"A goal from captain Sam Kerr in the first half saw the hosts secure their first points of the tournament in front of 44,379 people at Perth Stadium, breaking the record for the highest-attended Asian Cup match on its very first day."
"Having gathered in camp all together just a week ago, signs of rustiness were evident throughout the game as the Matildas struggled to break down a tightly packed Philippines defence. It took several minutes for the ball to find Australia's front three of Kerr, Caitlin Foord, and Hayley Raso, with Mark Torcaso's side diligently protecting their wide flanks and double-teaming both of Australia's wingers."
"Perth-born Kerr led the side out in front of her home town fans for the first time since November 2023, in what was her last appearance for the Matildas before sustaining the ACL injury that kept her out of football for almost two years."
The Matildas secured a 1-0 victory over the Philippines in their Asian Cup group-stage match at Perth Stadium, with Sam Kerr scoring in the 13th minute. The match drew 44,379 spectators, setting a record for the highest-attended Asian Cup match. Despite the win, Australia displayed rustiness throughout the game, struggling to break down the Philippines' compact defensive setup. The team had only gathered in camp a week prior, and coordination issues were evident, including a collision between Ellie Carpenter and Hayley Raso. Mary Fowler made her return from injury in the second half. Goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln earned a surprise start after Jada Whyman withdrew from the squad on match day.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]