Australia beat Slovenia to ensure winning start for Montemurro
An understrength Australia beat Slovenia 3-0 in a friendly in Perth on Thursday to ensure Joe Montemurro's reign as coach got off to a winning start.
Montemurro has vowed to implement an attacking, possession-based style with the Matildas, who have started preparations for next year's Asian Cup on home soil.
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It didn't take long for the hosts to take heed of Montemurro's blueprint when forward Emily Gielnik poked in after three minutes.
The crowd of 8,678 were left slightly disappointed until Holly McNamara and substitute Hayley Raso scored in the dying minutes to put gloss on the scoreline.
"We have to learn to be comfortable under pressure," Montemurro said of the 15th-ranked Matildas.
"It was an important exercise tonight, it's about the process going forward."
The 55-year-old Australian was appointed coach this month, ending a long search after Tony Gustavsson departed following the Matildas' lacklustre performance at the Paris Olympics.
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Montemurro enjoyed successful coaching stints at Arsenal, Juventus and Lyon, who he recently steered to their fourth consecutive league title.
Australia were without English Women's Super League stars Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler and Clare Wheeler.
The talismanic Kerr, Australia's leading scorer in international football, has not played since January last year when she ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament with Chelsea.
Kerr won't make her long-awaited return in this block of friendlies, but has rejoined the squad and watched the game on the sidelines.
After a fast start the Matildas were in danger of letting Slovenia back into the game.
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Forward Spela Kolbl almost equalised in the 14th minute only for her chip to smack off the crossbar.
Slovenia kept pressing after the interval, but rued errant finishing with Zara Kramzar's shot from point-blank range straight at goalkeeper Teagan Micah.
The 38th-ranked Slovenia's chances of an upset were dealt a blow when midfielder Sara Makovec hobbled off early in the second half with a knee injury.
"Something popped in her knee, hopefully she's going to be alright," coach Sasa Kolman said of Makovec, who plays in Austria.
The teams meet again at the same venue on Sunday before Australia face Panama in a pair of home friendlies next week.
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an hour ago
Travis Head leading Australia's survival against West Indies on Day 2
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- Travis Head was leading another Australia attempt to be competitive against the West Indies on Thursday in a first test that may not go beyond three days at Kensington Oval. West Indies claimed a 10-run first-innings lead when it was bowled for 190. Australia then rallied from 65-4 to 92-4 by stumps on day two. Australia led by 82 runs with all the pressure seemingly on Head to survive. He counterpunched in the first innings with the only half-century of the test so far but bunkered down in the second innings to defy another brilliant effort by the West Indies quicks. For his stubbornness, Head copped a blow on his left glove from Alzarri Joseph in the day's second-to-last over. Head was 13 not out off 37 balls with support from Beau Webster, 19 not out off 24. After 14 wickets tumbled on day one, 10 were claimed on day two on a pitch still offering seam and movement for the speedsters. West Indies picked up its first innings on 57-4 and debutant Brandon King, 23 overnight, was dropped on 26 by wicketkeeper Alex Carey off Josh Hazlewood. But Hazlewood nailed King on the same score when the batter shouldered arms and was castled. Shai Hope, West Indies' white-ball captain, joined test captain Roston Chase in the middle and they hit back. Hope drove Mitchell Starc for consecutive fours and Chase knocked Nathan Lyon for a six over mid-off. The pair added 63 runs in 19 overs to get West Indies to lunch on 135-5. Chase was out after lunch in the first of two disputed decisions by TV umpire Adrian Holdstock. Chase was given out lbw to Australia captain Pat Cummins but Chase reviewed, suspecting an inside edge before the ball thumped his back pad in front of middle stump. The ball spike technology, UltraEdge, showed some minor spikes before the ball hit the pads but the TV umpire set them aside and said there was a clear gap between bat and ball. Chase made 44 off 108 balls, including only one boundary and one six, after a 67-run stand with Hope. Webster got Justin Greaves on 4 and Hope on 48, both from edges behind to Carey, and Hope's was debatable. Carey took a great one-handed catch but video showed the ball in his glove touching the ground. However, the TV umpire said it was a fair catch. Hope didn't stick around to debate it. His 91-ball knock left West Indies 162-8, 18 runs short of Australia's first total. Lusty hitting by Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph, an unbeaten 23 runs off 20 balls, swept the hosts to a 10-run lead. Australia started its second bat straight after tea and Sam Konstas was dropped twice in the same second over of the innings by Greaves and John Campbell behind the stumps. The bowler was pacer Shamar Joseph, who has been the victim of five drops in the test, 11 drops in nine tests since his debut in January 2024. Shamar Joseph eventually bowled Konstas on 5, and fellow opener Usman Khawaja was lbw to Alzarri Joseph on 15. No. 3 batter Cameron Green got an lbw overturned on 13, and a non-lbw confirmed on 14. But he was out on 15 after 47 balls to an edge off Greaves. Just before then, Josh Inglis shouldered arms to Seales and was bowled for 12.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Travis Head leading Australia's survival against West Indies on Day 2
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