Matildas beat Chile 1-0 in Adelaide
The Matildas have wrapped up their two-match series against Chile and while Sam Kerr didn’t score, she had a hand in Australia’s winning goal.
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The stars actually did align for the Matildas after South Australians had been starved of the women’s national soccer team for 13 long years.
As the tiny planet Mercury shot across the sun's face for the last time until 2032 to excite skywatchers, it is hoped Australia’s women’s national team will return long before the celestial event occurs again in 13 years.
The Matildas beat Chile 1-0 at Hindmarsh Stadium in front of a record SA crowd of 10,342 fans, easily beating the 5168 that turned out for the 2006 Asian Cup final loss to China.
In a one-sided game, which flattered the visitors, Australia claimed the two-game series following a 2-1 win in Sydney.
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SA’s Jenna McCormick made her international home debut off the bench being the second Mount Gambier-born soccer international to grace Hindmarsh since Josip Skoko played for the Socceroos in 2004.
SA’s Emma Checker also made her international home debut in the 76th minute in a night where Sam Kerr again became the star of the show where the Matildas laboured because of the lack of goals.
Skipper Kerr became the provider when Chile’s stubborn resistance tested the Matildas patience until the 23rd minute.
Although the Australian were far superior in the physical stakes, speed, endurance and winning the second ball they continued to rush passes and coughed up possession easily.
Kerr numerous times tracked back to add a midfielder to the dynamics before the Chileans finally came undone from a touch of the striker’s brilliance.
Kerr could have been greedy - she was about 25m out from goal with no pressure - but her option was correct when athletic Emily Gielnik sped down the flank looking for a pass having beaten left her defender Fernanda Pinilla gasping.
Kerr released a pass and Gilenik fired the ball towards the near post which the Chilean goalkeeper Natalia Campos failed to cover before the leather rifled into the back of the net.
Kerr then brought the crowd to life in first half stoppage time.
She won a penalty after Campos was caught being the last defender.
She blocked Kerr’s first effort before Campos was reacting a second time when the Matildas striker got back onto her feet only to be dragged down inside the box.
Referee Anna-Marie Keighley pointed to the spot.
As most of the crowd was willing Kerr to score, Campos dived to her right to make a remarkable save from the powerful 12-yard kick.
Kerr wasted little time in heading for the tunnel after her penalty was saved as Australia was in total control but the 1-0 scoreline still suggested Chile was still very much in the game.
As good as Matildas vice-captain Steph Catley was at left back whenever she got past the last line of defence in the first half and Ellie Carpenter at right back offered speed and width, the Australians needed depth in their game.
McCormick getting her second Matildas cap when she entered the fray for Clare Polkinghorne at the start of the second half roused the partisan crowd before Kerr crashed a 20m shot against crossbar in the 48th minute.
McCormick, 25, bossed her central defensive role as the Matildas shackled Chile deep inside their half with relentless pressing.
Chile’s best opportunities to cause mayhem inside the Matildas box came from set pieces.
La Roja Femenina’s Daniela Zamora forced Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams into a brilliant point blank save before the status quo resumed.
The real threat to the Matildas was its lack of turning all of its possession and hard work into goals as Chile formed a neat defensive block every time Australia’s ball movement wasn’t quick enough to catch the visitors out of shape.
A hopeful deflected shot from Chile’s Carla Guerrero crashed against the crossbar in the 77th minute to send out an ominous warning that Australia’s 1-0 lead wasn’t safe.
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
AUSTRALIA 1 (Emily Gielnik 23m)
CHILE at Coopers Stadium
Australia (4-3-3): Williams, Polkinghorne (McCormick 46m), Logarzo, Catley, Foord, Yallop (Lulik 75m), Kennedy (Checker 76m), Gielnik (Raso 62), Kerr, Carpenter, Harrison (van Egmond 65m).
Crowd: 10,342
Chile (4-2-3-1): Campos, Guerrero, Lara (Mardones 90m), Lopez, Araya, Aedo (Lopez 77m), Pinilla (Toro 46m), Gaaz, Saez, Zamora (Torrealba 86m) Balmaceda
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley
Yellow cards: — Australia: Logarzo, Yallop
Chile: Lopez
Red cards: —