The Matildas showcased a commanding performance against Argentina, securing a decisive 4-1 victory in their second friendly match on Monday evening. The game, held in icy conditions at Canberra, attracted a record crowd of 25,125 spectators for a women’s sporting event in the capital.
This match marked a significant occasion as it was the last under coach Tom Sermanni, before Joe Montemurro takes charge. The Matildas began brightly, with Amy Sayer netting her first goal for Australia in 459 days just 14 minutes into the match, firing a precise shot into the bottom corner. However, Argentina soon responded, making history by scoring their first-ever goal against the Matildas when Kishi Denise Núñez equalised in the 22nd minute.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Kahli Johnson, who had scored in the previous friendly, had to leave the pitch due to a quad injury shortly after. Nevertheless, Sayer quickly regained the lead for Australia by scoring her second goal before the break, set up beautifully by Caitlin Foord, who was heavily involved in the play throughout the match.
Although Sayer was substituted in the 62nd minute—missing out on a chance for a hat-trick—Foord and Holly McNamara kept the pressure on Argentina, creating several opportunities to widen the margin. Substituted player Michelle Heyman also sought to score but faced challenges in converting her chances initially.
Despite some resistance from Argentina, particularly from goalkeeper Solana Pereyra, who performed admirably, the Matildas extended their lead in the second half. Emily Van Egmond scored the third goal in the 70th minute, pouncing on a deflected shot initially blocked by Pereyra. Meanwhile, Isabel Gomez made her debut as the 238th Matildas player, earning applause from the home crowd.
Soon after, local favourite Heyman found the net, concluding the match at 4-1. With this strong showing, the Matildas aim to carry their momentum into the upcoming Asian Cup in March, anticipating more opportunities to succeed as a squad.