According to my television’s electronic
programme guide, the Matildas “captured the hearts of the nation with their
deeds at last year’s World Cup”. Maybe, but it sounds rather disingenuous
coming from the same commercial networks which regularly slander the men’s game
with talk of Hooliganism! and Flares! Nonetheless, one couldn’t resist the patriotic
temptation to get behind Our Girls on the proverbial Road to Rio.
Having never beaten Japan in the Home
Islands, the Matildas opened their account with a stunning 3-1 victory at the
Kincho Stadium in Osaka, earning an invaluable three points. The opening
quarter-hour was a cagey one, with few real chances for either side. Mizuho
Sakaguchi was denied by a Lydia Williams save before Lisa de Vanna put i gialloverdi 1-0 up by heading in a
Katrina Gorry cross.
From just outside the box and straight in
front, Alanna Kennedy almost curled in a superlative free kick shortly after
the half-hour mark. But the highlight of the night came minutes later, when the
Italian referee, Carina Vitulano, couldn’t get out of the way of a Japanese
cross-field pass. Her unintentional header on the half-way line turned the ball
into the visitors’ attacking half, where de Vanna was ready to pounce, laying
it up for Michelle Heyman to score.
But Nadeshiko
wouldn’t go quietly, responding in stoppage time when one of their regular
goal-mouth scrambles was turned in by striker Yūki Ōgimi. Japan had the better
of the third quarter of the match, Sakaguchi and captain Aya Miyama forcing
saves from Williams. Les Mathildes
threw some fresh blood into the mix in the seventieth minute, swapping Heyman
for Kyah Simon.
Seemingly content with coasting to a 2-1
win, they got a third goal against the run of play eight minutes later, when
Emily van Egmond combined with Gorry, who beat the keeper with a well-timed
header.
Japan 1 (Yūki Ōgimi
45+2’) – Australia 3 (Lisa de Vanna 25’; Michelle Heyman 41’; Katrina
Gorry 78’)
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