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The Guardian
3 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Matildas usher in new era after key interim role is filled perfectly by Tom Sermanni
One of the key themes of the past week for the Matildas has been a sense of serendipity. On Friday, Tom Sermanni's 150th fixture in charge of the national team was marked by Kahli Johnson's goal in a 2-0 win over Argentina, as the debutante became the latest in the long line of players whose international journey has started with the veteran coach. On Monday, the final game of Sermanni's tenure was played hours after Joe Montemurro was formally unveiled as the team's next full-time coach. Montemurro watched on from the stands of GIO Stadium as he begun preparations for the first games of his reign later this month. After coaching the Matildas across four separate decades, his final hitout in charge came in the same city where his coaching career began back in the 1980s. As one era ended, a player hoping to play a key role in the next demanded the attention of the incoming boss during the second game against Argentina. In her first start for 549 days, Amy Sayer grabbed a first-half brace to help steer the Matildas towards a 4-1 win in Canberra, before Emily van Egmond and hometown hero Michelle Heyman put the result beyond doubt. With Sermanni's third stint in charge of the Matildas now over, focus now turns to what comes next. As the 70-year-old himself reflected, his three stints in charge have intersected with the major eras of this team, and while he is too self-effacing to acknowledge it, that means stories of the Matildas cannot be told without him. He was there when the modern Matildas program was being established in 1993, and when Australian football made its move to Asia, before laying down a marker of what was to come with a continental crown in 2010. During his latest stint in charge, he was offered a chance to experience a team he had been so instrumental in building, after it had ascended to being something more. The 25,125 fans in Canberra – a record for a women's sporting event in the Australian capital – was testament to this. 'Back in the days when you'd essentially get family and friends to come to games, you dreamt of stuff like this' Sermanni told Paramount. 'It's just a dream come true.' It's this history that made his appointment as an interim such a key one. Not just because he deserved an opportunity to bask in the glow that exists around the side, but also because his willingness to do whatever is in the team's best interests – demonstrated across multiple decades – is indisputable. When he walked back in the door last October, he described the atmosphere that greeted him as being akin to 'turning up at a funeral' following a disastrous Paris Olympics. Combining an existing relationship with much of the squad and an unimpeachable record of service with a humble lack of ambition to make this anything permanent, he filled the temporary role perfectly. Yet, the results against the biggest nations weren't there. And the effects of an extended period of limbo as Football Australia's search for a permanent coach continued were clear to everyone during three games in February. While he did his best to bring through new talent and prepare the side for what was to come, as a caretaker there was a limit to his authority. Outside of the retired Clare Polkinghorne, much of the established squad looks set to still be in place come next year's Asian Cup, and it wasn't Sermanni's place to say otherwise. That is Montemurro's responsibility. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion But Sermanni cannot be blamed for the maladroit hunt for a full-time replacement. Back-to-back losses to Brazil and a winless SheBelieves Cup weren't part of the plan, but neither was him being in an interim role for nearly a year. He came in and did his job in getting the team back on its feet, and then the federation turned around and asked him to keep doing it. He would have been well within his rights to put decision-makers on blast, but doing what was best for the Matildas came first. Starting with Daniela Galic and ending with Isabel Gomez, nine players have made their international debuts during his brief tenure, while others such as Sayer, Holly McNamara, and Clare Wheeler have grown in prominence. Fittingly, Sermanni used one of his final appearances as coach of the Matildas to call for improvements to resourcing and staffing in the A-League Women, attempting to spur even more progress for the game, even after his exit. If some of the recent results have damaged Sermanni's standing in the eyes of a new generation of fans who have rallied around the Matildas, they shouldn't. He has played an irreplaceable role since before many of them were born. And now, with the Montemurro era looming, he can kick back.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Matildas v Argentina: Amy Sayer brace, Heyman, van Egmond score in 4-1 win at Canberra
New boss Joe Montemurro was in the stands on Monday night as Amy Sayer's double spearheaded the Matildas to a second victory over Argentina in four days. Montemurro had been unveiled as the 15th full-time head coach of Australia's women through to the 2028 Olympics earlier in the day, just 24 hours after Lyon confirmed his departure halfway through a two-year contract in France, where he had led them to the league title. Although not officially commencing duties until mid-June, he spoke to the players at the team hotel before attending the international friendly in Canberra, where he talked to interim chief Tom Sermanni pre-match. The 55-year-old then appeared an aminated spectator in the early exchanges at a sold-out GIO Stadium but would have certainly enjoyed Sayer's technically perfect finishes either side of La Albiceleste equalising during an entertaining opening period. Second-half events were far more one-sided, and despite the best efforts of Solana Pereyra in keeping out Michelle Heyman of Canberra United, Emily van Egmond was on hand to convert the rebound before home-favourite Heyman successfully rounded the goalkeeper to score Australia's fourth late on. Never Sayer never Sayer slammed the door shut on a chapter she described as the 'hardest thing I've ever done in my life' by grabbing her first international start in 549 days with both hands. The 23-year-old suffered an ACL injury last April and only returned to club action for Swedish side Kristianstads DFF in recent months. But after volleying an early opportunity over, Sayer showed no further signs of rustiness. Instead, she shone, netting a searching cross from Kahli Johnson - who backed up her debut goal with an assist, only to soon depart with a quad concern - and latching onto Caitlin Foord's invitation to deliver a low strike across the goalkeeper. Sayer spoke fresh from bagging a brace in a more advanced role than her typical midfield berth. 'It is just an indescribable feeling,' she said. 'I wasn't playing in a familiar position; it is only my second game back, and I was under the tutelage of the amazing Tom Sermanni. 'It is a great, great night.' Six switches There were half a dozen changes to the starting XI that defeated Argentina in Melbourne on Friday, with Arsenal's UEFA Women's Champions League winners - Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross and skipper Steph Catley - drafted in alongside Courtney Nevin, Natasha Prior and the sensational Sayer. Foord carried her club form onto the international stage, laying on the go-ahead goal courtesy of a threaded pass before forcing the turnover Heyman struck from. She should have put her name on the scoresheet, only to slam Holly McNamara's centre against the post. For Prior, the transition was not as smooth and did not cover herself in glory when failing to cut out Milagros Martín's speculative forward ball that allowed Kishi Núñez to pull the visitors level. The ð�˜½ð�™'ð�™‚ð�™‚ð�™€ð�™Žð�™� women’s sporting event ð�™€ð�™'ð�™€ð�™� in Canberra! ðŸ�Ÿï¸�ðŸ'� 25,125 is tonight's attendance - Thank you for showing up tonight! #Matildas #AUSvARG — CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) June 2, 2025 Ringing endorsement for Montemurro Interim Tom Sermanni, ahead of his 151st and final game in charge of Australia, across three separate stints, gave his reaction to Montemurro's appointment, which comes on the runway to next March's home AFC Women's Asian Cup. He told Paramount+: 'His coaching record is second to none. He is a proud Australian. I think he will take this team to a new level.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Australia 4-1 Argentina: Tom Sermanni signs off in style as an Amy Sayer double sees Matildas seal dominant victory
Tom Sermanni signed off as Matildas boss in fitting style on Monday night. It was his 151st game in charge of the Australian women's national side and his team delivered on what was a momentous day for the 70-year-old Scot. On the day that Australia officially announced that Joe Montemurro would be taking the reigns from their interim boss, the Matildas produced a dominant 4-1 victory against Argentina in front of 25,125 fans at the GIO Stadium in Canberra. Amy Sayer was the standout, scoring after 14 minutes to give her side an early lead. Argentina forward Kishi Nunez hit back soon after to level the scores. But Sayer restored Australia's lead just before half-time with another goal. After the break Emily Van Egmond and Michelle Heyman both found the back of the net to seal a 4-1 victory. Montemurro, who was in the house for the match, will now take charge of the Matildas for their upcoming friendlies against Slovenia on June 29 and June 29.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Amy Sayer double ensures Matildas celebrate Tom Sermanni's farewell in style
The first time Tom Sermanni coached the Matildas in Canberra, three decades ago, the match took place not at GIO Stadium but at an unassuming training field next door. A warm-up encounter ahead of the 1995 Women's World Cup, the Matildas put four unanswered goals past New Zealand in front of a handful of spectators. It warranted three paragraphs deep in the sports section of the local newspaper; the report described the win as a 'great result' for Sermanni. Thirty years later, in his 151st and final game as Matildas boss, at the end of his third stint at the helm of the national team, it was another great result: a 4-1 friendly victory over Argentina on a chilly Monday night. A brace by Amy Sayer and second-half strikes from Emily van Egmond and local hero Michelle Heyman were enough to see off a valiant Argentine effort. But it was also an encounter that underscored the remarkable rise of the women's game since Sermanni first led the Matildas in the nation's capital. A capacity 25,125 crowd broke the record for the best attended women's sporting event in Canberra. Local newspaper the Canberra Times heralded the game on its front page: 'Tillies Time!' News of the appointment of Sermanni's successor, Joe Montemurro, had dominated national media all day. 70-year-old Sermanni has been a loyal servant for the Matildas, playing an important role in the team's progression across more than a decade in charge – including leading the Matildas to their most significant silverware yet, the 2010 Women's Asian Cup. It was a fitting send-off as the Matildas now prepare for a critical lead-up to a home Asian Cup next year, and then a period of generational transition ahead. After seeing off La Albiceleste with two unanswered goals in Melbourne on Friday, the Matildas started strongly – notching their first attempt within minutes. The one-way traffic soon proved decisive, as Matildas midfield maestro Sayer connected with a ball from Kahli Johnson to coolly open the scoring after 14 minutes. Sayer's gloves hinted at the arctic Canberra temperatures, but her opener gave the crowd a reason to keep warm. Sermanni's send-off was not going to be a procession, though. Argentina hit back less than 10 minutes later; 19-year-old Kishi Núñez – a stand-out for the South Americans at last year's U20 World Cup – made a decisive break down the left flank before blazing the ball past a diving Teagan Micah. The Argentinian goal left the Matildas unsettled; a feeling compounded when Johnson was forced off with an injury, replaced by Melbourne City rising star Holly McNamara. A more evenly-matched period of play followed, as the Matildas rallied to regain the momentum. Then, suddenly, Caitlin Foord pounced. The Arsenal star, fresh off winning the Women's Champions League, collected the ball in the middle of the park and went on a marauding run forward. Foord sliced through the heart of the Argentine defence before offloading to Sayer, who only had to beat custodian Solana Pereyra to double her tally. Both teams had chances early in the second half, the Matildas with the better of the opportunities but Argentina continuing to threaten. The biggest roar of the night was reserved for the addition of Canberra United legend Heyman, brought on after 60 minutes for Sayer. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion The veteran striker was immediately in the thick of the action, and her darting run into the Argentine box created the Matildas' third goal – poked home by van Egmond after Heyman and Pereyra had collided. Heyman then sealed the dominant victory with a goal in the dying minutes, attacking a loose ball before outwitting Pereyra. The win caps an improved run of friendlies for the Matildas – successive wins over Argentina and South Korea – after three consecutive losses at the SheBelieves Cup in February. Montemurro will begin his national team tenure with two friendlies against Slovenia at the end of June. When Sermanni first directed the Matildas in Canberra, the team's very name had only just begun to find widespread use – it was chosen by a fan poll in the lead up to the 1995 Women's World Cup. Indeed the match report from that first Canberra outing used the team's prior name, the Female Socceroos. How things have changed.
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Football star Jaeman Salmon reignites long-running feud with Raiders coach Ricky Stuart with blistering spray: 'Weak-gutted dog'
Long-running tensions bubbled to the surface as a Stephen Crichton-led comeback cemented Canterbury's spot at the top of the NRL ladder against second-placed Canberra. The Bulldogs scored 32 unanswered points to overturn a 20-point halftime deficit and silence the majority of the sell-out 23,827 crowd at GIO Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The 32-20 win puts Canterbury four points clear in first place, with eight wins from nine matches. But coach Cameron Ciraldo will be concerned over the fitness of second-rower Jaeman Salmon, who limped from the field with an apparent injured ankle in the second half. Salmon was a stand-out for the Bulldogs, scoring their second try following a Crichton line break. The 26-year-old made himself public enemy number one in the nation's capital with his fiery try celebration, opening up an old feud with Raiders coach Ricky Stuart. Salmon made a beeline for the nearest camera, stuck his index finger into the centre of his chest and shouted 'weak-gutted dog', in reference to a comment Stuart directed at him in 2022. Stuart looked to avoid reigniting the feud when asked about the comment after fulltime. 'Honestly, how much do you really think I care about that?' he responded. The barb goes back to August 2022 when Stuart attacked the then Penrith Panthers player in a post-match press conference. 'I have had history with that kid (Salmon). I know that kid very well. 'He was a weak gutted dog as a kid and he hasn't changed now. He is a weak gutted dog person now.' Crichton was instrumental to the Canterbury comeback, scoring their first try after the interval as well as assisting the second. Another line break from the Bulldogs captain resulted in a try through winger Marcelo Montoya, who brushed past a scampering Canberra defence after Connor Tracey was denied by an astonishing tackle from Ethan Strange. 'I thought the skipper just put the team on his back there for a 10-minute period to kick us off, and just gave the whole team a lot of confidence in the way he went about the game,' Ciraldo said. Prop Max King surged over from close range to put the Bulldogs in the lead after 58 minutes, completing the turnaround from none to 22 in less than 15 minutes. It was a stark contrast from the first half, when it looked like the dominant Raiders would run away with it. Canberra second-rower Hudson Young asserted his case for a State of Origin call-up, scoring his eighth try of the season as the home side scored four unanswered tries. Second-rower Zac Hosking opened the scoring for the Raiders, powering over off a short ball from Tom Starling out of dummy half, before fullback Kaeo Weekes continued his impressive run of form with the second. Xavier Savage finished off a slick move after fast hands from Jamal Fogarty, and Matty Nicholson put Matt Timoko into a gap, who drew Bulldogs fullback Tracey and served up a simple four-pointer to his winger. But Canberra's fine attacking form was absent in the second period, while the Bulldogs looked like another team after their half-time rev-up. 'We get a lot of pats on the back being a top-four side, but we literally had to look at ourselves in the mirror when we came in (at halftime),' Crichton said. 'Our mentality going into the second half was a lot better than the first half so, yeah, it was credit to the boys there.' Tries to Viliame Kikau and Jacob Kiraz, who ran an impressive 148 metres and made 12 tackle busts, sealed the result.
