Opening minute disaster for Matildas before USA inflict further pain despite gallant fightback

It took just 41 seconds for the Matildas to fall behind with the USA scoring the opening goal in a flash in Arizona as the hosts went on to claim a 2-1 victory in their SheBelieves Cup clash in Arizona.

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Michelle Hayman came off the bench and got on the scoresheet with a header from a Hayley Raso in the 80th minute, but the damage was already done despite a much improved showing from the Matildas after the first-up 4-0 loss to Japan.

The Australians made a horror start via a blunder at the back which allowed Lynn Biyendolo to stroll into the box unmarked and complete a tap-in to an empty net in the opening minute.

“A nightmare start for Australia,” former Matilda Grace Gill said on commentary.

Biyendolo put the ball into the back of the net for a second time at the eight-minute mark, but the linesperson’s flag saved the Matildas from falling 2-0 down inside the opening ten minutes.

The hosts were dominant for the opening half an hour, but the Matildas held firm to keep the deficit at one goal with goalkeeper Teagan Micah making several crucial saves.

When Alanna Kennedy floated a shot over the bar in the 35th minute, it was the first shot the Australians could muster, but the lengthy wait was nothing compared to failing to register a shot until the 87th minute against Japan.

Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso both fired shots wide not long after, while Mary Fowler brought some physicality with an impressive hip-and-shoulder on American Gisele Thompson when flying for a header as as the Matildas wrestled back some momentum before hitting the sheds.

The first half well and truly belonged to the hosts, having 64% possession and registering six shots, three on target to five shots, none on target.

After the break, USA got further reward for their dominance with a second goal coming via Michelle Cooper in the 68th minute.

The Matildas looked likely of forcing a result with several chances in the second half, but some superb build-up play from the Americans put the back four under the pump and Cooper made her impact from off the bench.

The USA’s lead could have been greater if not for two excellent saves from Micah in the space of a minute.

“If not for the goalkeeping heroics of Teagan Micah, there’s easily another goal in that,” Gill said.

Both sides swung changes after hour mark with both teams using six substitutes including Fowler making way for debutant Alana Murphy, and Michelle Hayman coming on for Holly McNamara, who made her first start in more than three years after a horrific run of injuries.

The match finished heavily in the home team’s favour with the USA recording 15 shots to seven, including seven shots on target to just one, while having 67% possession for the match.

The Matildas will face Colombia on Thursday in the final match of their SheBelieves Cup campaign.

PREVIEW

The Matildas have made four changes to the starting XI that was humbled 4-0 by Japan for their an important SheBelievesCup clash with the USA.

The Olympic champions are always a formidable opponent, and particularly so on home soil, with the Australians desperately needing to lift their game in Arizona after an incredibly disappointing first up defeat.

Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, defender Clare Hunt, and veterans Tamika Yallop and Katrina Gorry have all been benched with goalkeeper Teagan Micah, defender Winonah Heatley, recalled striker Holly McNamara and Charli Grant taking their places in the starting side.

McNamara’s comeback is special as she makes her first start in national colours in more than three years after enduring three ACL tears.

“It’s fantastic for her and for the team,” Matildas interim coach Tom Sermanni told Paramount+.

“She’s done an exceptional job to get herself fit and healthy after three ACLs in quick succession. It’s important to get her out there and see how she goes from the start.”

Meanwhile, USA have opted to change all eleven players in the starting team from their previous match – the first time they have done so in 24 years.

“The thing that the US has done now is they’ve built up not just a starting team, but a real quality squad, where even if they have five or six key players missing, they’ve still got an outstanding team … so they’re a very formidable side at the moment,” Sermanni said.

“Everybody plays a little bit different to Japan, but the US and the Australian styles in general, have been, to a degree, quite similar,” Sermanni said.

“If you look historically, particularly over the last 10 or 15 years, most of the games between the US and the Aussies have been quite tight and very competitive because I think we’re two very similar nations in many ways.”