Australia 4-1 Argentina
by Alyce Collett (2/6/25)
Above: Amy Sayer celebrates after scoring for Australia against Argentina in Canberra tonight. Photo: Football Australia.
Australia has recorded a clean sweep in its two-match series with Argentina after winning game two 4-1 in Canberra tonight.
Amy Sayer was the star for the Matildas, scoring a brace and showing incredible versatility, and was supported with goals from Emily van Egmond and Michelle Heyman. Argentina did score a goal through Kishi Nunez, but were totally outclassed by the Matildas in the second half as the home side stepped up a gear after the interval.
Despite plenty of changes to the starting 11, it was a fairly positive start from the Matildas, who were more on the front foot early than their visitors were.
Argentina had its chances, but the home side had more of the possession and, as a consequence, had more of the threatening chances in front of goal.
Australia did not take too long to make the most of that dominance to get on the board, with Sayer getting on the end of a well-positioned Kahli Johnson cross to pop a first-touch shot into the bottom corner of the Argentinian net and put the Matildas in front.
However, it was not even 10 minutes later before Argentina countered with a goal of their own, after Kishi Nunez pounced on a mistake in the Matildas’ defence to level up proceedings.
The Matildas were forced into an unplanned early change just on the half-hour mark when Johnson was forced off with a quad concern, and was ultimately replaced by Holly McNamara.
Despite the interruption to the line-up, this did not stop the Matildas’ momentum as they picked up their second goal with about 10 minutes left in the half. Sayer, who was now on the opposite wing to where she scored her first goal, got on the end of a very well-placed Caitlin Foord through ball to again strike the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
Argentina did have some moments of threat late in the first half, with the likes of Florencia Bonsegundo really starting to step up, but ultimately, the South Americans could not add to Nunez’s goal before half time.
The home side came out with a pep in their step in the second half, dominating possession and playing on the front foot.
The Australians kept racking up the shots on goal, but just could not quite find the right angle to get any of them in the back of the net to extend their lead. Argentina did have their moments of positivity in possession, but did not even come close to threatening to score.
Australia did eventually find itself a third goal, after Van Egmond pounced on a deflection to power a shot home.
The solidifying of the lead and dominance in possession meant that Matildas’ coach Tom Sermanni was able to try a couple of different things, including bringing on younger faces and capping a second debutant this window after bringing on Isabel Gomez midway through the half.
Even with all the changes, the Matildas could not stop scoring, with hometown hero Heyman also getting on the board in the final 10 minutes of the match after wrong-footing the Argentinian keeper and sneaking a shot into the bottom of the net.
Heyman’s goal capped off a really impressive performance for the Matildas, who sent off the departing Sermanni on a winning note.
Teams: AUSTRALIA (4-4-2): Micah, Grant, Prior, Catley, Nevin, Johnson, Wheeler, Cooney-Cross, Sayer, van Egmond, Foord. Substitutes: McNamara (for Johnson 32′), Heyman (for Sayer 62′), Kennedy (for Prior 62′), Rankin (for Nevin 76′), Gomez (for van Egmond 77′), Torpey (for Grant 77′).
Scorers: Sayer 14′, 36′. van Egmond 72′, Heyman 83′.
ARGENTINA (4-4-2): Pereya, R. Nunez, Braun, Cometti, Martin, Pereyra, Dominguez, Preininger, Bonsegundo, Rodriguez, K. Nunez. Substitutes: Roggerone (for R. Nunez 46′), Gramaglia (for Dominguez 71′), M. Vargas (for Rodriguez 71′), Stabile (for Martin 84′), A. Vargas (for K. Nunez 84′), Gimenez (for Preininger 89′).
Scorer: K. Nunez 23′.
Referee: Supiree Testhomya (THA).
Attendance: 25,125.
Follow Impetus on social media –
Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball
Instagram: @impetusfootball
impetusfootball.org 