Football news: Matildas vs USA, Kyah Simon’s late strike secures 1-1 draw at Newcastle
Despite salvaging a draw in the final minutes against the USA, serious questions remain about the Matildas’ defence. Read captain Sam Kerr’s post-match thoughts.
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Sam Kerr bemoaned her own performance as the Matildas snatched a last-gasp draw against the USA in Newcastle.
Kyah Simon’s deflected strike in the 88th minute salvaged a share of the spoils for the home side after another early goal from Ashley Hatch had, until that point, seemed decisive.
Kerr, who placed third in this year’s Ballon d’Or on the same day of the game, has a prolific record at McDonald Jones Stadium with five goals in three games.
But the Matildas skipper wasn’t able to add to that haul despite a handful of chances.
“They’re good defensively, but I thought I could have been better,” Kerr said.
“I’m a bit rusty still from being sick and not training as much as I would have liked, but it’s not about me, it’s about Kyah who scored the one to equalise and it’s a team effort.”
Kerr battled through a bout of gastro that went through the squad during their two-match friendly series against the US and she will have to wait a while longer to equal Tim Cahill’s record of 50 international goals.
While ticking off that milestone is a matter of time, there are more question marks surrounding the Matildas’ defence.
Coach Tony Gustavsson has tinkered with players and formation in an attempt to address the defensive frailties, with no clear answers heading into January’s Asian Cup,
The Matildas conceded three goals against the US in their first match in Sydney, but in the second half in Newcastle there was at least an improvement.
“It’s disappointing to concede in the first few minutes again, but it’s been a tough year so to finish it with a tie to the world number one, we’ll take it,” Kerr said.
“It probably wasn’t our best performance, but we’re building. We’re in a little bit of a rebuilding stage at the moment with new players, young players, so I’m super proud of the girls’ efforts.”
SIMON’S LUCKY BREAK HELPS RESTORES MATILDAS PRIDE
Kyah Simon restored some pride for the Matildas with a last-gasp equaliser against the USA in front of over 20,000 fans at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium.
The veteran striker’s deflected 88th-minute goal cancelled out Ashley Hatch’s fourth-minute strike, which saw the Matildas needing to overcome another nightmare start against the world champions.
Simon, who missed a sitter on Saturday, redeemed herself with her 27th international goal, but Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson praised Clare Wheeler for her part in it.
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“The key to that goal is Clare Wheeler’s tackle,” Gustavsson said. “We said we need to be more physical, win our one-on-one duels, and Clare was the game-changer that came on with that mindset and got that tackle.”
The 1-1 result followed Saturday’s 3-0 defeat in Sydney, which means the Matildas have still won just three of Tony Gustavsson’s 16 matches in charge. The Matildas’ coach had said he was treating the friendly series as a dress rehearsal for the 2023 World Cup on home turf, but it was also the final rehearsal ahead of January’s Asian Cup.
Gustavsson again tinkered with his defence against the world champions and question marks remain, but teenager Courtney Nevin looked far more composed alongside Steph Catley.
“I’m not going to put any pressure on her at all, but I think we all saw that Courtney Nevin had her international breakthrough tonight,” Gustavsson said. “She was just phenomenal.”
For the second time in three days the US took the lead through Hatch. On Saturday it took her just 24 seconds, in Newcastle there was just under four minutes on the clock when the Matildas again found themselves chasing the game early.
There was no one tracking back when Margaret Purce made her run in behind, before she cut the ball back into the path of Hatch.
Despite how early the goal game, it had been coming and it left the Matildas unsettled.
Their defence was stretched too often and in the 15th minute Hatch could have doubled the visitor’s lead, only for her header to land safely in the hands of Lydia Williams.
The closest the home side came to getting on the scoresheet in the first half was when Kyra Cooney-Cross’ volley from outside of the box was pushed onto the post by US keeper Casey Murphy.
Ellie Carpenter and Hayley Raso, who returned from injury, were energetic down the right flank, while Mary Fowler again linked up well with Sam Kerr despite neither being able to convert their chances.
There was some concern for Catley after a nasty head clash with Purce, but the experienced defender managed to continue — though her club Arsenal may not have cheered with the FA Cup Final coming up on the weekend. Another concern for the English club was the absence of forward Caitlin Foord with a slight groin niggle.
A chance opened up for Kerr just after the break, but the star striker dragged her shot wide. The Matildas enjoyed a period of possession, before Williams was called into action on the hour mark with a terrific, fingertip save to keep out her namesake Lynn Williams.
The US had opportunities to extend their lead, but they weren’t quite as clinical as they were in the first match of the series in Sydney.
In the end, the Matildas did well to just concede the one goal, with the US rightfully denied at the death by the off-side flag.
Originally published as Football news: Matildas vs USA, Kyah Simon’s late strike secures 1-1 draw at Newcastle
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