Matildas coach Tom Sermanni delivers scathing criticism of A-League Women in rare spray
Interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni has delivered a scathing criticism of the A-League Women competition's professionalism and says Australian football remains 'grossly underinvested' in the women's game.
That the league is not yet fully professional is particularly 'irritating' for Sermanni, given the blockbuster success of the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Every player in the Matildas squad has played in the ALW at some point, including six players currently in the domestic league.
But on Thursday, women's football stalwart Sermanni, typically a happy-go-lucky character, unleashed both barrels.
'We really need to have, at A-League level, a real rethink,' he said.
'The league has been going for 17 years. When we started the league, and the coaches came from our institute programs, we had full-time coaches and more full-time staff than we have now, 17 years in.
'The A-League separated five years ago and what we have done since then is we've got home and away, which is an improvement, but we are still grossly under-invested in the women's game here.
'I don't know if there's a thought process going forward about where they want to take the league or what they want to do. But there's a huge amount of work that actually needs to be done.
'It's even more irritating, when you think how we had the most successful World Cup ever two years ago, and A-League Women are in the situation that they're in now, it's just not good enough.'
The ALW, formerly W-League, started in 2008.
'At that time, our league was the forefront of women's leagues, to be perfectly honest,' Sermanni said.
'It's still very important, and coaches, staffs and players are doing exceptionally well. But the league itself is in need of significant improvement in its professionalism.
'There are three clubs that are suitably staffed — that's Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix. And the rest of the clubs are completely inadequately staffed.
'Players get 35-week contracts now.
'A league has just started in Canada — football wise, we're well in advance of Canada — where the base salary is twice what our basic salary is, where there's full-time staff, full-time players.
'And we are still trying to produce players when we have a space of three months where the club has got no contact, no control, no reference point for the players, to actually keep them and know what's happening.'
Professional Footballers Australia has warned of the potential for a 'player drain' from the ALW and its effect on developing Matildas if the league isn't fully professionalised.
CEO Beau Busch reiterated that needed to happen by the 2026-27 season to capitalise on next year's Asian Cup.
'Setting that as our target and achieving it will prevent us falling further behind as global standards continue to rise at pace,' he said.
The Australian Professional Leagues have been contacted for comment.
In Canada's Northern Super League, where new call-up Kahli Johnson plays, the minimum wage is $A56,000, more than double the ALW's $26,000, with a salary cap of $A1.8 million compared to $600,000.
Sermanni will coach the Matildas for the 150th time across three stints in Friday night's clash with Argentina at Marvel Stadium, with Central Coast's Emily Husband and Western United's Kat Smith among his assistants.
Arsenal trio Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross are unlikely to start after only arriving in camp on Wednesday night following their Women's Champions League triumph.
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The big 'challenge' the Matildas are a step closer to overcoming
Friday night made it clear why Tom Sermanni was brought in to lead the Matildas for a third time, with a fairytale debut giving hope that the team can overcome the biggest challenge of their next chapter. His special skill of bringing in new talent and ensuring they prosper when they make the jump was on full display at Marvel Stadium in Australia's 2-0 victory over Argentina. Since Sermanni took back over in September 2024, nine players have made their debut for the Tillies. The latest was Kahli Johnson, who earned her debut in Melbourne and a starting XI spot in her first national team camp. Her impact was immediate, giving hope of what to expect from the next generation in the green and gold. "It feels great when you see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly then get them on the field and start them," Sermanni said. "It makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played. She fulfilled what I saw of her as a player prior to coming in, but also what she did in training, and she just really took that out onto the field." Below are the five things we learned about the team heading into game two in Canberra, including the return of a key trio. Johnson, who plys her trade in Canada's new league for Calgary, became Matilda no. 237 in front of more than 43,000 fans. The 21-year-old lined up at left wing, and it only took the newest member 38 minutes to etch her name into history as an Australian goalscorer. Charlotte Grant swung the ball into the area and found Johnson's head at the backpost. The Argentinians threw their hands up, but their offside calls fell on deaf ears. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" Johnson asked tongue-in-cheek post-match. "It was surreal. I just wanted to go out there and kind of show what I could do. Playing in a team like this, with these type of players, it gives you that confidence." Sermanni was adamant the Matildas' Champions League-winning trio would feature in game two. The Tillies' head coach confirmed Arsenal stars Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross "should be fit and ready to go" in the Bush Capital on Monday. "I anticipate them starting on Monday. They've had the holiday, they've had a week," Sermanni said with a smile. "We were fortunate ... the game went how we hoped it would go, and that allowed us to utilise other players and give game time to players that haven't had as much. "But Monday, we've got three key Arsenal players, and they'll be - barring any accident or injury - in the starting lineup." The trio was rested in game one after their entry into camp was delayed by their European victory over Barcelona. There was a glaring void in the next chapter of the Matildas' story after the historic Women's World Cup in 2023. The future-proofing of the squad's success was at risk of falling by the wayside due to the aging stars and the dependence on key personnel. Alarm bells began ringing, and a solution was not found under former coach Tony Gustavsson by Paris 2024. Cue Sermanni. More than a decade ago, he was identifying players like Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Emily van Egmond, and Sam Kerr. On Friday, his eagle-eyed skill of spotting the stars of tomorrow was on display again. "It shows what your players can do when they get an opportunity," Sermanni said. "It's one of the challenges in the national team, and I've said this probably numerous times, is to play for the present, but plan for the future, and it's getting that balance right. "It's becoming more and more difficult to do that, because you're limited with the amount of time you get your team together, as opposed to what it was in the past. So it's always a challenge to do that. "But if there's anything that I've noticed over the last nine or 10 months, is that some of those fringe players have started to become more comfortable in the environment, and that's given them more confidence. "And I think that their ability to mix in and not be overawed by bigger players is now more evident, and that helps them perform like we saw tonight with Kahli." Football Australia has not confirmed if Sermanni will remain on beyond this international window, but it is understood a permanent coaching solution is edging closer. It seems likely the two-game series against Argentina will be his last, with Friday's win marking his 150th game in charge across his three stints in the role. "It's been a real privilege for me to be able to come back and do what I have this spell with the Matildas," the interim Tillies coach said. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team and if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had. "When the program started, basically from scratch, then the second time when we went into Asia from Oceania, and then this third time, when the team has just gone to a different level of support and recognition. So for me to come in now is just, it's kind of a wee bit extraordinary." Sermanni was given the task of future-proofing the squad ahead of next year's Asian Cup and beyond, and the 2-0 result made evident he has achieved that. The big question is, who will replace him? FA have remained tight-lipped about their options for the heading coaching role, but the leading candidate remains Lyon coach, Joe Montemurro. Johnson's inclusion in the starting XI helped to unlock the Tillies' front third through her connection with fellow forwards Kaitlyn Torpey and Holly McNamara. The side's movement off the ball and creativity in attack breathed new life into a squad that had struggled to create goalscoring opportunities without their big-name stars. Tottenham fullback Charlotte Grant's partnership with Johnson, Torpey and McNamara proved fruitful in the first half and showed what fans could come to expect from the next generation. Torpey eventually added the Matildas' second in the 69th minute, with a cross-turned-shot effort from out wide catching the Argentinian shotstopper Abigail Chaves by surprise. "If you look particularly at our second-half performance, I think we dominated the game and there were a lot of good passages of play," Sermanni said. "We maybe could have created a couple more better chances, which we didn't do. But generally, I thought, overall, our tempo in the second half was very good. "And when you consider the changes we've made, and when you consider the players that we started and put into the game, that was a very pleasing aspect of the performance." Friday night made it clear why Tom Sermanni was brought in to lead the Matildas for a third time, with a fairytale debut giving hope that the team can overcome the biggest challenge of their next chapter. His special skill of bringing in new talent and ensuring they prosper when they make the jump was on full display at Marvel Stadium in Australia's 2-0 victory over Argentina. Since Sermanni took back over in September 2024, nine players have made their debut for the Tillies. The latest was Kahli Johnson, who earned her debut in Melbourne and a starting XI spot in her first national team camp. Her impact was immediate, giving hope of what to expect from the next generation in the green and gold. "It feels great when you see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly then get them on the field and start them," Sermanni said. "It makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played. She fulfilled what I saw of her as a player prior to coming in, but also what she did in training, and she just really took that out onto the field." Below are the five things we learned about the team heading into game two in Canberra, including the return of a key trio. Johnson, who plys her trade in Canada's new league for Calgary, became Matilda no. 237 in front of more than 43,000 fans. The 21-year-old lined up at left wing, and it only took the newest member 38 minutes to etch her name into history as an Australian goalscorer. Charlotte Grant swung the ball into the area and found Johnson's head at the backpost. The Argentinians threw their hands up, but their offside calls fell on deaf ears. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" Johnson asked tongue-in-cheek post-match. "It was surreal. I just wanted to go out there and kind of show what I could do. Playing in a team like this, with these type of players, it gives you that confidence." Sermanni was adamant the Matildas' Champions League-winning trio would feature in game two. The Tillies' head coach confirmed Arsenal stars Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross "should be fit and ready to go" in the Bush Capital on Monday. "I anticipate them starting on Monday. They've had the holiday, they've had a week," Sermanni said with a smile. "We were fortunate ... the game went how we hoped it would go, and that allowed us to utilise other players and give game time to players that haven't had as much. "But Monday, we've got three key Arsenal players, and they'll be - barring any accident or injury - in the starting lineup." The trio was rested in game one after their entry into camp was delayed by their European victory over Barcelona. There was a glaring void in the next chapter of the Matildas' story after the historic Women's World Cup in 2023. The future-proofing of the squad's success was at risk of falling by the wayside due to the aging stars and the dependence on key personnel. Alarm bells began ringing, and a solution was not found under former coach Tony Gustavsson by Paris 2024. Cue Sermanni. More than a decade ago, he was identifying players like Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Emily van Egmond, and Sam Kerr. On Friday, his eagle-eyed skill of spotting the stars of tomorrow was on display again. "It shows what your players can do when they get an opportunity," Sermanni said. "It's one of the challenges in the national team, and I've said this probably numerous times, is to play for the present, but plan for the future, and it's getting that balance right. "It's becoming more and more difficult to do that, because you're limited with the amount of time you get your team together, as opposed to what it was in the past. So it's always a challenge to do that. "But if there's anything that I've noticed over the last nine or 10 months, is that some of those fringe players have started to become more comfortable in the environment, and that's given them more confidence. "And I think that their ability to mix in and not be overawed by bigger players is now more evident, and that helps them perform like we saw tonight with Kahli." Football Australia has not confirmed if Sermanni will remain on beyond this international window, but it is understood a permanent coaching solution is edging closer. It seems likely the two-game series against Argentina will be his last, with Friday's win marking his 150th game in charge across his three stints in the role. "It's been a real privilege for me to be able to come back and do what I have this spell with the Matildas," the interim Tillies coach said. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team and if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had. "When the program started, basically from scratch, then the second time when we went into Asia from Oceania, and then this third time, when the team has just gone to a different level of support and recognition. So for me to come in now is just, it's kind of a wee bit extraordinary." Sermanni was given the task of future-proofing the squad ahead of next year's Asian Cup and beyond, and the 2-0 result made evident he has achieved that. The big question is, who will replace him? FA have remained tight-lipped about their options for the heading coaching role, but the leading candidate remains Lyon coach, Joe Montemurro. Johnson's inclusion in the starting XI helped to unlock the Tillies' front third through her connection with fellow forwards Kaitlyn Torpey and Holly McNamara. The side's movement off the ball and creativity in attack breathed new life into a squad that had struggled to create goalscoring opportunities without their big-name stars. Tottenham fullback Charlotte Grant's partnership with Johnson, Torpey and McNamara proved fruitful in the first half and showed what fans could come to expect from the next generation. Torpey eventually added the Matildas' second in the 69th minute, with a cross-turned-shot effort from out wide catching the Argentinian shotstopper Abigail Chaves by surprise. "If you look particularly at our second-half performance, I think we dominated the game and there were a lot of good passages of play," Sermanni said. "We maybe could have created a couple more better chances, which we didn't do. But generally, I thought, overall, our tempo in the second half was very good. "And when you consider the changes we've made, and when you consider the players that we started and put into the game, that was a very pleasing aspect of the performance." Friday night made it clear why Tom Sermanni was brought in to lead the Matildas for a third time, with a fairytale debut giving hope that the team can overcome the biggest challenge of their next chapter. His special skill of bringing in new talent and ensuring they prosper when they make the jump was on full display at Marvel Stadium in Australia's 2-0 victory over Argentina. Since Sermanni took back over in September 2024, nine players have made their debut for the Tillies. The latest was Kahli Johnson, who earned her debut in Melbourne and a starting XI spot in her first national team camp. Her impact was immediate, giving hope of what to expect from the next generation in the green and gold. "It feels great when you see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly then get them on the field and start them," Sermanni said. "It makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played. She fulfilled what I saw of her as a player prior to coming in, but also what she did in training, and she just really took that out onto the field." Below are the five things we learned about the team heading into game two in Canberra, including the return of a key trio. Johnson, who plys her trade in Canada's new league for Calgary, became Matilda no. 237 in front of more than 43,000 fans. The 21-year-old lined up at left wing, and it only took the newest member 38 minutes to etch her name into history as an Australian goalscorer. Charlotte Grant swung the ball into the area and found Johnson's head at the backpost. The Argentinians threw their hands up, but their offside calls fell on deaf ears. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" Johnson asked tongue-in-cheek post-match. "It was surreal. I just wanted to go out there and kind of show what I could do. Playing in a team like this, with these type of players, it gives you that confidence." Sermanni was adamant the Matildas' Champions League-winning trio would feature in game two. The Tillies' head coach confirmed Arsenal stars Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross "should be fit and ready to go" in the Bush Capital on Monday. "I anticipate them starting on Monday. They've had the holiday, they've had a week," Sermanni said with a smile. "We were fortunate ... the game went how we hoped it would go, and that allowed us to utilise other players and give game time to players that haven't had as much. "But Monday, we've got three key Arsenal players, and they'll be - barring any accident or injury - in the starting lineup." The trio was rested in game one after their entry into camp was delayed by their European victory over Barcelona. There was a glaring void in the next chapter of the Matildas' story after the historic Women's World Cup in 2023. The future-proofing of the squad's success was at risk of falling by the wayside due to the aging stars and the dependence on key personnel. Alarm bells began ringing, and a solution was not found under former coach Tony Gustavsson by Paris 2024. Cue Sermanni. More than a decade ago, he was identifying players like Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Emily van Egmond, and Sam Kerr. On Friday, his eagle-eyed skill of spotting the stars of tomorrow was on display again. "It shows what your players can do when they get an opportunity," Sermanni said. "It's one of the challenges in the national team, and I've said this probably numerous times, is to play for the present, but plan for the future, and it's getting that balance right. "It's becoming more and more difficult to do that, because you're limited with the amount of time you get your team together, as opposed to what it was in the past. So it's always a challenge to do that. "But if there's anything that I've noticed over the last nine or 10 months, is that some of those fringe players have started to become more comfortable in the environment, and that's given them more confidence. "And I think that their ability to mix in and not be overawed by bigger players is now more evident, and that helps them perform like we saw tonight with Kahli." Football Australia has not confirmed if Sermanni will remain on beyond this international window, but it is understood a permanent coaching solution is edging closer. It seems likely the two-game series against Argentina will be his last, with Friday's win marking his 150th game in charge across his three stints in the role. "It's been a real privilege for me to be able to come back and do what I have this spell with the Matildas," the interim Tillies coach said. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team and if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had. "When the program started, basically from scratch, then the second time when we went into Asia from Oceania, and then this third time, when the team has just gone to a different level of support and recognition. So for me to come in now is just, it's kind of a wee bit extraordinary." Sermanni was given the task of future-proofing the squad ahead of next year's Asian Cup and beyond, and the 2-0 result made evident he has achieved that. The big question is, who will replace him? FA have remained tight-lipped about their options for the heading coaching role, but the leading candidate remains Lyon coach, Joe Montemurro. Johnson's inclusion in the starting XI helped to unlock the Tillies' front third through her connection with fellow forwards Kaitlyn Torpey and Holly McNamara. The side's movement off the ball and creativity in attack breathed new life into a squad that had struggled to create goalscoring opportunities without their big-name stars. Tottenham fullback Charlotte Grant's partnership with Johnson, Torpey and McNamara proved fruitful in the first half and showed what fans could come to expect from the next generation. Torpey eventually added the Matildas' second in the 69th minute, with a cross-turned-shot effort from out wide catching the Argentinian shotstopper Abigail Chaves by surprise. "If you look particularly at our second-half performance, I think we dominated the game and there were a lot of good passages of play," Sermanni said. "We maybe could have created a couple more better chances, which we didn't do. But generally, I thought, overall, our tempo in the second half was very good. "And when you consider the changes we've made, and when you consider the players that we started and put into the game, that was a very pleasing aspect of the performance."
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Brumbies denied by Crusaders in Canberra battle
The ACT Brumbies have seen their Canberra fortress raided by the Crusaders, who snatched a top two spot on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder in a thrilling final round clash. While the Chiefs locked down the No.1 ranking with a win over the Highlanders earlier on Friday night, the Brumbies and Crusaders met in a battle for second position with the Kiwi outfit victorious, 33-31. The visitors hit the front in the 76th minute with reserve hooker George Bell peeling off a maul to dive over. His try came after referee James Doleman missed a clear knock-on by Sevu Reece in the previous play, much to the disgust of a vocal Canberra crowd. With little more than a minute to play it looked like Brumbies winger Corey Toole would put his side back in the lead as he pin-balled through the defence, but Scott Barrett dislodged the ball from his arms three metres from the tryline. The third-placed Brumbies, the top-ranked Australian side, will now to host the team that finishes fourth - the Hurricanes or Queensland - in the qualifying finals next weekend. By finishing in the top two the Crusaders are now guaranteed to host a home semi-final provided they win their week one final. Wallabies playmaker Noah Lolesio was gutted his team wasn't able to win after clawing their way back into the match. "It's pretty disappointing. We were really in that game. We did really well to get back the lead. I'm lost for words at the moment," said Lolesio, who made a successful return from a serious back injury earlier this month. "It's a tough pill to swallow as we really wanted to win this game. "We're going to have to get over and work into whoever we've got next Saturday." The Brumbies trailed 25-14 at halftime with the Crusaders dominant in every aspect, with their line speed in defence and physicality at the breakdown causing the home side headaches. But Canberra started the second half with intent, with prop Rhys Van Nek burrowing across. The Brumbies then set up a heart-stopping finish when they drew level at 28-28 after Lolesio converted a try by Andy Muirhead in the 56th minute. After some quick hands, Muirhead still had plenty of work to do but the winger showed his will to drag three defenders across the line. A penalty strike by Lolesio then put his team ahead with eight minutes to play but the Crusaders - the most successful team in the competition's history with 14 titles - wouldn't be denied. Crusaders skipper Codie Taylor lauded his team's defensive effort and calmness. "Good to show a bit of composure there at the back end of that game as it seems to be a common trend for us, leaking points in that second half," the hooker said. "It's always hard fought over here and, last year it was the same, and we were on the short straw of that and managed to sneak a W (win) tonight, so proud of the lads." In another blow for the Brumbies, they could lose centre Len Ikitau, who showed his pace to score in the 16th minute but also limped off with 10 minutes to play. The ACT Brumbies have seen their Canberra fortress raided by the Crusaders, who snatched a top two spot on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder in a thrilling final round clash. While the Chiefs locked down the No.1 ranking with a win over the Highlanders earlier on Friday night, the Brumbies and Crusaders met in a battle for second position with the Kiwi outfit victorious, 33-31. The visitors hit the front in the 76th minute with reserve hooker George Bell peeling off a maul to dive over. His try came after referee James Doleman missed a clear knock-on by Sevu Reece in the previous play, much to the disgust of a vocal Canberra crowd. With little more than a minute to play it looked like Brumbies winger Corey Toole would put his side back in the lead as he pin-balled through the defence, but Scott Barrett dislodged the ball from his arms three metres from the tryline. The third-placed Brumbies, the top-ranked Australian side, will now to host the team that finishes fourth - the Hurricanes or Queensland - in the qualifying finals next weekend. By finishing in the top two the Crusaders are now guaranteed to host a home semi-final provided they win their week one final. Wallabies playmaker Noah Lolesio was gutted his team wasn't able to win after clawing their way back into the match. "It's pretty disappointing. We were really in that game. We did really well to get back the lead. I'm lost for words at the moment," said Lolesio, who made a successful return from a serious back injury earlier this month. "It's a tough pill to swallow as we really wanted to win this game. "We're going to have to get over and work into whoever we've got next Saturday." The Brumbies trailed 25-14 at halftime with the Crusaders dominant in every aspect, with their line speed in defence and physicality at the breakdown causing the home side headaches. But Canberra started the second half with intent, with prop Rhys Van Nek burrowing across. The Brumbies then set up a heart-stopping finish when they drew level at 28-28 after Lolesio converted a try by Andy Muirhead in the 56th minute. After some quick hands, Muirhead still had plenty of work to do but the winger showed his will to drag three defenders across the line. A penalty strike by Lolesio then put his team ahead with eight minutes to play but the Crusaders - the most successful team in the competition's history with 14 titles - wouldn't be denied. Crusaders skipper Codie Taylor lauded his team's defensive effort and calmness. "Good to show a bit of composure there at the back end of that game as it seems to be a common trend for us, leaking points in that second half," the hooker said. "It's always hard fought over here and, last year it was the same, and we were on the short straw of that and managed to sneak a W (win) tonight, so proud of the lads." In another blow for the Brumbies, they could lose centre Len Ikitau, who showed his pace to score in the 16th minute but also limped off with 10 minutes to play. The ACT Brumbies have seen their Canberra fortress raided by the Crusaders, who snatched a top two spot on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder in a thrilling final round clash. While the Chiefs locked down the No.1 ranking with a win over the Highlanders earlier on Friday night, the Brumbies and Crusaders met in a battle for second position with the Kiwi outfit victorious, 33-31. The visitors hit the front in the 76th minute with reserve hooker George Bell peeling off a maul to dive over. His try came after referee James Doleman missed a clear knock-on by Sevu Reece in the previous play, much to the disgust of a vocal Canberra crowd. With little more than a minute to play it looked like Brumbies winger Corey Toole would put his side back in the lead as he pin-balled through the defence, but Scott Barrett dislodged the ball from his arms three metres from the tryline. The third-placed Brumbies, the top-ranked Australian side, will now to host the team that finishes fourth - the Hurricanes or Queensland - in the qualifying finals next weekend. By finishing in the top two the Crusaders are now guaranteed to host a home semi-final provided they win their week one final. Wallabies playmaker Noah Lolesio was gutted his team wasn't able to win after clawing their way back into the match. "It's pretty disappointing. We were really in that game. We did really well to get back the lead. I'm lost for words at the moment," said Lolesio, who made a successful return from a serious back injury earlier this month. "It's a tough pill to swallow as we really wanted to win this game. "We're going to have to get over and work into whoever we've got next Saturday." The Brumbies trailed 25-14 at halftime with the Crusaders dominant in every aspect, with their line speed in defence and physicality at the breakdown causing the home side headaches. But Canberra started the second half with intent, with prop Rhys Van Nek burrowing across. The Brumbies then set up a heart-stopping finish when they drew level at 28-28 after Lolesio converted a try by Andy Muirhead in the 56th minute. After some quick hands, Muirhead still had plenty of work to do but the winger showed his will to drag three defenders across the line. A penalty strike by Lolesio then put his team ahead with eight minutes to play but the Crusaders - the most successful team in the competition's history with 14 titles - wouldn't be denied. Crusaders skipper Codie Taylor lauded his team's defensive effort and calmness. "Good to show a bit of composure there at the back end of that game as it seems to be a common trend for us, leaking points in that second half," the hooker said. "It's always hard fought over here and, last year it was the same, and we were on the short straw of that and managed to sneak a W (win) tonight, so proud of the lads." In another blow for the Brumbies, they could lose centre Len Ikitau, who showed his pace to score in the 16th minute but also limped off with 10 minutes to play.
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3 hours ago
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Debutant's goal helps Matildas past incensed Argentina
Debutant Kahli Johnson has shone as an inexperienced Matildas claimed a 2-0 win over Argentina, who were incensed by the game's refereeing, to ensure Tom Sermanni's 150th game at the helm proved a happy one. Johnson headed home a wonderful cross from Charli Grant in the 38th minute in front of 43,020 fans at Marvel Stadium. Kaitlyn Torpey added a second when she attempted to launch a cross into the area but shanked it and watched on in disbelief as it nestled in the top corner. "It was pretty surreal," she said. "Until that moment, I was kind of just focused on doing my job. I was just like running, get back post, watching the cross from Charli and when it hit the back of the net, it was pretty cool. "Obviously, my celebration. I don't think I believed what happened and I still don't think I have." Replays showed the attacker was offside but there is no VAR in friendlies and Johnson won't care. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" she quipped. Johnson, who had scored three goals in six games for Calgary Wild in Canada's Northern Super League, was among Australia's best, impressing with her deft footwork and strength on the ball. Australia doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Kaitlyn Torpey shanked a cross into the top corner. Interim boss Sermanni, who has coached the Matildas across three stints, appears likely to finish up after Monday night's second game in Canberra. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team," he said. "And if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had." Joe Montemurro is widely expected to take on the full-time job after the current international window. Sermanni has consistently debuted players across his three tenures and relished in Johnson, 21, being the latest success story. "It still feels as good as ever," he said. "It feels great when see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly, then get them on the field and start them and it makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played tonight." In rare post-match scenes after a friendly, Argentina coach German Portanova teed off on the referees, indicating Australia had received the rub of the green from Thai official Pansa Chaisanit. "The first goal is offside," Portanova said through an interpreter. "I know that this was a celebration of the Matildas. But we came here to compete, and we came here looking ahead to the Copa America and wanting to do our best. "But believe me when I say, when it was one against the other, (calls were made) in favour of Australia. "Trying to play with this style of refereeing does make me angry, very angry - when we just see these fouls against us over and over throughout the game, the referee highlighting things that our team has done that just simply haven't happened. "When these are happening and we see once again awarded to the other team, this is where we tend to lose confidence and we're not able to play our game. I honestly think that with a fairer referee, we would be there." Sermanni dismissed the suggestion things had gone Australia's way, bar the offside goal. The Matildas' starting line-up had just 438 combined caps heading into the game - with Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy claiming 293 of them. Captain Steph Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross didn't play after arriving in camp on Wednesday night following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry and Mackenzie Arnold aren't in the current squad. But Australia still had 16 shots (six on target) to six, while Argentina didn't register a shot on target until the 80th minute. Debutant Kahli Johnson has shone as an inexperienced Matildas claimed a 2-0 win over Argentina, who were incensed by the game's refereeing, to ensure Tom Sermanni's 150th game at the helm proved a happy one. Johnson headed home a wonderful cross from Charli Grant in the 38th minute in front of 43,020 fans at Marvel Stadium. Kaitlyn Torpey added a second when she attempted to launch a cross into the area but shanked it and watched on in disbelief as it nestled in the top corner. "It was pretty surreal," she said. "Until that moment, I was kind of just focused on doing my job. I was just like running, get back post, watching the cross from Charli and when it hit the back of the net, it was pretty cool. "Obviously, my celebration. I don't think I believed what happened and I still don't think I have." Replays showed the attacker was offside but there is no VAR in friendlies and Johnson won't care. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" she quipped. Johnson, who had scored three goals in six games for Calgary Wild in Canada's Northern Super League, was among Australia's best, impressing with her deft footwork and strength on the ball. Australia doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Kaitlyn Torpey shanked a cross into the top corner. Interim boss Sermanni, who has coached the Matildas across three stints, appears likely to finish up after Monday night's second game in Canberra. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team," he said. "And if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had." Joe Montemurro is widely expected to take on the full-time job after the current international window. Sermanni has consistently debuted players across his three tenures and relished in Johnson, 21, being the latest success story. "It still feels as good as ever," he said. "It feels great when see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly, then get them on the field and start them and it makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played tonight." In rare post-match scenes after a friendly, Argentina coach German Portanova teed off on the referees, indicating Australia had received the rub of the green from Thai official Pansa Chaisanit. "The first goal is offside," Portanova said through an interpreter. "I know that this was a celebration of the Matildas. But we came here to compete, and we came here looking ahead to the Copa America and wanting to do our best. "But believe me when I say, when it was one against the other, (calls were made) in favour of Australia. "Trying to play with this style of refereeing does make me angry, very angry - when we just see these fouls against us over and over throughout the game, the referee highlighting things that our team has done that just simply haven't happened. "When these are happening and we see once again awarded to the other team, this is where we tend to lose confidence and we're not able to play our game. I honestly think that with a fairer referee, we would be there." Sermanni dismissed the suggestion things had gone Australia's way, bar the offside goal. The Matildas' starting line-up had just 438 combined caps heading into the game - with Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy claiming 293 of them. Captain Steph Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross didn't play after arriving in camp on Wednesday night following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry and Mackenzie Arnold aren't in the current squad. But Australia still had 16 shots (six on target) to six, while Argentina didn't register a shot on target until the 80th minute. Debutant Kahli Johnson has shone as an inexperienced Matildas claimed a 2-0 win over Argentina, who were incensed by the game's refereeing, to ensure Tom Sermanni's 150th game at the helm proved a happy one. Johnson headed home a wonderful cross from Charli Grant in the 38th minute in front of 43,020 fans at Marvel Stadium. Kaitlyn Torpey added a second when she attempted to launch a cross into the area but shanked it and watched on in disbelief as it nestled in the top corner. "It was pretty surreal," she said. "Until that moment, I was kind of just focused on doing my job. I was just like running, get back post, watching the cross from Charli and when it hit the back of the net, it was pretty cool. "Obviously, my celebration. I don't think I believed what happened and I still don't think I have." Replays showed the attacker was offside but there is no VAR in friendlies and Johnson won't care. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" she quipped. Johnson, who had scored three goals in six games for Calgary Wild in Canada's Northern Super League, was among Australia's best, impressing with her deft footwork and strength on the ball. Australia doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Kaitlyn Torpey shanked a cross into the top corner. Interim boss Sermanni, who has coached the Matildas across three stints, appears likely to finish up after Monday night's second game in Canberra. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team," he said. "And if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had." Joe Montemurro is widely expected to take on the full-time job after the current international window. Sermanni has consistently debuted players across his three tenures and relished in Johnson, 21, being the latest success story. "It still feels as good as ever," he said. "It feels great when see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly, then get them on the field and start them and it makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played tonight." In rare post-match scenes after a friendly, Argentina coach German Portanova teed off on the referees, indicating Australia had received the rub of the green from Thai official Pansa Chaisanit. "The first goal is offside," Portanova said through an interpreter. "I know that this was a celebration of the Matildas. But we came here to compete, and we came here looking ahead to the Copa America and wanting to do our best. "But believe me when I say, when it was one against the other, (calls were made) in favour of Australia. "Trying to play with this style of refereeing does make me angry, very angry - when we just see these fouls against us over and over throughout the game, the referee highlighting things that our team has done that just simply haven't happened. "When these are happening and we see once again awarded to the other team, this is where we tend to lose confidence and we're not able to play our game. I honestly think that with a fairer referee, we would be there." Sermanni dismissed the suggestion things had gone Australia's way, bar the offside goal. The Matildas' starting line-up had just 438 combined caps heading into the game - with Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy claiming 293 of them. Captain Steph Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross didn't play after arriving in camp on Wednesday night following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry and Mackenzie Arnold aren't in the current squad. But Australia still had 16 shots (six on target) to six, while Argentina didn't register a shot on target until the 80th minute.
