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Matildas lose, but plenty to learn from the games against Brazil

By Kieran Yap 2/12/24

Above: Kyra Cooney-Cross carries the ball into attack. Photo Kris Goman for Impetus.

The Matildas have lost two games against Brazil, and pride would be as sore as some of the bodies after two bruising, intense contests. But there were things to take from these games for the short and long term. When the next permanent manager arrives, they will have some valuable information from this window so far.

Brazil, what the hell?

International football is almost always a step up from most domestic leagues. It is faster and more unforgiving even in friendly matches. However, even by those standards, the two games against Brazil felt like grudge matches that happened to be World Cup knockout games. There was nothing at stake, but you would not know that from the way both teams approached every individual contest.

Brazil set the tone for this. From the first whistle they acted like everything was at stake. It felt like something of a surprise to both fans, and the referee, but perhaps it should not have been.

Brazil are preparing to host the 2027 World Cup, they have a new coach and no time to waste. Every game is a chance to discover something about their team and in this window, it was to make a statement.

Brazil have not beaten Australia since 2016. In 2017 they lost 6-2 to The Matildas and in 2019 they were defeated at the World Cup after leading 2-0.

Despite boasting some all time greats of the game like Marta, Formiga and Debinha, Brazil could never get the job done against Australia in regular time. This was a chance to make a statement, that despite the retirement of legends it was a new era in Brazilian football.

In the same way that Australia needed to beat a European team in the lead up to the 2023 World Cup, Brazil needed to cross The Matildas off their list of unconquered mountains.

They employed every tactic in the book and plenty that aren’t, but they did it. This was no friendly to them, this was a line in the sand and an important win. Now they can move on to the next challenge on the way to their ultimate goal on home soil.

The Backline

But moving on to The Matildas. The first game in Brisbane marks the second time that Tom Sermanni has deployed a back five. On paper it looks defensive, but two of Australia’s best attacking weapons are the delivery of Steph Catley and the tenacious skill of Ellie Carpenter.

The back five theoretically allows them both to get forward, overlap with the strikers and midfielders and get into damaging positions. It makes sense, both are among the best in the world in their positions, and Australia should try basing their game plan around either or both in the same way England have long done the same with Lucy Bronze.

The problem was they both were exposed on the counterattack. The bigger problem is this was not their fault.

With a back five and three midfielders. The fullbacks should be able to bomb forward with relative abandon.

Ideally, one of three things should happen. Either the defensive midfielder should move to one of the flanks as cover, one of the wide midfielders should drop back on the open flank, or any of the three centre backs should cover.

This did not really happen. Likely it was because of minimal preparation time. A tactic like this takes many games and training sessions to drill into a team. Players have to be ready to read not only the opposition’s movements but their teammates and know when to change position.

Additionally, none of Australia’s three centre backs are known for their strength out wide. Alanna Kennedy and Clare Hunt proved excellent and defending deep and starting attacks during the World Cup, but out wide and on-on-one against rapid wingers is not their strong suit.

The good news is that Australia does have options to fill these roles, and both players are good enough to learn them in time. The likes of Jessika Nash, Winona Heatley, Jamilla Rankin, and Courtney Nevin are all adept at playing fullback or central defence making them ideal for this system when their time arrives.

Not included in this camp is Alexia Apostolakis who is one of the best exponents of playing in a back three or five in the A-League Women. Another option is moving Steph Catley to one of the centre back positions and using Charli Grant in her favoured left back role. It was the position she played perhaps her best football for Australia and dominated that flank in the friendly against England.

It is possible to play this system, and it may even be the best way for Australia to attack, but either the incumbent defenders need to learn how to deal with quickfire counterattacks out wide, or we need to wait for the younger players to develop into senior ones before relying on a back five.

What we do know is it allows Catley and Carpenter to be at their best, and when those two are flying forward, Australia looks world class.

The midfield

The midfield was under-strength in both games, without Katrina Gorry, Mary Fowler or Clare Wheeler from the usual squad, and with Izzy Gomez and Hana Lowry unavailable for this one, Australia had to shuffle and improvise.

Winona Heatley started in midfield for the first game and was one of Australia’s best performers. She was brave on the ball and combative without it. it is not her best position, but the way she handled her first start and big crowd will be something for the next coach to consider.

In the second game the formation shifted slightly. The defence switched to a more familiar back four, and the midfield became a less staggered three. With Kyra Cooney-Cross, Tameka Yallop and Emily van Egmond spread across the centre.

This seemed to work much better. Cooney-Cross in particular was able to have much more influence on the game and defensively they looked stronger as a three than Heatley did as a solo six.

There is no reason to think this formation would not work even better with Gorry and Wheeler in there too. It allows both freedom and defensive shape. Australia did concede in a similar manner to the first game so it is not a total solution just yet, but they did look more in control with the ball and were able to dictate the pace of the game much more in the second match.

It is a formation that really should be explored. Although the double-pivot of Gorry and Cooney-Cross was instrumental in Australia’s run to the World Cup semi-final, it looked to have been figured out by opposition at the Olympics, where both were far less effective as a unit.

Australia were unlucky not to have an equaliser in the second game. Brazil were hanging on and for much of the second half it felt inevitable. It was not so be and The Matildas have two losses from two games, but there is plenty to be taken from this window so far.

If Sermanni or the incoming permanent manager can add to or expand on these lessons, it could open up new defensive and attacking possibilities for Australia.

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Tom Sermanni and The Matildas are ready to “fight fire with fire” against Brazil

Above: Tom Sermanni speaking to the press ahead of Australia v Brazil. Image: Football Australia.

By Genevieve Henry (30/11/24).

Ahead of the rematch with Brazil, Matildas interim head coach Tom Sermanni spoke to the press about how Australia can improve, players that impressed him, and the “unbelievable” support surrounding the team.

Thursday’s game against one of the Matildas’ biggest rivals was a brutal one in terms of physicality and aggression. Thankfully, Sermanni confirmed there were no serious injuries to his side and everyone is ready to play again. “There were a few bruised bodies the day after the game, but everybody, like most athletes, are very resilient and everybody’s back today…got the energy back and looking forward to the game tomorrow.”

He also commented on the refereeing of the match, saying, “I think it’s fair to say that I felt the referees were either intimidated or bullied the other night. And really, if they had taken control of the game early in the game, I think it would have been a very different game and potentially a very different outcome. I felt particularly that our forwards just got no protection.”

One player that particularly felt that heat was Caitlin Foord. In Sam Kerr’s absence, Foord has been the focal point of the attack and has stepped up her game in an incredible way. Sermanni heaped the praise on, saying, “I think Caitlin, this year, has taken her game to another level. I’ve watched a lot of her club football as well as international football this season, and she just seems to have gone to a different level, both physically, her ability to dribble, her goal-scoring ability, and just generally her all-round game. She’s such a significant player.”

**Above:** Foord, who has been instrumental for The Matildas this year. **Image:** Tilly McDonald.

“She doesn’t take a step backwards, as we saw last night, and she’s got great determination to win.”

Another player Sermanni was impressed by was the still new Sharn Freier. “To be honest, apart from watching her in the A-League women, I hadn’t seen a lot of her and you’re never quite sure how a player’s going to jump from that level up to the level of the other night and I thought she did an excellent job. So it’s for her then to make sure that’s not a one-off and make sure when and if she either starts or comes on tomorrow that she does exactly the same again. She’s got some fantastic qualities. Her speed with the ball and her ability to go past players was quite exceptional.”

“Yeah, I would say without having a crystal ball that (Sharn) will certainly play some part in this game. I’d be very surprised if she doesn’t. She was excellent the other night and I think that’s exactly what we want to see as a programme. We want to see players like Sharn get this opportunity and then show us the ability she’s got.”

Sermanni has brought in many fringe and new players to camp, his focus on expanding the talent pool. He commented, “there’s certainly a very good chance that there will be somebody making a debut.” We will likely see one or more of Tash Prior, Chloe Lincoln, or Leah Davidson in this match, being in the three uncapped players in camp.

“When I came into this job, I said to the players and to everybody that my intent was to do the job as if I’ve come in to do it as a proper job, as in long term. I have to stick by that because I’ve got a responsibility to the programme. But like every international, it’s a balance between planning for the future but playing in the present and a part of playing in the present is to try and get results. So it’s a combination of all of those things and it’s trying to blend it all together so you get exposure for players, fringe players or new players. But at the same time, you try not to compromise the result.”

“You again want to get that balance between putting a team out that you think can win a game but also putting players on the field that need to get that exposure and get that experience of playing at this high intensity international level.”

Now that Australia has more preparation, Sermanni is certain they are better equipped to face their opponents. “We’ve learned how aggressive Brazil are, how direct they play, where their threats are, and how dangerous they are as a team. And now that we’ve done that, we should be going into this game with better knowledge, but also better preparation in the sense that we’ve experienced the game against them.”

“I think you have to fight fire with fire. I think the challenge is that Brazil have adopted a very different style of football to what we expect Brazil to play and a very different style of football to what most of probably the top teams play.”

**Above:** Sermanni in training with The Matildas. **Image:** Richard Haines.

“So the reality is that you need to be able to match that and play against that and you need to be able to adjust to try and play effectively against that. A lot of that is actually for us to play a similar kind of game to them where we get the ball forward early and get our one-to-one match-ups against their defenders.”

Defensively, the Matildas were broken down far too easily on a few occasions. Sermanni said, “we need to try and probably do a wee bit better against their forward runs and their early forward passing. But again, that’s something you can show the players on video, but until you actually experience it, it takes a little bit of time to adjust. So hopefully, having played against it, the players will be a bit more familiar.”

Sermanni was encouraged by the opportunities the Matildas had to get behind their defence, saying, “we were either just off the pass or they fouled us or we missed the opportunity. Hopefully we can continue to do that part of the game and do it a little bit better.”

“We need to firstly nullify their threats a little bit better. We need to have the confidence and the courage to play our style of game when we get the opportunity to do that. We have to make the most of our opportunities when we get into those 1v1 situations.”

With another sellout crowd, Sermanni said the support for the team is just unbelievable. “It’s just fantastic. It’s great for women’s sport. I think it’s great for football. I think the stuff that’s happening around the Matildas now is just kind of unbelievable, to be honest.”

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USWNT’s physicality is no match for a solid Lioness side

England 0-0 United States

Above: Jess Naz shielding the ball from Casey Krueger Photo: Lionesses on X.

By Christopher Heath at Wembley Stadium for Impetus (30/11/24)

From the sound of the whistle to signal the kick-off of the highly-anticipated clash between the top two FIFA-ranked nations in the world, the sheer force of physicality by the defending Olympic champions, the United States, was on show for everyone to witness at Wembley Stadium.

Defenders Casey Krueger and Emily Sonnett were the pair of defensive culprits, however, it would be Sam Coffey who caught the eye of referee Lina Lehtovaara shortly before the quarter-hour, with the Finnish official directing the first booking of the game in the direction of the midfielder for a tactical foul on the marauding Alessia Russo, as the Arsenal striker menacingly looked to make her way deep into American territory.

Without the services of their accustomed front three, Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson or Sophia Smith – with all three not in Emma Hayes’ squad that hadn’t travelled across the pond – the visitors looked to build their footballing foundations from the opposite end of the field. Their approach seemed to work, as all three shots on target in the first half fell the USWNT’s way. First, Mary Earps kept out Alyssa Thompson in the 5th minute and then replicated her earlier expertise by denying Krueger and Coffey before half-time.

That aforementioned physicality nearly built the United States a foundation immediately following the restart. Lindsey Horan – scorer of the game’s only goal against the backdrop of the Parc des Princes versus Brazil in the 2024 Olympic Games final – had the ball into the back of the net, but rightly, in terms of regulations, saw her effort chalked off for an infringement against the offside rule.

Hoping for a tale of two halves, England manager Sarina Wiegman would have arguably been disappointed – due to the fact the Lionesses managed to call visiting keeper Alyssa Naeher into action only once – throughout the contest under the arch of Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 78,346.

On the other boot, London-born Hayes will likely have ridden the emotional rollercoaster of frustration and disappointment when the final whistle went after registering eight attempts on goal compared to the hosts’ two. Not to forget, a combination of VAR and the on-pitch monitor persuaded referee Lehtovaara to overturn her decision to award the United States a penalty after initially judging the ball to have struck Alex Greenwood’s outstretched arm via a deflection off her midriff.

Teams: ENGLAND (4-3-3): Earps, Bronze, Williamson, Greenwood, Carter, Walsh, Stanway, Park, Naz, Mead, Russo. Substitutes used: Kirby (for Park 75’), Kelly (for Naz 75’).

UNITED STATES (4-3-3): Naeher, Fox, Sonnett, Girma, Krueger, Lavelle, Coffey, Horan, Thompson, Williams, Sears. Substitutes used: Ryan (for Sears 46’), Shaw (for Williams 73’), Thompson (for Albert 73’), Sentnor (for Horan 87’).

Referee: Lena Lehtovaara (FIN)

Attendance: 78,500.

City stroll past Wanderers

Melbourne City 2-0 Western Sydney Wanderers

By Kieran Yap 30/11/24

Above: Alexia Apostolakis (right) is congratulated for her late sealer against her former club. Photo: Tilly McDonald for Impetus

Melbourne City recorded a 2-0 win over the Western Sydney Wanderers after an early goal to Mariana Speckmaier and a late strike by Alexia Apostolakis.

The score line flattered the Wanderers who were saved on multiple occasions by goalkeeper Sham Khamis.

The defending premiers named a full strength side at AAMI Park on Saturday afternoon. The visitors welcomed back one of last season’s stars in Holly Caspers. The playmaker recorded five goals and seven assists in 2023/24 but has missed the first month of this campaign through a knee injury.

Caspers started on the bench. That was not a huge surprise, but it was cause for a double take to see her joined by Sophie Harding.

The reigning Dolan Medalist was not included in the starting lineup. Robbie Hooker opted for youth in attack, a risky decision against the experience of Rebekah Stott and Taylor Otto.

City looked in control from the kickoff. Bryleeh Henry and Spexkmaier both had early chances that were thwarted hy Khamis. City’s Venezuelan striker continued to threaten and hit the woodwork twice before finally breaking the deadlock.

Western Sydney did not look overwhelmed, but not dud they appear in the contest. Their defence was merely holding on and booting the ball clear for distance, while the midfield struggled to track the mobile Leticia McKenna who pulled the string a in the middle and attack.

Bryleeh Henry celebrated her recent Matildas call up with her best performance this season. The City winger was aggressive, tricky and creative out wide and was unlucky not to break her scoring drought after she met a near post cross.

After half time, Harding and Caspers were introduced as Western Sydney searched for hope in attack. Harding immediately added spark, but Wanderers were still happy to sit back and absorb pressure, although they were only prevented from going further behind by bad finishing and good luck.

City passed as they pleased, and created chances with ease. It was clear that Western Sydney’s intention was to counter attack, but not only is that a challenge for a youthful lineup, it also brings into question how useful such tactics are for developing promising players, or how fair it is to ask a young side to effectively park the bus.

Talia Younis was the first Wanderer to register a shot on goal , well into the second half. Sienna Saveska tried her luck from range and Caspers almost broke free but both would have taken remarkable individual efforts to score.

City played the way they wanted to, and the way they dominated without Leah Davidson was a frightening sign to the rest of the competition.

At 1-0 up, they still needed a second goal to put the result to bed and had to wait until the 94th minute to be assured of a win.

Alexis Apostolakis stepped up to take a free kick just outside of the area and the deflected effort beat Khamis to make it 2-0.

After a week’s break, Western Sydney will host Western United, while Melbourne City will face a Canberra team that will surely offer more attacking intent.

Teams: MELBOURNE CITY (4-4-2:) Mieres, Apostolakis, Stott, Otto, Roestbakken, Henry, McKenna, Hughes, Speckmaier, Pollicina, Harvey. Substitutes: Accardo, Barbieri, Karic, McMahon, Meyers.

Scorers: Speckmaier 42’, Apostolakis 90+4’.

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS: (3-4-1-2) Khamis, Hayward, Harrison, Buchanan, Matos, Price, Chessari, Rue, Harada, Younis, Saveska. Substitutes: Bennett, Caspers, Harding, Ferris, Segavcic.

Referee: Caitlin Williams

Attendance: 2,097.

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Mariners recover to beat Canberra

Central Coast Mariners 2-1 Canberra United

By Alyce Collett 30/11/24

Above: Tianna Fuller celebrates her goal for Central Coast Photo: A-Leagues

The Central Coast Mariners have come from behind to defeat Canberra United two goals to one in Gosford.

Despite Canberra dominating much of the match and being rewarded with a roaring strike from Maja Markovski, two goals in five minutes from substitutes Tiana Fuller and Shadeene Evans helped the Mariners get the win.

The first half left the Mariners ruing missed opportunities, and Canberra went on to make them pay.

It was a pretty free flowing match early, with a lot of end to end football happening and both defences holding up really well.

Canberra did have more of the possession though but could not get their angles in front of goal quite right. However the Mariners had the first decent shot on goal, earning a penalty after Jade Pennock was brought down by Liz Anton in the box, but the subsequent penalty was easily saved by Sally James.

After the penalty though it was like conceding the penalty lit a fire under Canberra, who then really took control of the game and had more of the momentum, led by the efforts of the likes of Aideen Keane and Ruby Nathan. However Sarah Langman, Jess Nash and the rest of the Mariners defensive group really stood up to ensure nothing came of the several Canberra shots on goal.

Jade Pennock and Peta Trimis were trying their hardest to spark something for the home side though, but to no avail.

As the half progressed, proceedings evened up, but just as it was looking like things would remain scoreless at half time, Markovski let a shot rip from the top corner of the 18 yard box, which then sailed past Langman and into the back of the net to give those in green the lead.

Canberra almost had another goal with minutes to go in the half, but Emma Robers skewed her shot just wide of the net.

The starkest stat at half time was the shot numbers, with Canberra having 14 shots (with five on target) compared to the Mariners three (with one of those being on target).

The second half was full of surprises.

As the wet conditions worsened to begin the second half, both sides had their chances in front of goal but neither could convert. Canberra had the best of the chances early, having a couple of successive strong chances, but Langman was up to the task and kept the ball out.

As the half progressed towards its halfway point Canberra started to reassert its dominance on the game, and continued to pepper the goals but to no avail.

However, just as questions were starting to be raised about the Mariners and how they might get back into the match, 16-year-old Fuller, who was on debut and had only been on the field for about five minutes after being subbed on for Annalise Rasmussen, stood up and belted a shot into the bottom corner from a few metres out to give the home side an equaliser.

Only minutes later the Mariners had their second after Evans snuck one past James and all of a sudden the script of the match had been totally flipped.

Despite now being a goal down, Canberra did not give up their pursuit of a second goal, continuing to rack up the shots on goal. However, as hard as the visitors tried they were unable to get themselves a second goal, and ultimately ran out of time to equal up proceedings.

Teams: CENTRAL COAST MARINERS (4–4–2):Langman, Riley, Irwin, Nash, Martin, Pennock, Galic, Ray, Rasmussen, Nunn, Trimis. Substitutes: Carmichael, Fuller, Quilligan, McMahon, Evans.

Scorers: Fuller 62’, Evans 68’.

CANBERRA UNITED (3–5–2): James, Anton, Taylor-Young, McKenzie, Nathan, Robers, Stanic-Floody, Malone, Ayson, Markovski, Keane. Substitutes: Bertolissio, Christopherson, Majstorovic, Murray, Dos Santos.

Scorer: Markovski 38’.

Referee: Mikayla Ryan

Attendance: 723

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A-League Women Awards

Above: Tameka Yallop. Photo: Richard Haines

Each month, Impetus writers will vote to decide their best player, head coach, and U23 player in the A-League Women. Here are the winners from November.

Player of the month:

Tameka Yallop

The Brisbane Roar midfielder has been in excellent form in the first four games as her team has shot to the top of the league.

Deployed in her favoured attacking role, Yallop has scored three times already, but has also led by example as the young side have established themselves as the form team of the competition.

Yallop is back to her best, and it is a joy to watch.

Head Coach of the month:

Alex Smith

After his first pre-season in charge, it is beginning to become obvious why Brisbane Roar appointed Alex Smith.

His team are currently the benchmark side in the league, are well-organised and thrilling in attack. Smith’s trust in Alicia Woods had been rewarded and his unshackling of Tameka Yallop has yielded spectacular results.

Only Melbourne City has scored more goals than Brisbane Roar, and no team has a better defensive record over the first month of the 2024/25 season.

Mixing experience and youth, with a fearless but structured style of play has made Alex Smith Impetus’s coach of the month.

Young Player of The Month:

Sarah O’Donoghue

There has been a lot of changes at Perth Glory in the off-season and Sarah O’Donoghue has needed to time to adjust.

The NPLW Victoria winner with Heidelberg United has carried her form into the A-League Women and looks to be one of the best signings of Glory’s new era.

The playmaker has become something of a barometer for Perth. When she plays well, good things happen. She adds some graft and guile to the midfield and has become a fast fan favourite.

Impetus‘ A-League Award Winners 2024/25:

November 2024

Player: Tameka Yallop (Brisbane Roar).

Young Player: Sarah O’Donoghue (Perth Glory).

Head Coach: Alex Smith (Brisbane Roar).

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Polkinghorne: “Really special to be able to play one last game here at home.”

Above: Clare Polkinghorne in action against Iran. Image: Kris Goman for Impetus.

By Genevieve Henry (28/11/24)

A legend of the Matildas, Clare Polkinghorne is preparing for a “really special” final game in green and gold. The most-capped Australian will say her goodbyes to the professional game (at least as a player) in her home in Brisbane against tough rivals Brazil.

“It’s really special for me to be able to come back to Brisbane and play one last game in the city that I grew up in, in a stadium that means so much to me, and in front of my family and friends and all the people that have helped me along my journey who I wouldn’t be here without today. So (it’s) an opportunity for me to thank them for everything that they did in my career and yeah, just really special to be able to play one last game here at home.”

Looking ahead to the game tonight, Sermanni spoke of sending out his best lineup and the fitness of the group. Even with some of the European-based players having little preparation time, Sermanni and the players themselves are looking forward to a tough match. “They want to be out there and they want to be out there for 90 minutes, so we will be putting out our strongest team possible.”

“With the group that we’ve got in here, everybody, touch wood, at this stage is fit and healthy. Unfortunately, leading into the camp, I think we’ve had seven players, for a variety of reasons, that have been unavailable, so that’s been a little bit challenging. But other than that, everybody’s fit and healthy.”

**Above:** Australia interim head coach Tom Sermanni speaks to the media about team selection. **Photo:** Football Australia.

“The reality is that if you feel you’re not in a place to turn up and play and be ready to play, whether that’s physically or mentally, it is important to make those decisions and for us as an organisation, it’s important to keep supporting those players and to make sure that they come back fit and healthy and ready to play, and hopefully have real long careers ahead of them.”

Polkinghorne said, “I think for me, the main thing is the team comes first. So whatever Tommy decides, that’s up to him. It’s just about being part of the night and enjoying it and celebrating the career that I’ve had.”

“I think a lot of my focus will probably be on the game itself. Obviously, it’s another opportunity to represent your country and playing a team like Brazil. So they’re always tough, challenging games for us and games that we look forward to.”

Sermanni joked, “Well, she’s not playing!”

The Matildas interim head coach heaped praise on Polkinghorne, saying, “it’s a very, very special night. You know, in elite sport it’s not often that a player or an athlete gets to sort of go out on their own terms in such special circumstances. But if there’s anybody that deserves it, it’s Polks…”

“We use the word legend very loosely these days, but I think it describes her. She’s been not just a stalwart within the team on the field and off the field. She’s been the absolute team player. I know from my times in charge that I’d play her anywhere and everywhere, and she just did it with aplomb, shall we say. It’s going to be a fantastic night and a great way to finish a fantastic career.”

With Polkinghorne only days ago announcing that she will not only be retiring from international, but club football as well, this could very well be her last series of games. “Yeah, I don’t think it’ll quite hit me until after. But yeah, I think the focus for me the next week or so is just to enjoy the last few games. I’m really excited about my next chapter.”

**Above:** Clare Polkinghorne reflects on her career to the press ahead of her final game. **Image:** Football Australia

“Something I would love to pursue in the future is coaching and just staying in the game. Football’s given me so much in my life and I think it’s really important for me that I’m able to give back, and continue to help the game grow, and help the players grow, and hopefully pass on a little bit of my experience and knowledge to the next players coming forward.”

Sermanni commented, “I think she’s ready to go into that next stage and that red hair will probably turn my colour if she goes into coaching.”

With a remarkable and record-breaking 167 international caps, Polkinghorne will be departing the game as one of the best to ever do it. Polkinghorne has high confidence that her record will soon be overtaken. “I think it’s definitely going to be eclipsed and probably sooner than we think. I think there’s going to be a number of players that will play many more games than that and I think it’s just a testament to the growth of the game that we’re playing more international games. It’s going to be really exciting to see how this team continues to grow.”

An international career spanning an incredible 18 years, Polkinghorne has been there through it all in the development of women’s football. From a financial standpoint, as well as dozens of others, the game has had incredible growth, but it’s still not enough.

The defender commented, “there’s a lot of players that came before me that did a lot of hard work to get the conversations going, and throughout my career under the Matildas we have really pushed in that space. Hopefully, we can continue to grow so that players can be full-time professionals, both at club and international level and not have to worry about that side of things; they can put all their focus into football and being the best athletes they can be.”

But, as much as it’s grown, Polkinghorne won’t be set for life like a male player with a fraction of her influence would be. She laughed, commenting, “I’ll definitely need a job, for sure.” With the impact she and the Matildas have had over the past few years, hopefully that financial security is not far-off.

**Above:** Clare Polkinghorne celebrates after scoring against Spain. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

Sermanni praised Polkinghorne’s illustrious career, saying, “Eighteen years, which is enormous. If a player gets 10 years as a professional or 10 years in the national team, they’ve done extraordinarily well and Clare’s done almost double that, so it’s a phenomenal achievement.”

“For her to be able to continue to progress during that time, because as a player you can’t afford to stay still, you’ve got to keep progressing. I think that’s what Clare’s done, fantastically, and her ability to be as flexible as possible on and off the field, to be reliable, to know that what kind of performance you’re going to get out of her, and to be able to maintain that level of performance over the development of the women’s game, which has been quite significant, particularly in the last four or five years, is just a huge achievement.”

Polkinghorne commented on the full-circle nature of Sermanni’s reintroduction as the Matildas coach. “It’s amazing to have Tommy back. It’s where my career started, with Tommy in charge and so it’s really special that he’s here at the end as well. But I think he’s brought a lot back to this team…He allows the players to be creative and be themselves and that’s something we’ve really relished.”

“I think when I was at the start of my career I was lucky enough to come into the team, and there (were) a lot of successful players, probably Di Alagich was someone who I really looked up to, Cheryl Salisbury, Kate McShea, (Alicia) Ferguson. All these sort of players who have been really successful at the international level, and been in the game and in the Matildas for a while, so to have them sort of nurture me as a young player was something that I’m really thankful for, and to get the opportunity to play with them was something I’m really proud of.”

“Over the years I’ve played with a lot of amazing players that have really inspired me to be better, so it’s hard to name a few players, but it’s definitely been a highlight to be able to share the field with a lot of these great players that we produce in Australia.”

As stalwarts such as Polkinghorne and earlier, Lydia Williams, retire, Sermanni realises the importance of developing youth talent domestically.

“Kyra Cooney-Cross and Mary Fowler are two that have burst onto the scene of late, and so they’re probably the two that stand out and who have over recent times really become established players in the senior team. I think that’s something that we need to do a little bit better moving forward, is actually start to expose and to look at some of the younger local domestic players, and put them in an international environment and see which ones push through.”

**Above:** Clare Polkinghorne in mid-air action up against Jenni Hermoso of Spain. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus.*

Polkinghorne is confident, however, that she is not starting a trend of retirements. “Yeah, I think you sort of base yourself around a four-year cycle and the Asian Cup is the next major tournament so I think I’d be pretty confident in saying most of the team, if not all of them, would hang around for that. Not hang around, but that would be involved in that tournament and then, yeah, obviously from it’s the World Cup and Olympics so there’s a lot of exciting tournaments to prepare for and I know that there’s a lot of motivation within the group to continue to push towards the results that we want as a national team.”

Polkinghorne is leaving the Matildas at a great point in their timeline. “The team’s in a really good spot, we’ve got players playing in the best leagues around the world, playing in Champions League, and playing top level football week in and week out. I think that’s definitely something that we’re going to reap the rewards of as a national team…Really satisfied with stepping away at this point. They’re definitely in safe hands and I’m just really excited to see how the team continues to progress.”

Whether we see a famous Polks celebration tonight or not, it will surely be the best occasion to say goodbye to a legend.

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GeoPolitics in football: What is it and how does it interact with the women’s game?

by Ella McShane (27/11/24)

Above: People gather at Lousail Boulevard during the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar. Photo: Trip Advisor.

The globalisation of football has seen the sport belong to many humans across the world. Football can celebrate culture, exude passion, and unite, arguably in a way that no other sport can. This also means that football is entitled to some of the richest benefits this world has to offer and has become inherently political. For many different reasons.

When it comes to reaping the natural world’s benefits, we come across the term geopolitics which is a branch of politics that refers to a particular country’s international relations, as influenced by its geographical factors (Oxford Languages, n.d.). Geopolitics in sport refers to developments and influences in sport, enabled by foreign and domestic governments. In recent years, football has seen a big increase in foreign government investments, especially from countries in the Gulf.

The most recent example is Newcastle United. In 2021 a majority stake in the club was acquired by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. This was derived from its “40%” oil-based economy” (International Monetary Fund, 2022), thus geopolitically intertwining Saudi Arabia and England through the sport of football. The following season, the men’s side finished fourth on the Premier League table, a far cry from the relegation battle they faced the previous season.

Above: Fans of Newcastle United’s men’s team gather with the Saudi Arabia flag. Photo: PA Images.

But where does the women’s side fit into all of this?

Until 2022 Newcastle United Women operated as an independent entity that received funding from the Newcastle United Foundation in its later years. Following the restructuring of the club, the men’s team ownership claims to have invested in their women’s first team.

The team was promoted to Championship (tier two) in April of this year. Newcastle United Women are on a seemingly upward trajectory, supported by increased funding. There has been an improvement in marketing, the massive summer signing of Lioness Demi Stokes and they set a Championship attendance record of 15,382 in their match against North-East rivals Sunderland earlier this season.

However, a big increase in funding cannot be presumed. The arrival of Stokes from Manchester City was completed on a free transfer and the improvement in marketing and attendances can be equated to their promotion to the Championship. This league is also undergoing many changes after a transfer in ownership to the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL).

It is uncertain as to whether the women’s side is benefitting from the club’s newfound geopolitically derived wealth. The latest comprehensive financial report for the women’s club which is available to the public, dates back to June 2023, their promotion to tier two.

Above: Newcastle United in the huddle before their Championship game with Charlton Athletic in October. Photo: Newcastle United Women.

What can be said with certainty is that any potential benefits, at the hands of the club, would not be distributed equally.

Like funding discrepancies in the women’s and the men’s games, the way geopolitics interacts with the women’s and the men’s game is truly night and day and can come with both positive and negative implications.

One positive outcome of geopolitical involvement in the women’s game is increased access to football for women and girls living in socially conservative countries. Those in the Middle East are already starting to see increased access.

By Western standards, modern Saudi Arabia is still considered to be a conservative country with restricted rights for women and girls, being at the centre of human rights controversy in recent history.

Government programs and worldly influences have begun the process of “diversifying” modern Saudi Arabia. Thus, the concept of denying half your population of a sport that plays such a crucial role in society became increasingly deemed as immoral. In 2022 we saw the inaugural season of the Saudi Women’s Premier League, giving the women’s game its biggest platform yet and generating interest all over the country.

Above: Saudi Arabia Women’s Premier League champions Al Nassr lift the 2023/24 trophy. Photo: Qatar Tribune.

Another positive outcome is simply the sheer amount of funding that is potentially available to the women’s game from oil-based economies like Saudi Arabia. Although extremely wealthy, such nations are seen to be tainted with their climate impact being the arguably most sinister.

Independent scientific project The Climate Action Tracker, rated Saudi Arabia in 2023 as “Critically Insufficient” in their efforts to combat climate change. They also stated that emissions are projected to significantly rise by 2030” and “its national oil company, Aramco, is planning to increase oil output in the coming years.”

This is extremely problematic, especially considering the large share Aramco has in FIFA.

Another negative implication of geopolitics in sport is the use of a tool known as sports washing. This “is the deployment of sports for the purpose of cleansing a country’s image and reputation.” (S. Chadwick, 2023).

In the case of the women’s game, sports washing becomes specifically problematic when it is used by countries whose societal and cultural beliefs, violate the values and beliefs at the foundation of the western women’s game.

For example, women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights have made the women’s game into what it is today. If you have a socially conservative country that has long violated women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights, gain the ability to hold a strong influence in the women’s game through geopolitics, it can be seen as giving “a massive middle finger” to everything the women’s game stands for.

In my opinion, the future of geopolitics in the women’s game is likely to take, what I deem, a positive upward turn. The current generation of professional female footballers has always had to have a ‘plan B’. Being a full-time professional female footballer did not seem like a feasible career path even five years ago in the UK. It is still not feasible in many countries.

If these girls wanted to continue playing football, it was most likely additional to education. Ten players in the 2022 European Championships squad held University degrees and “90.6%” of female players in the German Bundesliga “are pursuing or have already completed academic or vocational education” (P. Ehnold et al, 2024).

Educated individuals are more likely to value democracy, universal human rights, climate conservation, and collective freedoms. Something I believe, is not currently being upheld in the current climate of geopolitics in sport.

We have begun to see these values, strongly upheld by female footballers. Recently in an open letter to FIFA a group urged the world governing body to end their deal with Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco.

These girls have got to where they are today by fighting the patriarchy at every step. The last thing the momentum for change is going to do is stop.

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Breaking Through: Who Are the Latest Call-Ups to the Matildas?

Isabelle Campbell & Alice de Koster-Kitto 26/11/2024

Above: Morgan Aquino in her A-League Women days. Photo: Perth Glory

Impetus profiles the newest of the new faces called up to The Matildas.

The latest Matildas squad announcement for their upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Chinese Taipei brings both excitement and opportunity as five uncapped talents—Morgan Aquino, Leah Davidson, Isabel Gomez, Hana Lowry and Natasha Prior—join the senior national team. Each player has impressed at club level, earning a chance to prove themselves on the international stage, while their call-ups signal the depth of talent emerging in Australian women’s football.

For West Australian Morgan Aquino this selection carries added significance. Should she debut, she could become the first player from Western Australia to pull on the Matildas jersey since captain Sam Kerr’s debut 15 years ago.

This fresh injection of talent highlights the Matildas’ commitment to building a strong foundation for the future, as these rising stars step into the squad of Australia’s most beloved sporting team.

Morgan Aquino

Aquino’s professional career began with her hometown team, Perth Glory, where she patiently awaited her moment to shine. That opportunity came in January 2020, when she debuted as a halftime substitute against Western Sydney Wanderers.

After just three games with the Glory, Aquino moved to Brisbane Roar for the 2020 season, making four appearances before returning to the West Coast. Over the following seasons, she worked her way into the starting lineup, eventually securing the first-choice goalkeeper spot by the 2023/24 season.

Her 23/24 campaign was exceptional, recording a league-best 126 saves with an 81% save percentage. This outstanding form earned her places in the PFA and A-League Women’s teams of the season, as well as the title of Liberty A-League Goalkeeper of the Year.

Internationally, Aquino has represented Australia at various youth levels, including the Junior and Young Matildas, and featured in the 2019 AFC U-19 Women’s Championship. Earlier this year, she was called up to the U-23 Matildas for the Four Nations Tournament in Sweden.

In July, Aquino announced her move to USL club DC Power, with the club’s president hailing her as “one of the brightest young goalkeeper talents in the world.”

Now, with her first senior Matilda’s call-up, Aquino’s journey has reached an exciting new chapter. From patiently waiting for her debut to becoming one of the league’s top goalkeepers, her rise is a testament to her hard work and talent.

Leah Davidson

Leah Davidson has earned her first senior Matildas call-up at 23, marking a huge turning point in her career. Currently in her fifth season with Melbourne City, Davidson has been a standout in midfield, playing an integral role in one of the league’s most competitive teams.

Davidson began her career in the Women’s NPL in Queensland at just 17. She was part of the Championship-winning Roar/NTC team in 2018, scoring seven goals in 16 matches. That same year, she made her professional debut for Brisbane Roar in a 1–1 draw against Perth Glory.

In November 2020, Davidson signed for Melbourne City, where she has continued to grow as a player. Her consistent performances with City earned her the Coaches Award at the 2020/21 Player of the Year Awards.

In 2021 Coach Rado Vidosic predicted she would soon be a regular on the Matildas roster, saying, “I think in a few years’ time, she is going to be one of the first names selected for the Matildas.”

Davidson has had her time in Australia’s youth teams, and now her senior call-up reflects her growth. Eager to utilise the opportunity presented in being around Matilda’s veterans, she shared, “I’d just love to learn from the players there. A lot of them are my role models, and the way they play is incredible. I want to gain as much experience as I can and push for future camps.”

With her strong foundation at club level and a clear hunger to continue developing, Leah Davidson is poised to make an impact with the Matildas. Her dedication to learning and growing her game marks her as a player to watch in years to come.

Isabel Gomez

Central Coast Mariners midfielder, Isabel Gomez, has earnt her first Matildas call up, following an astonishing start to the Ninja A-League 2024/25 season, scoring a goal against reigning champions Sydney FC, in a 3-1 defeat during the opening round. The 22-year-old has quickly become one of the most consistent central midfielders in the league and has cemented her place as a key member of the Mariners squad, since her signing in 2023.

Gomez began her professional career with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2020, at 18 years old. After 5 appearances with the Wanderers, the midfielder transferred to Wellington Phoenix, as part of the club’s inaugural season in the Women’s A-League.

Gomez is no stranger to adversity. A serious knee injury saw the midfielder’s first campaign with the Phoenix cut short. Gomez returned to action shortly after, with Northern Tigers FC in the NPL NSW Women’s First Grade competition under the guidance of Mariners assistant coach Jake Stephenson, after returning to the A-League, even stronger than she had left it. This kind of persistence and resilience, will be crucial as she enters her first camp with the senior national team.

Already one of Australia’s most promising midfielders, Gomez is set to thrive during her first Matildas camp. She will be joined in the midfield by the likes of Kyra Cooney-Cross and Tameka Yallop. Training and playing alongside this world class squad, can only further challenge Gomez’s innate skill and creativity, as she continues to develop her potential in an elite environment.

Gomez’s versatility as a player has made her a valuable asset to every club she has been a part of in her short, yet exciting career, and The Matildas should be no different. The youngster brings a creativity that will help usher the squad into a new era of Matildas. Should she take this well deserved opportunity in her stride, Isabel Gomez could very well cement her place in the first team over the coming years.

Hana Lowry

Since her professional debut in 2019, Hana Lowry has proven to be one of the most promising Matildas prospects. The midfielder signed her first professional contract with Perth Glory at 16 years old and quickly became a crucial part of the squad. After playing several games off the bench, Lowry made her starting debut in a 4-2 victory against Newcastle Jets, where she scored her first A-League goal.

Over her 72 appearances, Lowry established herself as a vital part of the squad, scoring 11 goals for the club. Following an impeccable 5 years with the Glory, the 21-year-old left her hometown club, after winning ‘Most-Glorious-Player’ at the end of season awards, to join 2023/24 Ninja A-League Champions, Sydney FC.

Lowry is no stranger to international football, scoring 5 times across her 17 appearances for Matildas U17s to U23s. This first senior call-up marks a huge milestone in her international career. Though it will be a tough fight for a regular spot in the Matildas squad, the youngster has a lot to offer. She comes with great flexibility in the midfield, with a track record of accurate passing range, and enviable set piece service.

The opportunity to train and play at this level will give the midfielder the experience she needs to grow as a player and expand her career at club and internationally.

Note: This article was written ahead of the news of Hana Lowry’s season ending Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury which she sustained in Sydney’s 1-1 draw against Melbourne City in Unite Round, just days out from her first international camp.

Natasha Prior

Natasha Prior’s professional career began with the Newcastle Jets, debuting during the 2017–18 W-League season. The Leicester-born, Australia-raised defender then joined Canberra United for the 2018–19 campaign, where she quickly made an impact before facing a significant setback.

In Round 5 of the season, Prior was involved in a heavy collision with Savannah McCaskill, resulting in a severe concussion that forced her to miss the remainder of the season. This marked her fifth concussion in less than six seasons, leading her to make the difficult decision to retire at the age of 21. Speaking on her retirement, Prior remarked, “I didn’t really want to have dementia at the age of 30.”

However, Prior’s love for the game saw her return in 2021 with Sydney FC, where she played a pivotal role in the club’s defensive setup. In September 2023, she re-signed with her first club, the Newcastle Jets, marking a full-circle moment in her career.

In the 23/24 season Prior showcased her skills as a central defender, scoring her maiden goal in the campaign. Jets head coach Ryan Campbell has praised her, saying, “Tash was a key member of our run to the semi-finals last season. Her defensive ability combined with her calmness in possession are key qualities that make her one of the best central defenders in the competition.”

From overcoming early career challenges to cementing her reputation as a standout defender, Natasha Prior’s journey is a testament to resilience and her enduring passion for football.

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England U23 prepare for huge few days

by Bethany Monkhouse (26/11/24)

Above: The England U23 side that played in Sweden. Photo: Jayde Chamberlain.

Whilst the Lionesses take all the headlines when it comes to international women’s football in England, it’s time to look beneath the surface.

This Thursday, England’s U23 squad are back in action when they travel to Norway before hosting Sweden on 2nd December at Doncaster Rovers FC. Their squad is hugely talented containing the likes of Khiara Keating, Missy Bo Kearns and Mia Enderby.

Emma Coates’ squad go into this international window on the back of a 1-1 draw in the Netherlands, and a 1-0 win at home to Portugal, last time out thanks to Michelle Agyemang’s free-kick with four minutes remaining in front of a record U23 crowd of 2,953 at Shrewsbury Town FC.

Ruby Mace and Laura Blinkilde-Brown both played for the U23s in those matches and have now, for this camp, been called up to the senior Lionesses team, which just shows the potential and talent of this team.

With the senior Lionesses playing in nearby Sheffield next Wednesday, the fact that the U23s are playing just a half-hour drive away the previous day offers England fans the opportunity to make a short break of it, or gives Yorkshire Lionesses fans the chance to see the nation’s best talent on their doorsteps in quick succession.

The U23 side is playing in the group stage of the Women’s U23 European competition with the best-placed sides going on to a semi-final and final. Currently, England are top of their pool, however, Norway are able to overtake them as they have played one game less and are only one point behind ahead of their encounter this Thursday.

Looking ahead to the two games, head coach Coates told the England Football Website: “These are two exciting games against tough opponents. Not only do we want to finish the year with two strong performances, but we want to put ourselves in the best position in our group for the next stage of the competition.

“We’ve played in front of some great crowds this year and I hope to see another one in Doncaster for our final game of 2024. I have some amazing memories of coaching at Doncaster Rovers Belles, so it’ll be a really special night to return to the club with the Young Lionesses.”

Tickets for the game against Sweden (Monday 2nd December) are priced at £5 for adults, £3 for concessions and 14-24-year-olds, and only £1 for under 14s. Tickets can be purchased here. https://tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/rovershome

ENGLAND U23 SQUAD FOR THE GAMES WITH NORWAY AND SWEDEN:

Goalkeepers: Khiara Keating, Kayla Rendell, Fran Stenson.

Defenders: Brooke Aspin, Tara Bourne, Megan Collett, Anouk Denton, Teyah Goldie, Neve Herron, Ella Morris, Hannah Silcock.

Midfielders: Elysia Boddy, Ruby Grant, Missy Bo Kearns, Lucia Kendall, Olivia McLoughlin, Maisie Symonds.

Forwards: Sarah Brasero, Mia Enderby, Isobel Goodwin, Missy Goodwin, Lenna Gunning-Williams, Katie Robinson.

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