Latest news with #Sayer
The Age
3 days ago
- General
- The Age
‘I'm astonished … I pinch myself': Sermanni signs off as a winner with the Matildas
Latest posts Pinned post from 9.48pm on Jun 2, 2025 MATCH REPORT: Sayer comeback double seals Matildas win over Argentina By AAP Amy Sayer scored a double in her first Matildas start in 549 days to send off coach Tom Sermanni in winning style against Argentina. Making a long-awaited return to the starting line-up from a devastating ACL injury, the 23-year-old struck twice in the first half to secure a 4-1 win in front of a record 25,125 crowd at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Monday night. The Matildas dominated possession and scoring opportunities, as the midfield pairing of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Clare Wheeler outclassed their South American opponents. But some nervy moments at the back between Steph Catley and Natasha Prior gave the tourists a sniff, with the dangerous Kishi Nunez a persistent threat. Regardless, their sixth-straight victory on home soil is a happy parting gift to interim coach Sermanni in his final game in charge of the national side before being replaced by former Lyon boss Joe Montemurro, who was at the game. Australia were buoyed by the return of captain Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Cooney-Cross to the starting XI. The trio were rested for Friday's 2-0 win over Argentina following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sayer opened the scoring in the 14th minute, popping up at the far post to ram home a deflected volley into the far corner after a searching Kahli Johnson cross evaded a sea of players. Argentina struggled to play through the Matildas' high press and failed to exert any real pressure when the home side had the ball. But a seemingly innocuous through-ball left Prior all at sea and after misjudging an interception left the door open for Nunez to steal in behind unchecked. The diminutive No.9 settled herself, opened herself up and with her right foot curled the ball past a diving Teagan Micah inside the far post, ending a streak of four clean sheets for the Matildas at home. But the home side wouldn't lay down their lead for long. Foord menaced the visitors all night, constantly harrying the Argentinian defenders in possession and threatening to win the ball high up field. After nicking the ball near the halfway line, the 30-year-old drove into the Argentinian half before releasing Sayer in behind a retreating opposition defence. From an unfriendly angle, Sayer picked out the far corner past the outstretched gloves of goalkeeper Solana Pereyra. As the Argentinians tired in the second half, the chances came thick and fast for the Matildas. Sayer nearly sealed a hat-trick in the 54th after being sent through by Catley but sprayed her shot from the right high and wide. Holly McNamara nearly scored her first Matildas goal in the 57th minute but the prolific Melbourne City forward's volley from eight yards out was smartly stopped by a well-positioned Pereyra. Hometown hero Michelle Heyman, subbed on for Sayer, nearly sent the Canberra crowd into raptures in the 66th minute but was denied by Pereyra with two smart back-to-back saves. She almost scored again when sent one-on-one with the goalkeeper six minutes later but Pereyra poked the ball away from Heyman's feet, only for it to be turned in by Emily van Egmond. Heyman finally got her goal in the 83rd minute after Foord again pressured the Argentinian defence into a mistake on the edge of their box, with the veteran squeezing the ball in off a defender from a tight angle. Debutant Isabel Gomez also managed to get a run late on but failed to make much of an impression with her limited time. An early concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of youngster Kahli Johnson, who limped from the field late in the first half. 9.41pm on Jun 2, 2025 Tom Sermanni speaks: 'I'm just astonished … I pinch myself' When Tom Sermanni first coached the Matildas, nobody cared. That sounds harsh but it's true. There was nowhere near the current interest levels in the team or the women's game more broadly - and nights like tonight, when 25,000 people came to watch a friendly against an unfashionable opponent on a cold Monday night in Canberra, still blow him away. Sermanni has just spoken after his final match in charge of the Australian women's national team, on the Paramount+ coverage, and was asked for his favourite moment from his third stint in the job. I'm probably repeating myself to be honest, but I don't think there's one particular moment in time. The moment is almost every time I've walked out to a game that we've played here in Australia, and I stand and I just look at the crowd and I'm just astonished. And that is a real memorable moment. I sort of pinch myself and think, I can't believe I'm actually back here and here now, and this is where the Matildas are. He was also asked: what's next? And the answer… not much, by the sounds of it, and rightfully so. I'm an unemployed pensioner! So if anybody's [looking for] maybe a lollipop man at the school crossings or something like that, I don't know. I always do a little bit out at my Western Sydney Wanderers club, so I hopefully continue to do that [as head of women's football], and then I'll just see what comes along. If nothing comes along, I'll put my feet up and relax. He deserves it. 9.23pm on Jun 2, 2025 FULL-TIME: Matildas 4-1 Argentina Yep, that's it. The Matildas didn't allow their opponents a single shot in a dominant second half. Great win.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Matildas teammate makes stunning statement after 'really sad' news about Sam Kerr
Matildas star Amy Sayer has led the way for the Matildas having returned after 11 months out from an ACL injury to score a brace against Argentina, following news Sam Kerr has re-injured herself. Sayer had not played for her national side in 549 days after undergoing gruelling rehab to strengthen her leg after an ACL injury. But the star returned in Canberra to play Argentina on Monday night and helped send interim coach Tom Sermanni off with a win having scored a double. In front of 25,125 fans at GIO Stadium, the 23-year-old was a star for the Matildas scoring both her goals in the first-half to help secure a 4-1 win. Sayer admitted she was once doubting whether she would ever reach the same heights again that had her playing for the Matildas. But Sayer shut down any doubts over her star power with two excellent goals in an encouraging performance for the national side. "I worked really hard to get to this point, and I think it showed on the field, the work that I put in and the time," she said after the game. "There was a point in my rehab where I didn't even think I'd be able to walk properly again. So, yeah, the biggest thing is just for me to be on the field, and anything extra is just a bonus." Caitlin Foord and Amy Sayer combine late in the first half to regain the CommBank Matildas' lead 🎯#Matildas #AUSvARG — CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) June 2, 2025 And Sayer's return could give Kerr a boost for when she returns from a similar injury. Kerr has not played football in more than 16 months after tearing her ACL during training for her club side Chelsea. The Matildas superstar has been undergoing her recovery and was a hope to line-up for Chelsea, before their record breaking Women's Super League season came to an end. She was also a hope to join the Matildas squad for the clashes against Argentina. However, Kerr couldn't get to the field before the end of the season and will continue her recovery during Chelsea's pre-season. Kerr did shock fans when she made a surprise appearance at the Women's A-League final a couple of weeks ago, but more news has come out of her visit to Australia. On Monday night ahead of the Matildas' clash against Argentina, it was revealed Kerr has suffered another minor injury during her recovery. Kerr unfortunately suffered a setback during her rehab and underwent a surgery on a separate injury, however reports suggest she is now back running. "This is really sad news for Sam on a personal and professional level," commentator Andy Harper said on Channel 10. "The frustration of being injured is bad enough, a long-term injury is even then to have this late a significant mental hurdle she has to overcome." New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro confirmed the setback, but claimed he has only just been briefed on the situation. "Look, I think there was some complications and I've only caught up with the scenario in the last 24 hours," he told Channel 10. "There was a subsequent intervention, but I do believe she is now back running. I think it was something completely different (to the existing knee injury). I think the knee is fine. I think there was some other issues, but again I've only been briefed in the last 24 hours." Bad news for Sam Kerr fans 😩All the #AUSvARG pre-match chat continues on Paramount+ — Paramount+ Australia (@ParamountPlusAU) June 2, 2025 Sermanni faced a difficult job to coach the Matildas while Football Australia searched for a new long-term coach with the likes of Mary Fowler and Kerr out injured. But after an uplifting win over Argentina, Sermanni feels he passes the team over with a little more confidence instilled among the playing group. "I felt, when I came into squad, the confidence and the belief in the players, collectively and individually, was at a fairly low ebb," Sermanni said. "I think what's happened in that time is that we've been able to bring back a little bit more confidence in the squad. But also able to start to bring players who have been kind of on the outside of the squad into believing that they feel part of the squad - players like Amy."
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Rising star leads Matildas to victory in injury return
After 11 months of gruelling rehab and 549 days without a Matildas start, Amy Sayer was happy to just be on the field against Argentina, let alone scoring a brace to send off interim coach Tom Sermanni in winning style against Argentina. The 23-year-old struck twice in the first half to secure a 4-1 win in front of a record 25,125 crowd at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Monday night. Alongside Arsenal striker Caitlin Foord, Sayer terrorised the Argentinian defence with her pace and incisive runs. You could scarcely believe that, not too long ago, a devastating ACL injury had her questioning whether she would be able to fully recover. "I worked really hard to get to this point, and I think it showed on the field, the work that I put in and the time," she said. "There was a point in my rehab where I didn't even think I'd be able to walk properly again. "So, yeah, the biggest thing is just for me to be on the field, and anything extra is just a bonus." The Matildas dominated possession and scoring opportunities, as the midfield pairing of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Clare Wheeler outclassed their South American opponents. But some nervy moments at the back between Steph Catley and Natasha Prior gave the tourists a sniff, with the dangerous Kishi Nunez a persistent threat. Their sixth-straight victory on home soil is a happy parting gift for Sermanni in his third stint in charge of the national side, and a promising omen for his replacement, former Lyon boss Joe Montemurro. Sayer opened the scoring in the 14th minute, popping up at the far post to ram home a deflected volley after a searching Kahli Johnson cross evaded a sea of players. Argentina struggled to play through the Matildas' high press and failed to exert any real pressure when the home side had the ball. But a seemingly innocuous through-ball left Prior all at sea, and the door open for Nunez to steal in behind unchecked and curl the ball past a diving Teagan Micah, ending a run of four home clean sheets for the Matildas. The response was swift, though. Foord, who menaced defenders all night, nicked the ball near the halfway line before releasing Sayer . From an unfriendly angle, Sayer picked out the far corner past the outstretched gloves of goalkeeper Solana Pereyra. As the Argentinians tired in the second half, the game opened up for the Matildas. Sayer nearly sealed a hat-trick in the 54th minute fter being sent through by Catley but sprayed her shot from the right high and wide. Holly McNamara nearly scored her first Matildas goal in the 57th minute but the prolific Melbourne City forward's volley from eight yards was smartly stopped by Pereyra. After being subbed on for Sayer in the second half, hometown hero Michelle Heyman had a hand in the Matildas' third goal in the 71st minute when she found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. However, Pereyra poked the ball away from Heyman's feet, only for it to be turned in by Emily van Egmond. Heyman finally got her goal in the 83rd minute after Foord again pressured the Argentinian defence into a mistake on the edge of their box, with the veteran squeezing the ball in off a defender from a tight angle. An early concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of youngster Kahli Johnson, who limped off late in the first half. But he takes over a Matildas side in much healthier shape than when Sermanni did after a disappointing Olympics campaign. "I felt, when I came into squad, the confidence and the belief in the players, collectively and individually, was at a fairly low ebb," Sermanni said. "I think what's happened in that time is that we've been able to bring back a little bit more confidence in the squad. "But also able to start to bring players who have been kind of on the outside of the squad into believing that they feel part of the squad - players like Amy." After 11 months of gruelling rehab and 549 days without a Matildas start, Amy Sayer was happy to just be on the field against Argentina, let alone scoring a brace to send off interim coach Tom Sermanni in winning style against Argentina. The 23-year-old struck twice in the first half to secure a 4-1 win in front of a record 25,125 crowd at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Monday night. Alongside Arsenal striker Caitlin Foord, Sayer terrorised the Argentinian defence with her pace and incisive runs. You could scarcely believe that, not too long ago, a devastating ACL injury had her questioning whether she would be able to fully recover. "I worked really hard to get to this point, and I think it showed on the field, the work that I put in and the time," she said. "There was a point in my rehab where I didn't even think I'd be able to walk properly again. "So, yeah, the biggest thing is just for me to be on the field, and anything extra is just a bonus." The Matildas dominated possession and scoring opportunities, as the midfield pairing of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Clare Wheeler outclassed their South American opponents. But some nervy moments at the back between Steph Catley and Natasha Prior gave the tourists a sniff, with the dangerous Kishi Nunez a persistent threat. Their sixth-straight victory on home soil is a happy parting gift for Sermanni in his third stint in charge of the national side, and a promising omen for his replacement, former Lyon boss Joe Montemurro. Sayer opened the scoring in the 14th minute, popping up at the far post to ram home a deflected volley after a searching Kahli Johnson cross evaded a sea of players. Argentina struggled to play through the Matildas' high press and failed to exert any real pressure when the home side had the ball. But a seemingly innocuous through-ball left Prior all at sea, and the door open for Nunez to steal in behind unchecked and curl the ball past a diving Teagan Micah, ending a run of four home clean sheets for the Matildas. The response was swift, though. Foord, who menaced defenders all night, nicked the ball near the halfway line before releasing Sayer . From an unfriendly angle, Sayer picked out the far corner past the outstretched gloves of goalkeeper Solana Pereyra. As the Argentinians tired in the second half, the game opened up for the Matildas. Sayer nearly sealed a hat-trick in the 54th minute fter being sent through by Catley but sprayed her shot from the right high and wide. Holly McNamara nearly scored her first Matildas goal in the 57th minute but the prolific Melbourne City forward's volley from eight yards was smartly stopped by Pereyra. After being subbed on for Sayer in the second half, hometown hero Michelle Heyman had a hand in the Matildas' third goal in the 71st minute when she found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. However, Pereyra poked the ball away from Heyman's feet, only for it to be turned in by Emily van Egmond. Heyman finally got her goal in the 83rd minute after Foord again pressured the Argentinian defence into a mistake on the edge of their box, with the veteran squeezing the ball in off a defender from a tight angle. An early concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of youngster Kahli Johnson, who limped off late in the first half. But he takes over a Matildas side in much healthier shape than when Sermanni did after a disappointing Olympics campaign. "I felt, when I came into squad, the confidence and the belief in the players, collectively and individually, was at a fairly low ebb," Sermanni said. "I think what's happened in that time is that we've been able to bring back a little bit more confidence in the squad. "But also able to start to bring players who have been kind of on the outside of the squad into believing that they feel part of the squad - players like Amy." After 11 months of gruelling rehab and 549 days without a Matildas start, Amy Sayer was happy to just be on the field against Argentina, let alone scoring a brace to send off interim coach Tom Sermanni in winning style against Argentina. The 23-year-old struck twice in the first half to secure a 4-1 win in front of a record 25,125 crowd at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Monday night. Alongside Arsenal striker Caitlin Foord, Sayer terrorised the Argentinian defence with her pace and incisive runs. You could scarcely believe that, not too long ago, a devastating ACL injury had her questioning whether she would be able to fully recover. "I worked really hard to get to this point, and I think it showed on the field, the work that I put in and the time," she said. "There was a point in my rehab where I didn't even think I'd be able to walk properly again. "So, yeah, the biggest thing is just for me to be on the field, and anything extra is just a bonus." The Matildas dominated possession and scoring opportunities, as the midfield pairing of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Clare Wheeler outclassed their South American opponents. But some nervy moments at the back between Steph Catley and Natasha Prior gave the tourists a sniff, with the dangerous Kishi Nunez a persistent threat. Their sixth-straight victory on home soil is a happy parting gift for Sermanni in his third stint in charge of the national side, and a promising omen for his replacement, former Lyon boss Joe Montemurro. Sayer opened the scoring in the 14th minute, popping up at the far post to ram home a deflected volley after a searching Kahli Johnson cross evaded a sea of players. Argentina struggled to play through the Matildas' high press and failed to exert any real pressure when the home side had the ball. But a seemingly innocuous through-ball left Prior all at sea, and the door open for Nunez to steal in behind unchecked and curl the ball past a diving Teagan Micah, ending a run of four home clean sheets for the Matildas. The response was swift, though. Foord, who menaced defenders all night, nicked the ball near the halfway line before releasing Sayer . From an unfriendly angle, Sayer picked out the far corner past the outstretched gloves of goalkeeper Solana Pereyra. As the Argentinians tired in the second half, the game opened up for the Matildas. Sayer nearly sealed a hat-trick in the 54th minute fter being sent through by Catley but sprayed her shot from the right high and wide. Holly McNamara nearly scored her first Matildas goal in the 57th minute but the prolific Melbourne City forward's volley from eight yards was smartly stopped by Pereyra. After being subbed on for Sayer in the second half, hometown hero Michelle Heyman had a hand in the Matildas' third goal in the 71st minute when she found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. However, Pereyra poked the ball away from Heyman's feet, only for it to be turned in by Emily van Egmond. Heyman finally got her goal in the 83rd minute after Foord again pressured the Argentinian defence into a mistake on the edge of their box, with the veteran squeezing the ball in off a defender from a tight angle. An early concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of youngster Kahli Johnson, who limped off late in the first half. But he takes over a Matildas side in much healthier shape than when Sermanni did after a disappointing Olympics campaign. "I felt, when I came into squad, the confidence and the belief in the players, collectively and individually, was at a fairly low ebb," Sermanni said. "I think what's happened in that time is that we've been able to bring back a little bit more confidence in the squad. "But also able to start to bring players who have been kind of on the outside of the squad into believing that they feel part of the squad - players like Amy."
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Sayer comeback double seals Matildas win over Argentina
Amy Sayer scored a double in her first Matildas start in 549 days to send off coach Tom Sermanni in winning style against Argentina. Making a long-awaited return to the starting line-up from a devastating ACL injury, the 23-year-old struck twice in the first half to secure a 4-1 win in front of a record 25,125 crowd at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Monday night. The Matildas dominated possession and scoring opportunities, as the midfield pairing of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Clare Wheeler outclassed their South American opponents. But some nervy moments at the back between Steph Catley and Natasha Prior gave the tourists a sniff, with the dangerous Kishi Nunez a persistent threat. Regardless, their sixth-straight victory on home soil is a happy parting gift to interim coach Sermanni in his final game in charge of the national side before being replaced by former Lyon boss Joe Montemurro, who was at the game. Australia were buoyed by the return of captain Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Cooney-Cross to the starting XI. The trio were rested for Friday's 2-0 win over Argentina following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sayer opened the scoring in the 14th minute, popping up at the far post to ram home a deflected volley into the far corner after a searching Kahli Johnson cross evaded a sea of players. Argentina struggled to play through the Matildas' high press and failed to exert any real pressure when the home side had the ball. But a seemingly innocuous through-ball left Prior all at sea and after misjudging an interception left the door open for Nunez to steal in behind unchecked. The diminutive No.9 settled herself, opened herself up and with her right foot curled the ball past a diving Teagan Micah inside the far post, ending a streak of four clean sheets for the Matildas at home. Still, the home side wouldn't lay down their lead for long. Foord menaced the visitors all night, constantly harrying the Argentinian defenders in possession and threatening to win the ball high up field. After nicking the ball near the halfway line, the 30-year-old drove into the Argentinian half before releasing Sayer in behind a retreating opposition defence. From an unfriendly angle, Sayer picked out the far corner past the outstretched gloves of goalkeeper Solana Pereyra. As the Argentinians tired in the second half, the chances came thick and fast for the Matildas. Sayer nearly sealed a hat-trick in the 54th after being sent through by Catley but sprayed her shot from the right high and wide. Holly McNamara nearly scored her first Matildas goal in the 57th minute but the prolific Melbourne City forward's volley from eight yards out was smartly stopped by a well-positioned Pereyra. Hometown hero Michelle Heyman, subbed on for Sayer, nearly sent the Canberra crowd into raptures in the 66th minute but was denied by Pereyra with two smart back-to-back saves. She almost scored again when sent one-on-one with the goalkeeper six minutes later but Pereyra poked the ball away from Heyman's feet, only for it to be turned in by Emily van Egmond. Heyman finally got her goal in the 83rd minute after Foord again pressured the Argentinian defence into a mistake on the edge of their box, with the veteran squeezing the ball in off a defender from a tight angle. Debutant Isabel Gomez also managed to get a run late on but failed to make much of an impression with her limited time. An early concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of youngster Kahli Johnson, who limped from the field late in the first half. Amy Sayer scored a double in her first Matildas start in 549 days to send off coach Tom Sermanni in winning style against Argentina. Making a long-awaited return to the starting line-up from a devastating ACL injury, the 23-year-old struck twice in the first half to secure a 4-1 win in front of a record 25,125 crowd at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Monday night. The Matildas dominated possession and scoring opportunities, as the midfield pairing of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Clare Wheeler outclassed their South American opponents. But some nervy moments at the back between Steph Catley and Natasha Prior gave the tourists a sniff, with the dangerous Kishi Nunez a persistent threat. Regardless, their sixth-straight victory on home soil is a happy parting gift to interim coach Sermanni in his final game in charge of the national side before being replaced by former Lyon boss Joe Montemurro, who was at the game. Australia were buoyed by the return of captain Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Cooney-Cross to the starting XI. The trio were rested for Friday's 2-0 win over Argentina following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sayer opened the scoring in the 14th minute, popping up at the far post to ram home a deflected volley into the far corner after a searching Kahli Johnson cross evaded a sea of players. Argentina struggled to play through the Matildas' high press and failed to exert any real pressure when the home side had the ball. But a seemingly innocuous through-ball left Prior all at sea and after misjudging an interception left the door open for Nunez to steal in behind unchecked. The diminutive No.9 settled herself, opened herself up and with her right foot curled the ball past a diving Teagan Micah inside the far post, ending a streak of four clean sheets for the Matildas at home. Still, the home side wouldn't lay down their lead for long. Foord menaced the visitors all night, constantly harrying the Argentinian defenders in possession and threatening to win the ball high up field. After nicking the ball near the halfway line, the 30-year-old drove into the Argentinian half before releasing Sayer in behind a retreating opposition defence. From an unfriendly angle, Sayer picked out the far corner past the outstretched gloves of goalkeeper Solana Pereyra. As the Argentinians tired in the second half, the chances came thick and fast for the Matildas. Sayer nearly sealed a hat-trick in the 54th after being sent through by Catley but sprayed her shot from the right high and wide. Holly McNamara nearly scored her first Matildas goal in the 57th minute but the prolific Melbourne City forward's volley from eight yards out was smartly stopped by a well-positioned Pereyra. Hometown hero Michelle Heyman, subbed on for Sayer, nearly sent the Canberra crowd into raptures in the 66th minute but was denied by Pereyra with two smart back-to-back saves. She almost scored again when sent one-on-one with the goalkeeper six minutes later but Pereyra poked the ball away from Heyman's feet, only for it to be turned in by Emily van Egmond. Heyman finally got her goal in the 83rd minute after Foord again pressured the Argentinian defence into a mistake on the edge of their box, with the veteran squeezing the ball in off a defender from a tight angle. Debutant Isabel Gomez also managed to get a run late on but failed to make much of an impression with her limited time. An early concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of youngster Kahli Johnson, who limped from the field late in the first half. Amy Sayer scored a double in her first Matildas start in 549 days to send off coach Tom Sermanni in winning style against Argentina. Making a long-awaited return to the starting line-up from a devastating ACL injury, the 23-year-old struck twice in the first half to secure a 4-1 win in front of a record 25,125 crowd at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Monday night. The Matildas dominated possession and scoring opportunities, as the midfield pairing of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Clare Wheeler outclassed their South American opponents. But some nervy moments at the back between Steph Catley and Natasha Prior gave the tourists a sniff, with the dangerous Kishi Nunez a persistent threat. Regardless, their sixth-straight victory on home soil is a happy parting gift to interim coach Sermanni in his final game in charge of the national side before being replaced by former Lyon boss Joe Montemurro, who was at the game. Australia were buoyed by the return of captain Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Cooney-Cross to the starting XI. The trio were rested for Friday's 2-0 win over Argentina following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sayer opened the scoring in the 14th minute, popping up at the far post to ram home a deflected volley into the far corner after a searching Kahli Johnson cross evaded a sea of players. Argentina struggled to play through the Matildas' high press and failed to exert any real pressure when the home side had the ball. But a seemingly innocuous through-ball left Prior all at sea and after misjudging an interception left the door open for Nunez to steal in behind unchecked. The diminutive No.9 settled herself, opened herself up and with her right foot curled the ball past a diving Teagan Micah inside the far post, ending a streak of four clean sheets for the Matildas at home. Still, the home side wouldn't lay down their lead for long. Foord menaced the visitors all night, constantly harrying the Argentinian defenders in possession and threatening to win the ball high up field. After nicking the ball near the halfway line, the 30-year-old drove into the Argentinian half before releasing Sayer in behind a retreating opposition defence. From an unfriendly angle, Sayer picked out the far corner past the outstretched gloves of goalkeeper Solana Pereyra. As the Argentinians tired in the second half, the chances came thick and fast for the Matildas. Sayer nearly sealed a hat-trick in the 54th after being sent through by Catley but sprayed her shot from the right high and wide. Holly McNamara nearly scored her first Matildas goal in the 57th minute but the prolific Melbourne City forward's volley from eight yards out was smartly stopped by a well-positioned Pereyra. Hometown hero Michelle Heyman, subbed on for Sayer, nearly sent the Canberra crowd into raptures in the 66th minute but was denied by Pereyra with two smart back-to-back saves. She almost scored again when sent one-on-one with the goalkeeper six minutes later but Pereyra poked the ball away from Heyman's feet, only for it to be turned in by Emily van Egmond. Heyman finally got her goal in the 83rd minute after Foord again pressured the Argentinian defence into a mistake on the edge of their box, with the veteran squeezing the ball in off a defender from a tight angle. Debutant Isabel Gomez also managed to get a run late on but failed to make much of an impression with her limited time. An early concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of youngster Kahli Johnson, who limped from the field late in the first half.
7NEWS
4 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Amy Sayer caps fairytale return after 549 days as Matildas thump Argentina
Amy Sayer scored a double in her first Matildas start in 549 days to send off coach Tom Sermanni in winning style against Argentina. Making a long-awaited return to the starting line-up from a devastating ACL injury, the 23-year-old struck twice in the first half to secure a 4-1 win in front of a record 25,125 crowd at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Monday night. The Matildas dominated possession and scoring opportunities, as the midfield pairing of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Clare Wheeler outclassed their South American opponents. But some nervy moments at the back between Steph Catley and Natasha Prior gave the tourists a sniff, with the dangerous Kishi Nunez a persistent threat. Regardless, their sixth-straight victory on home soil is a happy parting gift to interim coach Sermanni in his final game in charge of the national side before being replaced by former Lyon boss Joe Montemurro, who was at the game. Australia were buoyed by the return of captain Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Cooney-Cross to the starting XI. The trio were rested for Friday's 2-0 win over Argentina following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sayer opened the scoring in the 14th minute, popping up at the far post to ram home a deflected volley into the far corner after a searching Kahli Johnson cross evaded a sea of players. Argentina struggled to play through the Matildas' high press and failed to exert any real pressure when the home side had the ball. But a seemingly innocuous through-ball left Prior all at sea and after misjudging an interception left the door open for Nunez to steal in behind unchecked. The diminutive No.9 settled herself, opened herself up and with her right foot curled the ball past a diving Teagan Micah inside the far post, ending a streak of four clean sheets for the Matildas at home. But the home side wouldn't lay down their lead for long. Foord menaced the visitors all night, constantly harrying the Argentinian defenders in possession and threatening to win the ball high up field. After nicking the ball near the halfway line, the 30-year-old drove into the Argentinian half before releasing Sayer in behind a retreating opposition defence. From an unfriendly angle, Sayer picked out the far corner past the outstretched gloves of goalkeeper Solana Pereyra. As the Argentinians tired in the second half, the chances came thick and fast for the Matildas. Sayer nearly sealed a hat-trick in the 54th after being sent through by Catley but sprayed her shot from the right high and wide. Holly McNamara nearly scored her first Matildas goal in the 57th minute but the prolific Melbourne City forward's volley from eight yards out was smartly stopped by a well-positioned Pereyra. Hometown hero Michelle Heyman, subbed on for Sayer, nearly sent the Canberra crowd into raptures in the 66th minute but was denied by Pereyra with two smart back-to-back saves. She almost scored again when sent one-on-one with the goalkeeper six minutes later but Pereyra poked the ball away from Heyman's feet, only for it to be turned in by Emily van Egmond. Heyman finally got her goal in the 83rd minute after Foord again pressured the Argentinian defence into a mistake on the edge of their box, with the veteran squeezing the ball in off a defender from a tight angle. Debutant Isabel Gomez also managed to get a run late on but failed to make much of an impression with her limited time. An early concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of youngster Kahli Johnson, who limped from the field late in the first half.
