By Glenn Moore
Cortnee Vine has scored her first international goals as the Matildas lifted the pressure on coach Tony Gustavsson with a convincing 4-1 victory over South Africa.
The African Cup of Nations winners were modest opposition, but the way Australia controlled the game and converted their chances was a timely boost after a poor run.
“This was the most solid 90 minutes’ performance for a long time,” said Gustavsson, “it was an impressive performance against a team that have challenged big teams, but we dominated.”
Mary Fowler and Linda Motlhalo battle for the ball.Credit:
It was made more impressive for being largely achieved without Chelsea’s Sam Kerr, who had been unwell leading into Saturday’s match at Kingsmeadow, her club’s compact ground in south-west London.
Kerr featured in the last 10 minutes, to the delight of her fans in the sparse 1,417 crowd, but the game had long been won.
In her absence, stand-in skipper Steph Catley provided leadership, having a hand in all four goals, and Vine a goal scoring line-leading presence at centre-forward.
The Sydney FC striker scored twice in the opening 25 minutes with Clare Polkinghorne and Caitlin Foord adding further goals.
Kerr was one of four changes from the XI beaten 2-1 in Sydney by Canada last month, all of them enforced. Lydia Williams, Tameka Yallop and Emily van Egmond were also missing, Teagan Micah, Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Hayley Raso coming in.
Williams was out with an ankle injury, which also ruled the Paris St Germain ’keeper out of Tuesday’s match in Denmark. That gave Micah a chance to stake a claim for a position Gustavsson has said he would soon make a firm decision on.
Not that the Rosengard No.1 had much to do as Australia dominated from the start, making a fifth-minute breakthrough.
Cortnee Vine.Credit:
Catley, regularly overlapping on the left, forced a corner she took herself. Mary Fowler rose unchallenged and her header went through Regirl Ngobeni’s arms and onto the post. From less than a metre out Vine tapped in her debut international goal.
“The easiest goal you’ll get, but I’ll take it for my first one,” said the Queenslander. “I just want to score, and hopefully I can score a few more.”
Her second showcased a touch of ingenuity. Catley seized on a loose pass and neatly released Arsenal team-mate Foord whose cross was cleverly flicked in by Vine.
Vine might have had a half-hour treble, but shot just wide from another Catley cross. “I’m a bit disappointed not to get a hat-trick, but ... next game,” she said.
Prior to the game Australia had targeted the lack of height in the Banyana Banyana defence and shortly before the break, they again converted a Catley corner. This time Polkinghorne lost her marker and headed in at the near post.
The fourth was a virtuoso goal from Foord, taking a Catley pass and dribbling forward before shooting inside the far post.
Gustavsson, wearing a green-and-gold scarf as he stood in unseasonal sunshine, made a raft of changes for the closing stages.
Australia remained in control but better goalkeeping and missed chances kept the score down.
Indeed, the final goal came from South Africa as centre-halves Aivi Luik and Polkinghorne failed to deal with a long clearance and Hildah Magaia chipped Micah, who was stranded well off her line.
Gustavsson added, “I’m disappointed, and the players are really frustrated, we did not get a clean sheet, but maybe we needed that to be humble and realise we have to keep working on that.”
AAP