An improved Matildas side suffered a nightmare start to their second outing at the SheBelieves Cup and were unable to recover, going down 2-1 to hosts and world No 1 USA in Arizona.
Just days after conceding four goals against a rampant Japan – their major rivals for next year’s Women’s Asian Cup title – coach Tom Sermanni re-shuffled his defensive line, swapping out Clare Hunt for Charlotte Grant and moving captain Steph Catley into the centre.
Related: USA 2-1 Australia: SheBelieves Cup women’s football international – live
But barely a sweat has been broken before they were picking the ball out of their own net. In the first attack of the game, USA winger Emma Sears swept past a scrambling Ellie Carpenter, twisting and turning the Lyon defender before slipping through forward Jaedyn Shaw, who squared for an unmarked Lynn Biyendolo to tap into an empty net. Just 42 seconds were on the clock.
Australia’s panicked defence was almost punished again soon after as Biyendolo bundled home a spill from Teagan Micah, but it was chalked off for an offside in the build-up.
Despite the USA starting what broadcast commentator Robbie Thompson described as “an untested XI”, with head coach Emma Hayes rotating the entire team following their win over Colombia on Friday, this young, vibrant side commanded the game both in and out of possession in the opening stages.
Their passes were sharp, their touches were tidy and their interchanges were smooth, contrasted with the Matildas who barely had time to look up before being smothered by multiple white shirts.
However, instead of collapsing further as they did against Japan, the Matildas stood firm, staying structured off the ball and closing spaces through the middle to reduce the number of clear-cut chances.
Australia grew in confidence the longer they withstood the USA’s barrage, and as the final 10 minutes of the half ticked over, the team who had registered just one shot against Japan were finding themselves slicing in and around the hosts’ penalty area.
Caitlin Foord was the team’s best attacking outlet in her natural left wing position, coming inside several times to receive the ball and spin, feeding youngster Holly McNamara or the overlapping Grant, who delivered a handful of dangerous crosses into the area.
Carpenter, too, began to grow into the game when the threat of Sears waned, combining a number of times with Hayley Raso down the right to send some neat cut-backs into the box that were hastily cleared.
Winonah Heatley, earning a start in place of Katrina Gorry, ran off a rolled ankle to impress alongside the industrious Kyra Cooney-Cross; the two forming a solid midfield foundation that allowed Australia’s attackers to spring forward, ending the half with three times as many shots as their opening match just days ago.
The second half began with the same energy as had ended the first, with McNamara almost pouncing on some lazy goalkeeping by Mandy McGlynn, but that was the extent of her involvement as the largely-isolated forward was replaced by Michelle Heyman just after the hour. Young Melbourne Victory midfielder Alana Murphy also earned her first cap for Australia, replacing the ineffective Mary Fowler.
Despite their mid-game resurgence, Australia’s hopes of a first SheBelieves Cup win faded as a piercing Claire Hutton pass cut through the wall of flouro yellow shirts to set up substitute Michelle Cooper, who squeezed the ball beneath Micah in the 67th minute to make it 2-0.
Heyman was responsible for the Matildas’ only shot on target in the 80th minute of the game as she charged through the US centre-backs to head home a curling Raso cross, while two consecutive fingertip saves from Micah down the other end kept Australia’s hopes of a possible last-gasp equaliser alive as stoppage time loomed.
Two free kicks from Murphy in the closing moments of the game could have swung the game in Australia’s favour, but some resolute defending from the USA ensured the Matildas were left wondering what could have been.
