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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Paul Connolly

Tournament of Nations 2018: Matildas 2-0 Japan – as it happened

Saori Ariyoshi vies for the ball with Kyah Simon
Saori Ariyoshi vies for the ball with Kyah Simon at Toyota Park in Illinois. Photograph: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Well, it wasn’t always pretty but the Matildas got the job done. We await the result of USA and Brazil.

Thanks for your company this morning. See you next time.

Updated

Clare Lawrence writes in: “Solid tournament from Australia, to come away with 2 wins and a draw against higher ranked teams is an impressive effort. With the current squad there is plenty to work with looking forward to France. Today will be the only time I cheer for Brazil! Here’s hoping they get the job done against the US and we can do the double.”

Alen Stajcic will be pleased with that result. The Matildas weren’t quite at their fluid best, particularly in the first half as Japan’s midfield put them under a lot of pressure. But the sustained effort told and the Matildas were the better side in the second half and created a lot of good chances. Aside from the goals Kerr hit the post and the keeper Hirao saved well from a Kerr header and a Gielnik drive.

I was particularly impressed with Raso and Kennedy today. Raso ran her socks off, as they say in the classics. Kerr was also much more involved than she was against the US and she seemed determined to get a goal on the ground she calls home (as a Chicago Red Star).

Good enough to turn a half chance into a goal.

Murray Henman writes in to assure me my maths is right. Phew.

So, with the USA to play Brazil shortly in the final fixture of the 2018 Tournament of Nations, Australia sit atop the table with 7 points and they have a + 4 goal difference. The USA are currently second with a +2 goal difference while Brazil are third with a -1 goal difference.

Australia’s win this morning means that Brazil cannot win the tournament. The USA can should they beat Brazil by two goals or more (if goal difference is level, the team with most goals scored edges it, and at the moment Australia have scored six goals to the USA’s five).

Should the USA lose or draw against Marta and her team the Tournament of Nations trophy will remain in the Matildas’ pool room for another year.

Full-time: Australia 2-0 Japan

Two excellent second-half goals, from Kennedy and Kerr, has seen Australia get the points. Japan were impressive in midfield but they never really tested Williams, their play falling down in the final third.

90 + 2 min: Australia have numbers forward but Kerr’s pass forward to an overlapping teammate is blocked.

Sub: Amy Sayer, just 16, comes on for Kyah Simon. But before she can get a touch the whistle goes!

90 + 1 min: A good take:

90 min: Williams makes an easy save from a speculator.

Here’s Kerr’s goal:

89 min: Williams makes easy work of a Japan cross. What do Australia do here? Settle for two or risk opening up in search of a third?

87 min: Kerr finds Raso storming forward, her sleeves rolled up like John Travolta in Grease. Raso can’t quite escape her marker.

86 min: If my maths is right (and it seldom is) as it stands the USA will need to win by two against Brazil to take out the tournament.

85 min: Another Matildas goal would really put the pressure on the USA in their game against Brazil. So would another six goals but let’s be realistic.

83 min: Did Hirao need to come for that ball and leave her goal so exposed? Maybe not but Kerr did ever so well to make the most of the half chance. What a star.

GOAL! Australia 2-0 Japan (Kerr 81)

Kennedy, from deep, passes upfield to Simon who turns and knocks a through ball between the Japanese defenders. Kerr races onto it as Hirao comes up from goal. Kerr gets there first and like a tight-rope walker pushes the ball around Hirao. Staying on her feet despite stumbling she then knocks the ball to her right to get around the cover defence of Sameshima. This creates room for her to pass the ball into the centre of the net from 10 yards!

79 min: Technical difficulties! My dishwasher tripped the fuse box and it was lights out, internet out here. Not sure if I missed anything important, but it’s still 1-0 Australia.

Sub: Alex Chidiac is on for Katrina Gorry.

75 min: Kennedy picks up a yellow for bundling over a Japanese player as she was beating her to a loose ball.

73 min: Kerr, heading with her back to goal, glances on a deep ball straight into the path of Gielnik. She races into the box and from an acute angle puts her laces through it. Hirao does so well to deflect the ball out for a corner. That was going in!

Worth a shot, but may have also been worth cutting in square as Kerr was following up/

71 min: An escape for Australia! Iwabuchi collects on the right edge of the box and has time to turn, look up and shoot. Her powerful drive drifts just wide of the far post with Williams at full stretch!

70 min: Some nice defensive interplay by Australia but one pass goes astray and it momentarily opens the door for Japan. Carpenter was across to cover a through ball in any case. She’s done well today, Carpenter.

68 min: Australia with the running at the moment. They’re pressing for a second goal they know they need.

Sub time: Logarzo off, Caitlin Foord on.

65 min: Chance! Carpenter finds Kellond-Knight on the left wing and she crosses centrally to Kerr. She finds a way to get a head to it despite being bookended by defenders. Her header forces a fine diving save to her left by Hirao. Gielnik retrieves the ball on the byline but her cutback is cleared for a corner. Nothing comes of it.

64 min: Gielnik gives away a foul in midfield and the Japanese push forward in search of an equalizer. The ball is fired forward to Sugasawa but there’s too much on it and kennedy shepherds the ball over the byline.

61 min: Carpenter switches to Raso with a long cross-field ball. Raso’s attempt at a one-two with Gielnik is derailed by tight defence.

Gielnik’s cross for the Kerr poster was beautiful, by the way. On a sixpence.

60 min: The game has slowed momentarily after that burst of action.

58 min: Another free kick and Kennedy will take again, this time from a more central position. She drives it straight at the wall. The wall holds. The ball rebounds to Kennedy who has a second crack at it. The ball catches a Japan body and deflects away to safety.

56 min: All happening now! Raso, in space on the right, banks in and out like Tom Cruise feelin’ the need for speed. Sameshima, backpeddling, doesn’t know which way to go. Raso then knocks it past Sameshima and does her for pace. But her right foot shot from inside the box curls away from the far post. Just. Lovely stuff from Raso.

54 min: Down the other end, Iwabuchi tries to curl one inside the right upright but Raso dives in to foil her, and the now deflected shot loops wide of Williams’ left post. The corner to Japan is easily dealt with.

53 min: Kerr hits the post! Gielnik hit a lovely long cross from the right, Kerr met it near the six yard box and hung in the air like a plastic bag in the wind before cushioning a header against the left upright! So close!

51 min: I haven’t mentioned yet that Japan made a couple of changes during the half time break. I’m struggling to find clarification, in English at least:

50 min: Here’s that goal:

48 min: Australia needed that, and they’ll need more. As it stands they are level with the USA on the standings in all facets (obviously with the USA still to play against Brazil following this fixture). Another goal or two please.

GOAL! Australia 1-0 Japan (Kennedy 47)

Kennedy scores from the free kick! She fired low and the three-woman Japan wall crumbled like a Milk Arrowroot when left in hot tea too long. It fizzed just inside the left post. Shot!

Peeeeep!

46 min: Australia kick off and immediately Kerr is free down the left, a long ball by Kennedy setting her in motion. Kerr dribbles into the box but her angled shot is blocked.

The ball comes free and Logarzo is chopped down by Miura right on the edge of the box. She gets a yellow, the Matildas get a free kick. Kennedy will take it.

Japan had the better of that half, I’d say, creating the most chances.

An email from Ian Pidd in Melbourne, disappointed at the local paper’s coverage of this game. “The Age, which editorialises about the need for gender equality in the centre of today’s paper, has a single column on this match (with no photo), 9 pages in at the back of the paper. Next to 4 columns (with photos) on the men who might play in the EPL this season… Good blogging, Paul. Go Matildas!”

The timing of the game makes it tough on the dailies I’d say in the Age’s defence. Can’t really run a preview of a game that will be over by the time the majority of readers see it. How was their coverage yesterday?

Anyway. I’m off to get a cuppa but in the meantime here’s something I think of every time I hear the word Illinois:

Half-time: Australia 0-0 Japan

That’s oranges.

45 + 1 min: One minute of added time. Japan on the attack again, but Carpenter slides in to a tackle and almost ice-cream scoops the ball downfield. Moments later it’s Carpenter galloping clear down the left! She passes inside to Kerr who has two Japanese defenders in her grille. Stuck in traffic she tries an optimistic shot off the side of her right boot but the ball doesn’t clear the melee. Japan clear and that’s the whistle.

45 min: Nakajima’s corner drops into the box and after some pin-balling Australia clear.

44 min: Free kick to Japan, 27 yards from goal. Yokoyama stands behind it and tries her luck. It’s on target and may just be dipping in but Williams chooses the safe option and tips it over the bar. Corner Japan.

41 min: Down the other end Raso whips in a fizzing cross from the right. Kerr and Hirao converge on it so Hirao can only punch clear as far as Gielnik. She has a decent sight of goal but her attempt at a side volley goes awry.

40 min: A smart reverse pass puts Nakajima into the box. She tries to skip past Williams with plans to tap into empty net. Williams dives at her feet and pushes the ball to safety. Oh, the flag was up. Nakajima was a yard offside. Williams wouldn’t have known that, however.

38 min: Crummer runs from deep, finds Kerr, who finds Simon in support. She passes left to Carpenter, who finds Raso, who swings a cross towards Kerr running into the box. Hirao makes another nice claim after a lovely move from the Matildas.

36 min: Gielnik is clipped by Sakaguchi and it’s a free kick to Australia from deep on the right. Gorry swings it in beautifully and Hirao does an excellent job to punch clear with Kerr inches away from getting her head on it.

34 min: A lovely lofted ball from midfield sees Nakajima and Williams converging on the bouncing ball. Williams dives bravely at Nakajima’s feet and comes up with the ball.

33 min: Kennedy comes across to close down a promising Japan move down the right.

31 min: Sakaguchi squirms through traffic well but her attempt to slide down the byline past three green shirts comes undone when the ball rolls out of play.

28 min: Some early substitutions from Stajcic. Very early. Obviously he feels something isn’t quite clicking.

Polkinghorne is off, replaced by Larissa Crummer. De Vanna is also off, Emily Gielnik on in her stead.

26 min: This is better from Australia. Carpenter, with space on the left, motors towards the left corner of the Japan box. She cuts back inside for the right foot shot but she doesn’t get a good purchase and her shot is easily picked up by Hirao near her right post.

25 min: Kerr in the action again. Logarzo on the left passes into the ocean of space in behind the Japan line. Kerr’s run came too early, however, and she’s way offside.

23 min: Gorry picks up the spills in midfield and passes ahead to Kerr whose turn is as smart as a kid who starts university aged 13 and goes on to win a Nobel Prize for mathematics. She speeds into the box but is herded off the ball before she can get a shot away.

21 min: Yokoyama, I think it was, attempts a drive from distance but she scuffs it and it bobbles almost apologetically towards Williams.

19 min: Hasegawa tries a clever reverse pass to Sakaguchi on the edge of the Matildas’ box but Polkinghorne is on hand to intercept.

17 min: ... and Goalkeeper Hirao comes out confidently to claim the corner.

Down the other end Raso is in the action again. She shoulders Nakajima from behind and is given a yellow card. Bit tough on Raso, I think. Wasn’t overly aggressive.

16 min: Raso with a run down the left... and she finds De Vanna. Her attempt to square is blocked and it’s out for an Australian corner. Gorry to take from the left...

14 min: After a nice run down the guts from a teammate, the ball is laid off to Nakajima and she has a crack from a long way out, some 25 yards. She hits it well but can’t keep it down.

12 min: Ellie Carpenter is not showing any ill-effects from her spectacular falcon against the USA. Her toughness has been the talk of social media this week, at least in comparison to a certain Brazilian men’s player. I’m sure you’ve all seen this by now but just in case:

One of these things is not like the other...

11 min: Not a lot of space out there, Japan with the better of play so far. They’re very assured in midfield.

9 min: Kerr dribbles into the Japan box and though close to the left byline she fires a shot from the acute angle. It misses high and right but it wasn’t that far off.

6 min: Another offside call against Japan who are trying to catch Australia out through the middle. The flag goes up before Williams claims the ball.

I dare say this is the scene in many an Australian loungeroom this morning. My 11-yo daughter is here beside me, in her Sam Kerr strip, hoping for the same:

5 min: A chance! Nakajima finds some space on the right wing and crosses into the box. Hasegawa stretches to get a boot to it but she can’t get there and the ball runs across the box and away from danger.

3 min: Sunny afternoon in Chicago, temp in the low 30s. Celcius.

A busy start by both teams, harassing each other with night, heel-nipping defence.

2 min: Japan turn it over in midfield and Kerr tries to slip a ball with the outside of her right boot into the path of Logarzo but it’s intercepted.

Peeeep!

1 min: We’re off an running! Japan kicking off, running left to right on my screen. And an early long ball from deep, aimed at the head of Nakajima, is claimed by Lydia Williams. Flag was up.

Matildas coach Alen Stajcic is wearing a very shiny white shirt. Looks like he’s off to the Magistrate’s Court. Haven’t spotted Japan’s Asako Takakura just yet but I’ll give you the sartorial update when I do.

The coin has ben tossed and the teams are taking their places. Let’s do this, Matildas!

The teams are heading out onto the field, led by a woman in all white (including white gloves and Minnie Mouse white heels), a Navy uniform I believe. She’s carrying the ToN trophy just to remind the Aussies what they’re playing for.

Oddly the Matildas are wearing their green strip while Japan are in white. Surely the Aussie’s Tweety Bird yellow doesn’t clash with Japan’s blue home strip?

Advance Australia Fair has been played. And here’s Japan’s anthem. Beautiful and sombre:

The venue for this morning’s game is Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois. A town on the fringe of Chicago. It’s where Sam Kerr plys her trade with the Chicago Fire in the NWSL. Let’s hope her familiarity with the ground will help her bang a few in. She had a relatively quiet game against the USA, mainly due to her being isolated up front as the Matildas pulled everyone back to defend.

Here’s a sexier team list:

TEAMS!

The news for the Matildas is that Emily Van Egmond and Tameka Butt are out. Van Egmond misses the game due to picking up two yellow cards in the tournament, while Butt I believe has an ankle injury.

Of course, it hardly needs to be said that before we start worrying about goal differences and goals scored the Matildas need to beat Japan in Bridgeview, Illinois this morning. That’s something they failed to do in their last meeting in late April. The occasion? Only the Asian Cup final.

So today’s fixture will give the Matildas a chance for some kind of payback. It won’t make up for losing that final, this is a just a friendly, but it will surely help, psychologically speaking, to get one over their great rivals with the big dance in France getting close and closer.

Preamble

Something about the Tournament of Nations seems to bring out the best in the Matildas, Australia’s Favourite Team*. If you ask me, it’s the presence of the USA, the world’s best. The Matildas know that if they want to be the best in the world —and be genuine World Cup 2019 hopes into the bargain— they need to keep pace with the Americans. And beating them to a trophy on their own soil, as the Matildas memorably did in the 2017 ToN, is an important step along the way.

By now the Matildas have surely overcome the disappointment of the USA’s late equalizer in their ToN fixture earlier this week. Not until the 90th minute did Lindsey Horan cancel out Chloe Logarzo’s clinical 22nd minute finish after Lisa de Vanna’s rapier run and perfectly weighted assist.

For so long it appeared that the Aussies would hold on and make it back-to-back victories over the USA. That they couldn’t should not undermine what was an excellent, focused performance, albeit one that owed more to defensive smarts and toughness than their usual attacking endeavour. (For that reason, as hard as it was to take so late on, I reckon the USA, who utterly dominated possession and shot stats, deserved that draw.)

That result, and Brazil’s win over Japan, means things are delicately poised going into today’s final round (there are no finals) which features, first off, the Matildas against Japan in Bridgeview, Illinois, and then the USA against Brazil.

As it stands Australia and the USA have four points each, Brazil three and Japan nada. The USA have their noses in front, however, having scored five goals so far to Australia’s four (when goal difference is the same, goals scored is the tiebreaker). So, the wash-up is that any of the USA, Australia or Brazil could win this tournament.

Here’s a potentially upsetting thought, though. If both Australia and the USA win today and their goal differences and goals scored end up being equal, the USA will be declared the winner of the 2018 ToN. Why? The final tiebreaker is FIFA ranking. At the moment the USA is ranked #1 (Australia #8).

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!

As we await kickoff please feel free to get in touch on email (paul.connolly@theguardian.com) or Twitter (@PFConnolly) with any thoughts, predictions, gripes or views on my suggestion that the Matildas are Australia’s favourite team.

* May not be Australia’s favourite team, I haven’t done a survey, but I reckon they’d take it out. Who’d beat them? Certainly not the Australian men’s cricketers, not at the moment. The Wallabies and Kangaroos? Not national enough. The Australian AFL International Rules team? Ha. Just kidding. The Australian swim team? Possibly, but not quite the same thing. The Aussie Diamonds? In with a shot.

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