By Kieran Yap 9/8/25
Above: The starting lineup for Australia. Photo: Football Australia.
Australia 3-0 Palestine
The Young Matildas have won their second game in Asian Cup qualifying with a 3-0 defeat of Palestine. Goals to Peta Trimis, Amber Luchtmeijer and Maya Lobo were enough to overcome and organized defence and excellent performance from goalkeeper Miraf Marouf.
Following the 14-0 opening game, coach Alex Epakis rotated the squad. Caley Tallon-Henniker, Peta Trimis and Milly Broughton were brought into the front three, with hatrick hero Sienna Saveska dropping into a deeper role similar to what Avaani Prakash occupied in the first win.
The new look attack opened the scoring in the seventh minute. A long ball from Saveska to the right flank found Tallon-Henniker. Her cross to the back post was met by Trimis and despite the first effort being blocked like Marouf, the ball was forced over the line.
Despite the early goal, the floodgates never opened in the same way that they did against Tajikistan. That was mostly due to Palestine getting numbers behind the baall but not surrendering too much territory. The plan looked to be shutting out Australia’s midfield, and largely it worked. It was left the to the defenders to find the free players with longer, more direct passing.
The cost to this for Palestine is that they were unable to counter attack with any real effect, which meant that although both teams looked comfortable in the game, it spent much of the first half in stalemate.
The longer the score stayed at 1-0, though the higher the chances of a surprise draw felt. In the second half Epakis brought on Luchtmeijer and Skye Halmarick. The impact was almost instant with Luchtmeijer finding enough space to tap home Trimis’s cross from the left wing.
It was a hard earned goal, although Trimis was routinely able to find space for crosses throughout the game, finding an open player amid a crowded defence was rare. Luchtmeijer’s movement allowed Australia to breathe a little easier.
The result was sealed with Maya Lobo’s headed goal in the 75th minute. She rose highest to nod in Prakash’s corner for Australia’s third. It was an athletic header. Lobo was forced the generate most of the power herself and did enough to direct it across goal to the far post.
3-0 and job done. It was not as fluid a game as the fist thumping win, but Australia were persistent, professional and able to find solutions against a well organized opponent. After one full days rest they will face Chinese Taipei and secure their place in the Asian Cup.
Teams: Australia: Melegh, Bennett, Lobo, Dewey, Broughton, Cassar, Saveska, Tallon-Henniker, Trimis, Sullivan, Kinsella. Substitutes: Bertolissio, Breier, Luchtmeijer, Halmarick, Black, Fuller, Kruger, Apostolakis, Prakash, Caspers, Fante, Younis.
Goals: Trimis 7’ Luchtmeijer 64’ Lobo 75’
Palestine: Marouf, Osorio, Abuasfar, Abdeen, Barakat, Halawani, Ghneim, Ataman, Samarat, Sabbagh, Kasssis. Substitutes: Belbaisi, Naber, Safi, Daas, Phillips, Abuzarour, Quirresh, Ibaideya, Ghrouf.
Referee: TBC
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