By Ian Chadband
The Matildas’ seven-game winning streak is over, dynamited by a 1-0 defeat to Scotland in London in a frustrating setback for their World Cup preparations.
On a day when the Australians were at least encouraged to see an impressive return for their star fullback Ellie Carpenter after a two-year international absence, Tony Gustavsson’s team were left ruing a series of missed chances as they succumbed for the first time since last September.
Scotland’s Emma Mukandi battles for possession with Cortnee Vine.Credit:
An experimental-looking Matildas hit the woodwork twice through Cortnee Vine and debutant Clare Hunt on Friday but missed the firepower of the benched Sam Kerr and were alarmingly suspect in defence as they could hardly complain about being beaten by a side who are not going to the World Cup.
The Scots, ranked 23 in the world, eventually prevailed over their top-10 opponents with a freakish, looping second-half strike from Nicola Docherty but, spurred by their very own Sam Kerr, they also created enough opportunities to embarrass a rearguard led by Claire Polkinghorne on her 155th appearance.
In front of a holiday crowd of 2136 at AFC Wimbledon’s Plough Lane stadium in London, the Aussies clearly missed some of their marquee names with about 600 caps worth of players either out injured or being saved on the bench.
Gustavsson left out Kerr, evidently preparing to unleash his superstar striker for the glamour match against England at Brentford on Tuesday, the key final overseas outing before the World Cup.
Carpenter’s return was a boon, though. She opened up impressively, forging forward as if she’d never been away as she got over an hour under her belt before being substituted.
Early on, it was Hayley Raso who really caused problems for the Scottish defence, being brought down just outside the box after weaving a path through.
Kartina Gorry swung in a dangerous free-kick to the far post, which Raso and debutant Hunt could have done more with, but that was effectively the last time the Matildas threatened in the first half as the Scots created the lion’s share of chances.
Winger Martha Thomas twice came close, forcing a first save from Mackenzie Arnold and then volleying just over. Then Kerr – the Scottish version – struck one from distance just wide as the Scots found alarming amounts of space.
The game’s complexion changed within two minutes after the break when, almost out of nowhere, Docherty unleashed a speculative, looping effort from the left edge of the box which curled agonisingly beyond Arnold into the top far corner of the net.
It spurred the Matildas into life, Vine hitting the underside of the bar, Mary Fowler being denied one-on-one with goalie Lee Gibson and Hunt then unleashing a piledriver from more than 20 metres out that struck the woodwork again.
Vine and Fowler again came close as the Aussies scented an equaliser but there was danger at the other end too as Thomas could easily have ended with a hat-trick.
