Above: Caitlin Foord and Joe Montemurro speak to the media at the MD-1 press conference. Image: Genevieve Henry for Impetus Football.
By Genevieve Henry (6/8/2026)
Matildas forward Caitlin Foord is set to make her 150th appearance in the green and gold as Australia hosts Mexico in Sydney for game two of the friendly series. Foord and head coach Joe Montemurro spoke to the media after MD-1 training.
Mexico stunned Australia with a late winner in Newcastle Saturday night in a game where the Matildas lacked a clinical edge despite dominating with 61% possession and 19 shots.
“When we dominate as much as we did in that game, with possession, we want an end product,” Foord said. “In the final third, the last pass, the last touch to have a shot just got away from us…we want to be better at that and create more goalscoring opportunities.”
While the loss is not the result Montemurro was searching for, he emphasized that Mexico was chosen as the opponent for a reason and they delivered with their tactics and aggression.
“These games are all about different styles, different ideas,” Montemurro said. “In my whole career, I’ve probably seen two teams that lift their fullbacks so high, so aggressively. They’re teams that have five or six up top and they go long — I haven’t seen it for a long, long time, and the players haven’t seen it for a long time.”
Montemurro said the momentum shift in the latter part of the first half gave Australia trouble as Mexico’s style of play became more direct. While the Matildas’ undoing was in their lack of finishing and meaningful chances, Mexico’s play set them up to win it in the dying moments.
“We had to study it, we had to analyze it, not get emotional about it and understand that it is a learning process,” Montemurro said.
Australia will have another chance to thwart Mexico in Sydney, who will enter tomorrow’s game on a ten-game winning streak. Foord will look to be a part of a more effective attacking line and put her name on the scoresheet in her milestone game.
Since Foord’s debut in 2011, the forward has become one of the most recognizable names in world football and earned a myriad of accolades and honors, including Best Young Player at the FIFA Women’s World Cup just a few months after making her debut.
Foord recollected her debut where former Matilda Heather Garriock was honored for reaching an appearance milestone.
“I remember having that moment and thinking that’s what I want to do,” Foord said. “So to be sitting here now so far on, it’s special to think that I have gone and done that.”
“The first time you put on a Matildas jersey you don’t know how many times you’re gonna get that opportunity,” Foord said. “To put it on for 150 times tomorrow, that’s a massive honor. You want to play as much as you can for your country and give everything, so it will be a special moment for me and my family. To take the field so many times with the girls that I’ve had along the way…it’s something I’m very proud of.”
Foord still has her eyes on a major trophy and has spent her career battling it out, getting near on multiple occasions.
“We want to do something special — I know we’ve done a lot of special stuff — but for us, it’s to win something.” Foord said, “We’ve come close a few times now and that goal is still there and to achieve that with this group of girls would be special.”
Australia hosts Mexico at 7 AEST in Sydney tomorrow.
Follow Impetus on social media:
@ImpetusFootball on Threads, Instagram and TikTok.
impetusfootball.org 