This was published 2 years ago
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Well, that’s all from me today!
What an unbelievable day for both host nations of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
New Zealand absolutely stunned favourites Norway to claim a 1-0 victory in Auckland, after star forward Hannah Wilkinson scored just after half-time.
It’s the Football Ferns first-ever World Cup victory, and they got to do it in front of 40,000 people - the biggest crowd to ever watch a football match in New Zealand.
And then, the Matildas.
Mackenzie Arnold - 7.5 - Didn’t have much to do in the way of blocking shots, but was supremely confident when called upon, particularly in collecting aerial balls during Ireland’s second-half rally, and made a terrific low, late save to deny Lucy Quinn at the death.
Steph Catley - 8 - Assured in defence and led the way in regular skipper Sam Kerr’s absence. When the penalty was given, she was the one who wanted it, and that confidence came through in her delivery.
Clare Hunt - 7 - It remains absolutely mind-boggling that she had never played international football prior to February. It’s been said before, but it looks like she’s been doing this for a decade. Rock-solid, if a little jagged with the ball at her feet sometimes.
Alanna Kennedy - 7 - Built on her return from injury last week with a performance just as outstanding. Technically sound and growing in partnership with Hunt.
Ellie Carpenter - 6.5 - The divine ponytail rocketed up the right-hand flank all night long, but her touches were often too heavy, and she was occasionally caught wildly out of position at times during the second-half Irish siege.
Thursday night and the lights are bright, and the mass is waiting for Sam Kerr. The cathedral is packed and the pews are full. They moved heaven and earth for a ticket.
They moved stadiums to make more tickets. They printed back pages and front pages, chapter and verse. Overtones and undertones. A creed to Sam Kerr.
This World Cup has a face and it has a name. Both are at the airport when you get off the plane. On street corners and train stations and Tiktok. The cameras are poised to record the highlight reels.
Kerr is poised to score in Australia’s opening match, to send Ireland packing and the Matildas on their way. But now she is on Instagram, telling the world she will not.
What had been a note-perfect preparation for the Matildas was derailed in the worst possible way - their best player Sam Kerr ruled out with a calf injury suffered at training the day before.
Not only would she miss this game, but next week’s clash with Nigeria too, and there are no guarantees she’ll be fit after that.
The energy at Stadium Australia shifted from a quiet confidence to crippling concern to, over the course of 51 and a half painful minutes, flat-out panic. Not just for this match, but the ones to come, and the team’s Women’s World Cup campaign at large.
Those worries can wait. The first hurdle, at least, has been cleared after stand-in skipper Steph Catley’s second-half penalty secured a precious 1-0 win over Ireland at a jam-packed Stadium Australia.
It wasn’t pretty. But it was enough.
Read the full match report from Vince Rugari here.
It was a nervous first victory for Australia, who were strongly tipped to overrun Ireland.
The loss of Sam Kerr before the game couldn’t have been easy, but they managed to hang on in the end.
Coach Tony Gustavsson will be relieved to get that first game out of the way, but there’s a lot to work on before they have their second match against Nigeria next Thursday.
As for Ireland, they were strong in defence - Australia scored their only goal from a penalty because the five-person defensive line was so hard to break through.
They play Olympic champions Canada next, another tough task for the team who are in their first World Cup.
Australia have held on to defeat Ireland 1-0 despite a last-minute shot on goal from Ireland’s Katie McCabe.
Matildas’ keeper Mackenzie Arnold saved the shot, and the seconds ticked down from there.
Steph Catley scored the Australian’s only goal with a penalty kick early in the second-half.
Full-time: Australia 1, Ireland 0
Clare Hunt comes down heavily on Lucy Quinn and Ireland are awarded a free kick just outside Australia’s box.
Megan connolly takes the kick, and it just skims the top off the net after Mackenzie Arnold gets a glove to it.
A corner is awarded to Ireland, but Arnold sends it away again. The Matildas are just holding on, and there’s another corner for the visitors, but they head it over the goal and Australia get the ball back.
The full 90 minutes are up, but there will be six minutes of added time.
Australia 1, Ireland 0 after 90 minutes.
Tony Gustavsson has taken forward Mary Fowler off the field after an 83-minute stint, with Clare Polkinghorne coming on to finish the game.
Ruesha LittleJohn accidentally traps Hayley Raso’s foot, but the free kick is awarded to the Aussies.
Ireland make some substitutes of their own, taking Kyra Carusa off in the hope that Isibeal Atkinson can help break the stalemate these two teams have found themselves in.
Australia 1, Ireland 0 after 88 minutes
Mackenzie Arnold saves Ireland’s fourth corner of the night, but she’s taken to ground by Ireland’s Louise Quinn.
Arnold is spending a bit of time on the grass as she holds her foot, looks like it might have also been a case of friendly fire, with one of her defenders stepping on her foot.
Drink break for both team, with an anxious Sam Kerr still watching on from the sideline.
Australia 1, Ireland 0 after 80 minutes