The Matildas began their final preparations for next month’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany by cruising to a 3-0 win over New Zealand at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford during the week.
Matildas Head Coach Tom Sermanni fielded a partly experimental line-up for the match ahead of the team’s second outing against the Football Ferns this Sunday from 3pm AEST also at Bluetongue Stadium.
Teenage debutant Caitlin Foord commenced her international career in sensational fashion with a well crafted individual effort on the 10 minute mark.
The 16-year-old Year 11 Illawarra Sports High student, one of two debutants along with Sydney FC teammate Catherine Cannuli, converted from 10 yards with a composed finish to become one of the youngest ever goal scorers for the Matildas.
The Matildas midfield trio of Emily Van Egmond, Kylie Ledbrook and Aivi Luik dominated for large periods and the young debutant Foord was dangerous whenever in possession.
While the game became a tug-of-war between the two sides for much of the start of the second half, Sermanni’s substitutions breathed life into his side with Kyah Simon and WAIS-AIS athlete Sam Kerr adding an effervescent edge to Australia’s attacks.
And five minutes after Simon’s arrival the Sydney FC striker scored with a sensational long-range strike on 79 minutes to double the Westfield Matildas’ advantage.
The Westfield W-League’s leading goalscorer and Player of the Year launched an unstoppable 30-yard effort into the top corner of the net.
Fellow substitute Kerr struck the post a few moments later and Leena Khamis then did likewise against a tiring New Zealand defence.
The match was the first for the Matildas since the recent knee injury to key forward Kate Gill (WAIS-AIS scholarship holder) which will force the reigning AFC Women’s Player of the Year to miss the tournament in Germany.
Striker Khamis filled the void and capped a hard-working performance with a goal six minutes from time after latching onto a perfect Van Egmond pass.
The Matildas have now beaten the Football Ferns 3-nil in their past three meetings and will return to the training field tomorrow morning to prepare for their second match against the New Zealanders on Sunday.
“I was delighted with the performance today,” said Matildas Head Coach Tom Sermanni.
“When you consider that we’ve had no real match practice before today and New Zealand are coming off the back of four games (at the Cyprus Cup in March) to come out and perform this well is very pleasing.
“We had pretty much four debutants tonight in the side in Catherine Cannuli, Caitlin Foord, and Laura Alleway and Emily Van Egmond, who have only played a few minutes each at international level, all four players stood the test, and for Caitlin Foord to score such an outstanding goal on debut is just fantastic.
“You can’t really pick fault with the performance today, the team worked exceptionally well and the three goals were very well taken.
“Needless to say I’m very pleased with the result.”
– FFA
