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The Matildas are through to their first Women’s Asian Cup final since 2018 after a gutsy 2-1 defeat over reigning champions China in Perth on Tuesday night.
An early goal to Caitlin Foord was cancelled out by a China penalty midway through the first half after Zhang Linyan was tripped in the box by Mackenzie Arnold, but a solo effort from Sam Kerr in the second lifted Australia into their fourth major tournament final, and their first on home soil since 2006.
Foord’s goal was the highlight of an improved first half by Australia, with the team strengthened by the return of Steph Catley from concussion in place of Winonah Heatley at centre-back, as well as a first start for Kyra Cooney-Cross who stepped into midfield ahead of Emily van Egmond.
The two Arsenal additions provided the structure and steadiness that had been missing from the Matildas’ messy 2-1 win over North Korea last week, with Cooney-Cross’s ground coverage allowing an inspired Katrina Gorry to push further forward, regularly break through China’s lines, and win free kicks around the penalty area.
The team’s enhanced connecting play meant Australia had far more possession and control of the game than in their tense quarter-final, with Ellie Carpenter and Mary Fowler combining to create the Matildas’ most dangerous chances down the right flank.
That was the familiar pattern that led to their opening goal, with a half field one-two between Fowler and Carpenter seeing the former cut the ball back towards the penalty spot for a ghosting Foord to curl home in the 17th minute.
Missing their midfield maestro Wang Shuang due to yellow card accumulation, China often resorted to hopeful long balls over the top of the field aimed at their towering centre-forward Shao Ziqin, who nodded and flicked on for her fellow forwards to sprint in behind Australia’s back-line.
Their best opportunities came through these bursts past the Matildas’ defence, with left winger Wang Yanwen and former Central Coast Mariners forward Wurigumula forcing some classy saves from Mackenzie Arnold early on.
But Arnold went from saviour to sinner in the 26th minute after bringing down midfielder Zhang in the penalty area. The midfielder had pounced on a diabolical error from Clare Hunt, who misread a spinning aerial ball and accidentally headed it backwards. Zhang tried to round Arnold, but tripped over her in the process, then sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to bring the scores to 1-1.
China dialled up their physicality in the second half, smartly pressuring Australia’s centre-backs and double-teaming Foord and Fowler on either wing, leaving Kerr largely isolated.
However, as she showed against North Korea, Kerr only needs a moment to turn a game on its head, and so it proved. After defending a Chinese attack, full-back Kaitlyn Torpey sprinted upfield to lunge through two Chinese midfielders and miraculously poke the ball into Kerr’s path.
The captain then spun and fed a galloping Foord down the left wing, who sliced the ball behind China’s back-line for Kerr to glide on to, carving a shot at a tight angle across the line for 2-1.
Montemurro had flagged pre-game that the match would be dictated by tactics “off the pitch”, and substitutions for both teams made an immediate impact.
Heatley came on to replace Hunt and energise Australia’s defence as China pushed for an equaliser, with Chinese substitute Jin Kun springing in behind only moments after coming on after a giveaway by Kennedy in midfield. Heatley managed to keep pace and redirect the ball away before executing a piercing cross-field clearing pass minutes later to relieve pressure.
Clare Wheeler and Amy Sayer then took over from Fowler and Cooney-Cross, shoring up midfield and adding a fresh threat out wide, but it was Torpey, on the occasion of her 26th birthday, who took the defensive plaudits for a commanding performance down the left side, scuppering China’s attacking momentum and barging her way through their defence to create chances of her own.
The outstanding Gorry continued pushing into stoppage time, sprinting to connect Australia’s lines and send Kerr down the wing for another counterattack, while Wheeler and fellow substitute Charlize Rule made some critical blocks and interventions as China peppered the box with crosses as the clock wound down.
Having spent the past week in Perth, the Matildas will now travel to Sydney to face the winner of the second semi-final between Japan and South Korea in the final on Saturday, where they have a shot to win just their second major trophy, and likely the last Asian Cup for this golden generation of players.
