Key posts
Poll: Where do you stand on the coach stuff?
Latest posts
Triple sub for the Matildas
Activity on the bench for the Matildas, it looks like Kaitlin Torpey is going to come on – probably for Jamilla Rankin, who has just gone down with some sort of ankle or foot problem. It doesn’t look too series, but that’s probably a good excuse to bring her off and get some fresh blood on.
Courtney Nevin and Clare Wheeler are also coming on, just as soon as there’s a break in play… meanwhile, Australia continues with 10 players. They might yet make something happen through Steph Catley… nope, it’s a goal kick.
And here’s the subs: Holly McNamara, Winonah Heatley and Rankin are the ones coming off.
We’ll have to wait a little longer for Fowler!
Australia 1-0 South Korea, 62 minutes
GOAL! Own goal! Matildas 1-0
Well, there’s the deadlock broken. I’ll need to see a replay to determine who broke it… but it came after a great cross from the left by Emily van Egmond. A Korean defender tried to head it clear as Matildas forwards lurked, but instead she headed it past her goalkeeper and into the top corner!
It was Lim Seon-joo. It has to go down as an own goal, surely?
Unfortunate for her. Fortunate for the Matildas. Probably deserved on the balance of play.
Australia goes 1-0 in front!
Australia 1-0 South Korea, 54 minutes
The Matildas celebrate.Credit: Getty Images
What a passage of play
Wow – what a lovely sequence of quick, short passing down the left by the Matildas! Again it’s McNamara in the middle of it all. It was Catley, Rankin, van Egmond and McNamara bouncing the ball off one another, but no opportunity came from it as they moved the ball centrally, to… nobody.
What a shame, because that was breathtaking football.
Australia 0-0 South Korea, 51 minutes
KCC fouled just seconds into second half
The Matildas kick off the second half and win a foul almost right out the gate as Kyra Cooney-Cross is clattered as she dribbles through the middle.
This will be a really good opportunity for a shot – maybe 10 metres from the edge of the box.
Alanna Kennedy likes these ones. Looks like she’ll take it… she does, but it’s straight into the wall. The ball goes back into the box… a scramble… and now a corner.
Cleared by Korea.
Australia 0-0 South Korea, 47 minutes
Cop that, Kyra.Credit: Getty Images
Second half is seconds away
The players are walking back out there… I’m keeping eyes peeled for substitutes. But it looks like it’ll be the same XI as the first half to start the second.
Expect a big cheer for Mary Fowler whenever she’s injected into the fray.
Here’s the half-time stats sheet
HALF-TIME: Australia 0-0 South Korea
McNamara is OK. She plays on… and the referee blows for half-time.
Almost a half of two halves. The Matildas started well, faded a bit after that stoppage for Caitlin Foord’s head knock, and then came back into it after that and probably finished the stronger side. So maybe that’s a half of three halves. Or three thirds. Whatever.
Another half to come. Fingers crossed there are some goals in it.
Holly McNamara has been very impressive.Credit: Getty Images
Yellow card for Korea
Lim Seon-joo cops a yellow ticket for bringing down Holly McNamara as she threatened to break Korea’s defensive line – and she fell on her head in the process.
Hopefully she’s OK. That didn’t look fun. Lim’s torso seemed to fall directly on the back of McNamara’s scone, there.
Tillies in the wars a bit tonight.
Australia 0-0 South Korea, 45+ minutes
Crunch.Credit: Getty Images
Best chance of the half for Australia!
There it is! (I think.)
Caitlin Foord unleashed down the right by McNamara, she unloads with a fierce shot that looked bound for the top corner – only for a diving save from Kim to foil her efforts.
Three minutes of added time to come in this half, by the way. Considering Foord was down for about that long, if not longer… that’s odd.
Australia 0-0 South Korea, 45 minutes
Getting there, slowly
The Matildas are building pressure in attack, and doing well to deny the Koreans space whenever they have the ball. It almost feels like they’re winning an arm wrestle right now. They just need to make the right decisions in the final third and tidy up some errant touches – a couple of times in the last few minutes, Charli Grant has either coughed up the ball or touched it out for a throw-in and those little moments have let the visitors off the hook.
I’d be excited to see what Mary Fowler can do in the second half if this game stays in this kind of state.
Australia 0-0 South Korea, 42 minutes
Most Viewed in Sport
Loading
Discover more from Cave News Times
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Discussion about this post