
— moya dodd (@moyadodd) September 19, 2017
It will be interesting to see how this re-shaped Aussie front line goes. Foord, Kerr and Da Vanna were in fantastic shape as individuals and a unit. Will Raso, Logarzo and Kerr take time to find their feet together? Raso has speed to burn so expect to see her trying to use her pace to get in behind.
As you can see Australia have made three changes to the team that beat Brazil on Saturday. Da Vanna, Butt and Foord have slipped on to the bench giving starts to Raso, Logarzo and Polkinghorne.
As coach Alen Stajcic just explained: “We’re looking forward to next three year cycle and testing out some of the players against high quality opposition – what better opportunity than against Brazil at home.
He also said the Australians won’t be “man-marking” Marta. “We used to man mark her but we’ve enough quality over the pitch to cope wherever she goes.”
That confidence, he explains, has really boosted the team’s performances. “I don’t think they’re in awe of anyone anymore. That’s where the team’s come a long way. The girls are confident about taking anyone on which is how you want it to be.”
Brazil have made two changes. Djenifer and Andressa Alves da Silva are out of the starting lineup replaced by Thisa Moreno and Beatrix Joao.
Teams:
The team is in! #GoMatildas #AUSvBRA pic.twitter.com/9VudxeAIn2
— Westfield Matildas (@TheMatildas) September 19, 2017
Team lineup for Brazil against Australia. Two changes from Saturday nights game. #AUSvBRA pic.twitter.com/i8rl4WZ5hb
— The Women's Game (@TheWomensGame) September 19, 2017
Be great to see another big crowd tonight in Newcastle. So far the signs are good:
Big crowd tonite for @TheMatildas #womensfootball pic.twitter.com/M5jKGsZx4c
— moya dodd (@moyadodd) September 19, 2017
Preamble
Evening and thanks for joining me for this, the second of the Matildas’ two home friendlies against Brazil.
The first, as you surely know, was held on Saturday in Penrith where, in front of 15,089 fans, the Matildas prevailed 2-1 thanks to a stunning left-foot volley from Lisa De Vanna and a clever header from Sam Kerr – who, right now, is hotter than a box of fidget spinners. Actually, she’s hotter, as fidget spinners may already be passé (and Kerr most certainly isn’t). How quickly fads come and go these days. When I were a lad fads lasted much longer. Kids today, they can’t even do fads right! But I digress…
On Saturday the Matildas rode their luck at times, with Brazil hitting the post twice in the second half, but considering the home team enjoyed more possession and dominated the shot count 23-6 you’d have to say the Aussies well and truly deserved the win.
That win, of course, ensured the Matildas continued the momentum they’d established from their thrilling Tournament of Nations victory (not to mention a new W-League pay deal). They are now unbeaten in their past seven games, all against top-15 ranked FIFA nations. The win also capped a memorable occasion for women’s football in this country, what with the quality of the opposition, the performance, the record (home) crowd, and even the sunshine that settled on the shoulders of the players like a blessing from above. After such a long road to recognition and respect it was as if women’s football had finally arrived.
Tonight the Matildas and Brazil face off in Newcastle where, despite it being a school night, another big crowd is expected. There are no certainties in sport – which is partly why we love it – but if the Matildas can bring their best game tonight they’ll place a cherry atop a cake of their own making.
Oh, yes, please drop me a line if you’re so inclined. Email, Twitter, homing pigeon, you choose. A good live blog can be like a good conversation.
KICK-OFF: 7.30pm
Paul will be here shortly. In the meantime, have a read of how Sam Kerr’s week got even better following Saturday’s win over Brazil in the first of this mini-series.
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