Key posts
Poll: Your thoughts on Montemurro?
Matildas on the attack early
Lots of early balls into the box already from the Matildas, and a decent shot has just gone begging as Charlotte Grant’s chipped cross for Amy Sayer was just put wide of the mark by the Sweden-based 23-year-old.
Sayer is rocking some Mary Fowler-esque black gloves, by the way.
Australia 0-0 Argentina, 5 minutes
Game time!
We’re off in Canberra! Packed house, looks superb. Hopefully, all those fans will be treated to a great spectacle – and for Tom Sermanni’s sake, as he signs off, hopefully, it’s also a win for the Matildas.
Would be a nice farewell present for the great man.
Australia 0-0 Argentina, 1 minutes
Anthem time
The teams are out there, the national anthems are ringing out – we’re only a few minutes away from having some actual football to talk about, folks.
Matildas fans are out in force in Canberra.Credit: Getty Images
The baton is being passed
… well, the metaphorical baton, as it were.
Tom Sermanni and Joe Montemurro.Credit: Getty Images
Relive the first match in Melbourne
This is the second match between these two sides in this window – they did meet on Friday night in Melbourne, wand the Matildas ran out 2-0 winners.
You can relive that night, if you really want to, by checking out our live blog here.
The Matildas celebrate Kahli Johnson’s goal.Credit: Getty Images
‘I can smell success’: Montemurro aims for Asian Cup glory with Matildas
The fog has lifted. Just as Joe Montemurro was walking to the lectern on Monday morning at his unveiling as Matildas coach, the thick clouds behind him obscuring the iconic view of Sydney Harbour from Mrs. Macquarie’s Point seemingly evaporated.
Now, too, the path forward for the Matildas is clear at last.
It has taken 10 months for a full-time coach to be appointed, and there was only one candidate who was worth such an excruciating wait – one which players had long grown tired of, concerned that their hopes of Asian Cup glory next year were reducing by the day.
The challenge for Montemurro, and the Football Australia apparatus supporting him, is to live up to the billing.
Read the rest of the story here.
Joe Montemurro has been confirmed as the new coach of the Matildas.Credit: Steven Siewert
Poll: Your thoughts on Montemurro?
Team news: Aus-enal trio named to start
It’s a strong starting XI for the Matildas, with Arsenal trio Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Kyra Cooney-Cross all starting.
Amy Sayer is also making her first start for Australia in 549 days!
Good evening
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of tonight’s friendly between the Matildas and Argentina at a sold-out GIO Stadium in Canberra.
I’m Vince Rugari, and I’ll be taking you through every moment of what will be Tom Sermanni’s 151st and final match in charge of the national team.
Yes, his seemingly never-ending interim stint is finally coming to an end after this morning’s appointment of Joe Montemurro as the new Matildas coach – the worst-kept secret in the business.
Montemurro was unveiled in Sydney but has travelled down to Canberra to address the players for the first time and watch the match from the stands, before he takes charge later this month.
But before then… this. Another important audition for those looking to impress Montemurro and work their way into his plans for next year’s Asian Cup and beyond.
Interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni’s tenure ends tonight.Credit: Getty Images
