Manchester United wing Adriana Leon scored an early first-half objective and it stood up via numerous excellent Australian scoring possibilities as Tokyo Olympic champion Canada beat the Matildas 1-0 in a ladies’s football pleasant on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan stored Canada within the fit when she made 3 saves on Matildas skipper Sam Kerr. Australia had seven of eleven photographs on objective within the opening half of.
Kerr laid a neat flick on for change Cortnee Vine to fireplace simply large within the 83rd minute as Australia pressed for the equalizer. Kerr, a ahead for Chelsea, neglected out once more in added time when Sheridan once more tipped a header over the bar.
A header via Kerr within the fourth minute was once denied via a diving Sheridan after a go from the left via Emily Van Egmond.
Canada opened the scoring within the eleventh minute when Leon was once given an excessive amount of house via the Matildas simply out of doors the field and the 29-year-old speared a rocket end into the highest proper nook.
An advancing Sheridan denied Kerr once more after a slick through-ball from Katrina Gorry. Gorry, who took a 12 months off in 2021 to have a toddler lady Harper, proved a continuing risk.
With 320 days to head till the World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand, Matildas trainer Tony Gustavsson has signaled that consistency and continuity within the group lineup would be the key.
“We were not intense sufficient within the first half of. I feel we had been a lot more bodily in the second one half of,” Gustavsson said. “Sam (Kerr) is a world-class goal scorer and on other days she scores three and everyone is really happy and she’s happy. It was just one of those days.”
Gustavsson was once no longer ready to start out this marketing campaign along with his highest group, with seven beginning avid gamers from the Tokyo Olympics semifinal aspect that misplaced 1-0 to Sweden unavailable.
Two of the ones — ahead Caitlin Foord and defender Steph Catley — might be to be had for the rematch with Canada on Tuesday in Sydney.
