Matildas send 'statement' to World Cup rivals

1 year ago 82

Matildas prima Hayley Raso says she and her teammates person sent retired a "statement" to the remainder of the shot satellite up of the FIFA World Cup aft defeating Spain successful a pulsating clash.

Despite missing 15 archetypal squad players, Spain inactive fielded a squad afloat of prime including seasoned guardant Jenni Hermoso and Atletico Madrid midfielder Irene Guerrero, but went down 3-2 to the Australians.

Cortnee Vine, Clare Polkinghorne and Caitlin Foord deed the scoreboard for Tony Gustavsson's broadside successful the awesome win, with each 3 goals coming successful an electrical first-half performance.

"I deliberation it is simply a statement," Raso said aft the match.

"We've treated this campy and these games arsenic a signifier for the World Cup, and we've travel retired and won 2 from two. Hopefully we tin get 3 (wins) from 3 successful the adjacent game."

In beforehand of a steadfast assemblage of 17,333 astatine CommBank Stadium, the Matildas were looking to proceed the affirmative momentum aft their beardown 2nd fractional showing against the Czech Republic successful Gosford past week.

The Matildas lined up successful a predictable 4-4-2 enactment with Western Sydney youngster Clare Hunt lining up alongside Polkinghorne successful the centre of defence arsenic she looked to further property her claims up of the World Cup aboriginal this year.

Charlotte Grant besides started for the Matildas astatine close backmost arsenic the 21-year old's meteoric emergence continued with the young Sweden-based defender again looking to amusement her qualities aft an awesome showing successful the archetypal crippled against the Czech Republic.

The Matildas looked to utilise the gait of Sam Kerr and Foord up beforehand from the footwear disconnected arsenic they placed balls successful down a precocious pressing Spanish defence.

The opening extremity though came from different 1 of Australia's guardant threats arsenic Vine scored lone her 3rd extremity for the Matildas aft bending the shot successful from conscionable extracurricular the container past the flailing arms of the Spanish goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez into the apical near country successful the 11th minute.

Spain soon recovered themselves 2-0 down arsenic Polkinghorne took vantage of immoderate slack Spanish defending to poke location from wrong the six-yard container successful the 16th minute.

They continued to struggled to make wide goal-scoring opportunities arsenic Australia astir made it 3-0 successful the 37th infinitesimal arsenic a delightful transverse from the close recovered Sam Kerr who headed location lone to beryllium flagged offside.

The Matildas though did marque it 3-0 successful the 42nd infinitesimal aft a beauteous flighted escaped footwear from Steph Catley recovered an unmarked Foord who couldn't miss arsenic she headed in.

Spain began the 2nd fractional the stronger and carved retired their champion accidental of the lucifer successful the 61st infinitesimal arsenic Australian goalkeeper Arnold denied Hermoso from adjacent range.

The visitors though did propulsion a extremity backmost successful the 73rd infinitesimal arsenic Olga Carmona deed a saccharine near volley past Arnold to contradict the Matildas a 2nd consecutive cleanable expanse successful the Cup of Nations.

Spain past added a 2nd extremity successful wounded clip arsenic Alba Redondo ensured it would beryllium a nervy decorativeness for Australia.

Many of the question marks surrounding the Matildas and their quality to triumph a location World Cup person surrounded their quality to support and respond to unit moments particularly against precocious prime opposition.

In truth, Spain were outclassed arsenic the gait and mobility of the Australian squad overwhelmed a heavy weakened Spanish outfit.

The antiaircraft question marks surrounding the Matildas though stay arsenic Spain astatine times were capable to make and agelong a ascendant Matildas team.

The awesome showings by young defenders Grant and Hunt volition travel arsenic encouragement for Gustavsson arsenic the World Cup nears arsenic helium looks to solidify a sometimes leaky backline.

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