Matildas The Matildas Thread

[stax on the mull]

Kerr back as expected although she's only coming on as a sub for Chelsea. Some players who have missed the last few internationals are back, but there's no surprise debutant picks from the junior squads or the A-League.

 

[stax on the mull]

Goalkeeper replacement due to injury. Jada Whyman for Morgan Aquino in that squad from the previous post above.

Two more games coming up vs New Zealand. Only the date and venue of the 1st game has been confirmed at Gosford, on Friday 28 November 2025 (7:30pm AEDT),

 

[stax on the mull]

Mary Fowler doing some sprint work in the videos released from Matildas training. Doesn't seem that long ago that she did her knee.

 

[swingdog]

Looks to be on the same recovery trajectory as Carpenter. Back within a year.

Kerr had lots of setbacks, so is atypical.

 

[stax on the mull]

Looks to be on the same recovery trajectory as Carpenter. Back within a year.

Kerr had lots of setbacks, so is atypical.

Yeah, I guess the danger is rushing it. April 13th 2025 was the day of her injury. Carpenter wasn't really at her best when she made it back for the world cup at home and copped some terrible abuse on social media after the semi-final loss against England.

 

[stax on the mull]

1-0 Australia vs Wales. Goal from a Nevin free kick. Not sure if Kerr got a touch on it.

 

[stax on the mull]

Wales equalize 1-1. 55min.

 

[stax on the mull]

65 min substitutions Torpey, Raso and Kerr OFF, Carpenter, Sayer and McNamara ON

STARTING 11 was Micah, Nevin, Heatley, Hunt, Wheeler, Torpey, Foord, Rasso, Gorry, Kerr, Cooney-Cross.

75 min sub Gorry OFF, Kennedy ON.

 

[stax on the mull]

Wales 1- Aust 2 Foord goal 85 min

 

[stax on the mull]

91 min Cooney-Cross & Ford OFF, Vine & Heyman ON. 7 min's of added time.

FULL TIME Wales 1 - Aust 2.

 

[swingdog]

Solid scoreline.

Anyone see enough to know what needs to improve ahead of England next week ?

 

[stax on the mull]

Solid scoreline.

Anyone see enough to know what needs to improve ahead of England next week ?

Didn't see our game but the comments I read said we didn't connect passes very well. I watched England's game. They lost 1-2 to Brazil, with Brazil scoring early twice and then being red-carded and down to 10 for the last 70 minutes. England could only score through a penalty which look a bit harsh. Mead went to ground after taking a shot at goal as she was being challenged, but it looked like the defender touched the ball with her foot as Mead kicked it.

I would think England would consider Brazil stronger opponents than Aust, but I did see some comments that they didn't pick several 1st team players for this game. While both teams are ranked much higher than us, I don't think we'll get opposition like them in the Asia Cup. They've got a lot of tall athletic quick players that move well for each other to get isolated around and inside the box, which looks like it's going to be the biggest challenge for our defence in 3 days time.

Russo looked their most dangerous player, but she played the full game, so might be managed for the game against us. Kelly is another tall one that looks threatening but didn't deliver in this game. Beever-Jones when she came on created and was involved in some of their better chances in the 2nd half. They hit the crossbar at least 2 times with long range shots - one was a set piece by Greenwood from just outside the penalty box from the free kick after the send-off. Greenwood's corner kicks were quite poor.

Both Brazil goals were attacks created from pressure on the ball in the midfield, England dispossessed when challenged from more than one direction, but as soon as it was down to 11 vs 10 Brazil defended deeper and Walsh and Stanway controlled the play for England. One of England's tall defensive players called Morgan looks a pretty good newish player, and had several unchallenged runs with possession from the defensive half pushing towards the penalty box and had a couple of shots at goal - one that went pretty close - but again that might have been because Brazil were down to 10 and defended deeper. Toone and Mead started but didn't do much considering the numerical advantage and were subbed.

They debuted a GK (Keating) who looked a bit jittery. Carter, their other full back seems a bit slow. Bronze came on in the 2nd half and made a couple of forward runs in the same way Carpenter does for us, but she's no spring chicken. Williamson is their defence captain but wasn't playing in this game and not part of their bench. Hemp and James from their 2025 Euro win were also missing. Le-Tissier started left back but then moved to a full back role.

One thing I noticed was being with their home fans on their side in a packed out venue that they don't mind playing up and getting into a bit of face-off niggle with the opposition after incidents.

I think they might start a forward called Amyemang against us who came on late in this game. We didn't use Catley, so she'll probably be a starter for us.

 

[stax on the mull]

Sold out venue of 33,500.

Carter isn't going to play for England, which looked like one of their weaknesses in defence. Looks like their No 1 golden gloves GK Hannah Hampton will play.

From the press conference Montemurro says all the squad is fit to play, but monitoring minutes. (Would figure that would be players like Foord, Cooney-Cross, Heatley, Nevin, Hunt, Wheeler who played full, or near full games vs Wales).

Hoping to find a free broadcast as it's on ITV UK and Paramount in USA.

 

[swingdog]

ITV with a VPN?

 

[stax on the mull]

ITV with a VPN?

There's a women's soccer fan that posts links regularly on Twitter (X) but the current one on the youtube link says "unavailable in your location", as was the link they had for the Wales game (but the link for the England vs Brazil game was good - though no commentary, just sound).

Maybe a VPN might work, I don't know how that works. Do you have to change your location settings on your computer?

 

[stax on the mull]

ITV with a VPN?

Seems to work with a VPN if you've got one. I got a 60 day free trial one from Avast (though I had to pay $0 via Paypal).

Brazil didn't work as a location and gave me the same "unavailable in your location" message, but when I chose Turkiye it seems to be set up for 6hrs time on the England youtube channel ("@ england" no space)

Only thing is I'll get a lot of related links to Turkiye on my google and X searches until I change it back.

 

[stax on the mull]

Arnold, Carpenter, Catley, Sayer & Kennedy come in as starters.

Micah, Torpey, Nevin, Wheeler and Raso on the bench.

 

[stax on the mull]

Offside no goal but ball in the back of the net - Beever Jones looking dangerous though. Has been on the end of a couple of chances.


Seems like Kennedy is playing midfield.

Carpenter, Hunt, Heatley, Catley
Kennedy, Gorry, Cooney-Cross
Sayer, Kerr, Foord (maybe Foord is defending more at the moment as England are controlling possession).

 

[stax on the mull]

Feck me, Kennedy lost the ball then took Russo down as she got ahead of her and got a red card.

 

[stax on the mull]

Goal from that resulting free-kick. 1st shot was blocked by the wall, 2nd attempt by Beever-Jones when top corner right.

1-0 England. We're stuffed.

 

[stax on the mull]

Shot on goal from Kerr after some good work by Carpenter near the end line. Pretty sharp, had to be saved by the GK's feet and deflected for a corner.

 

[stax on the mull]

Had another chance with somehow getting a 3 on 2 running forward when England lost possession but Gorry didn't pass it early and resulting shot after holding it up and passing around was a scuffed shot into the defender by Kerr that rolled slowly into the gk's hands.

2-0 Now. England are getting passes through with overload of numbers and Bronze finished on target. They've had a few similar attacks that haven't been near target.

 

[stax on the mull]

 

[stax on the mull]

England making 4 changes. We haven't made a change yet with the 10 left that started the game.

 

[stax on the mull]

Changes now 70 min 2-0 England.

Kerr, Sayer, and someone else OFF...i think maybe Catley because Foord got the capt's armband on now.

Raso, Wheeler, Grant ON