Australia 2-0 Argentina
by Isabelle Campbell at Marvel Stadium for Impetus (30/5/25).
Above: Kahli Johnson celebrates her debut goal for Australia. Photo: Football Australia.
The Matildas put on an outstanding display of attacking mindset in a 2-0 win over Argentina at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. With several senior players unavailable, the fixture allowed fringe players to make their names known to the nation.
The match marked a significant milestone for interim head coach Tom Sermanni, who led the national team for the 150th time. Having previously coached the Matildas from 1994 to 1997 and again from 2005 to 2012, Sermanni has returned to guide the squad through a period of transition and development.
With a mix of emerging talent and experienced players, the fixture provided a valuable opportunity to test new ideas and build team cohesion ahead of more competitive challenges.
Newest call-up to the national team, Kahli Johnson earned herself a spot in the starting XI, making her cap number 237 for the Matildas.
From the starting whistle, Australia kept the ball at their feet, getting themselves well into the final third and looking to open the scoring early on.
In just the sixth minute, Holly McNamara delivered a ball into the box, which managed to find the foot of debutant Johnson, but her effort was sent high over the crossbar.
The Australians continued to press with Jamilla Rankin also sending the ball into the area, though there were no teammates there to meet it, and Argentina’s goalkeeper, Abigail Chaves, pulled off a great stop.
McNamara was the next to step up, but she too was unable to bring the ball down low enough to affect the scoreline.
The Matildas dominated early proceedings, pinning Argentina inside their own half, but just failing to convert their chances into something tangible.
Argentina had their first chance on goal in the 15th minute when Florencia Bonsegundo managed to perfectly bring the ball down to her feet and get a shot off, although the attempt was not quite low enough to trouble Teagan Micah in goal.
Johnson continued to look confident on the ball and desperate to make a difference to the scoreline.
The breakthrough came in the 38th minute, and it was the debutant Johnson who made all the difference. Assisted by Charli Grant with a perfectly weighted cross, she found the back of the net with a powerful strike. First game, first goal, and a player to watch.
The two sides went in at half time with the Matildas looking to maintain the level of pressure and Argentina hoping to turn their luck around.
The whistle blew on the second half, and within minutes, Johnson again looked to exploit the gaps in Argentina’s defensive line, just missing the mark from the edge of the area.
Argentina found their rhythm throughout the second half and looked more comfortable on the ball, though they still failed to create any threat to the home side’s backline.
Still hungry for her own debut international goal, McNamara continued to look dangerous in the box, peppering the keeper with shot after shot.
A free kick outside the area was unable to further the Matildas’ lead, being sent just over the top by Alanna Kennedy.
Adding to the list of milestone moments, after nearly a year on the sidelines with an ACL injury, Amy Sayer made her long-awaited return to the national side and immediately looked to prove that time away hadn’t slowed her down.
Moments later, Kaitlyn Torpey made the net ripple for a second time, both in the game and in her own international career, making a run down the right-hand side and turning what appeared to be an attempt at a cross into a goal.
Fueled with confidence, the Australians pushed further forward, and it was Clare Wheeler who struck a goalbound effort next, but the Argentinian keeper managed to just get a hand in and knock it off course.
It wasn’t until the 80th minute that the South Americans registered their first shot on target, giving goalkeeper Micah her first action of the night.
Despite four minutes of added time, neither side was able to change the scoreline, and the Matildas walked away with a win that shows promise as we edge closer to another home soil competition.
With another friendly against Argentina still to come in Canberra on Monday night, Sermanni and his staff should be encouraged by the signs of growth and cohesion on display in Melbourne.
To view an EXCLUSIVE gallery of images from the game by Impetus’ Tilly McDonald, visit our Instagram page @ImpetusFootball.
Teams: AUSTRALIA (4-4-2) : Micah, Heatley, Hunt, Wheeler, Torpey, Van Egmond, Kennedy, McNamara, Grant, Johnson, Rankin. Substitutes: Nevin, Foord, Cooney-Cross, Aquino, Prior, Sayer, Davidson, Henry, Catley, Whyman, Gomez, Heyman.
Scorers: Johnson 38’, Torpey 69’.
ARGENTINA (4-4-2): Chaves, Stabile, Roggerone, Preininger, Cometti, Pereyra, Rodriguez, Braun, Bonsegundo, Dominguez, Giminez. Substitutes: M. Vargas, R. Nūnez, A. Vargas, K. Nūnez, Martin, Altgelt, Gramaglia, Gomez.
Referee: Pansa Chaisanit (THA).
Attendance: 43,020.
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