Key occasions
These two friendlies in opposition to Taiwan in Melbourne tonight and in Geelong on Saturday are the Matildas’ final matches for the 12 months. Australia’s file this 12 months is middling, partially because of a disappointing Olympic Video games marketing campaign, with six wins, 5 losses and a draw from their official matches.
The ladies’s nationwide squad will probably be again collectively in February for the SheBelieves Cup in opposition to Japan, Colombia and hosts USA. Who is aware of, the Matildas may also have a everlasting head coach then, however within the meantime third-time mentor Tom Sermanni will take cost for the pair of clashes with Taiwan. The 70-year-old took a thinly veiled swipe at his predecessors for failing to correctly steadiness present-day success with the long run wants of the workforce.
One of many key issues as a nationwide workforce coach is you’ve received to play for the current however plan for the long run. And I believe, in all equity, I don’t assume we’ve deliberate for the long run nicely sufficient.
Taiwan XI
Taiwan: Wang Yu-Ting (gk), Su Sin-Yun, Hsu Yi-Yun, Pu Hsin-Hui, Chan Pi-Han, Wu Kai-Ching, Chen Jin-Wen, Su Yu-Hsuan, Chen Ying-Hui, Lin Hsin-Hui, Huang Ke-Sin.
Matildas XI
Australia: Mackenzie Arnold (gk), Tameka Yallop, Charlie Grant, Clare Hunt, Natasha Prior, Sharn Freier, Chloe Logarzo, Emily van Egmond (capt), Daniela Galic, Emily Gielnik, Michelle Heyman.
Veteran midfielder Emily van Egmond will once more captain the Matildas in each friendlies in opposition to Taiwan after taking the armband at quick discover when Steph Catley felt soreness within the warm-up earlier than the second conflict with Brazil.
Chloe Logarzo returns to the Matildas’ beginning XI after an extended lay off, whereas Sharn Freier, Daniela Galic and Natasha Prior every make their beginning debuts.
The workforce sheet seems extra suited to a 4-4-2, although Tom Sermanni has most well-liked to line up with a again 5 since returning as interim coach. That construction was at instances uncovered by Brazil on the counterattack, when the Matildas paid the value for the wing-backs pushing too far up the pitch, although they’re much less more likely to face the identical considerations this night.
STARTING XI 🗒
Here is how we line up for our recreation in opposition to Chinese language Taipei at AAMI Park 👊
☝️Sharn Freier, Daniela Galic and Tash Prior make their beginning debuts
🔙 Chloe Logarzo makes her first look since October 2022#Matildas #AUSvTPE pic.twitter.com/TmpuN10Xjr— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) December 4, 2024
Resident soccer reporter Joey Lynch is at AAMI Park this night and will probably be wrapping up all of the motion later with a match report. Joey has already checked out what we discovered from the Matildas’ two matches in opposition to Brazil, who have been in fact persevering with their on-field preparations earlier than internet hosting the 2027 Ladies’s World Cup.
The Matildas know of the advantages that include internet hosting the World Cup, however not like the Seleção, Australia’s personal interval of rejuvenation comes after internet hosting the showpiece occasion. For the Matildas, the years forward are to be outlined by a balancing act struck between the pursuit of an Asian Cup on residence soil in 2026 and managing the transition away from a golden era of gamers on the twilight of their careers.
Premable
Martin Pegan
Whats up and welcome to stay protection of the ladies’s worldwide pleasant between the Matildas and Taiwan at AAMI Park in Melbourne. Australia will subject a new-ish wanting lineup in opposition to Taiwan as alternatives are handed to fringe gamers and rising abilities after a extra acquainted XI battled out a pair of fiery clashes with rivals Brazil.
The Matildas fell short in both of those games against the rapidly regenerating No 8-ranked side and are actually out to return to profitable methods in opposition to Taiwan. Australia will face a special type of problem in opposition to the world No 41 within the back-to-back matches in Melbourne after which Geelong, with the guests probably organising with a low block. Breaking down a deep-lying defence has not all the time been the Matildas forte, so this looms as a superb take a look at for interim coach Tom Sermanni’s outfit even whereas lacking a bunch of stars.
That is the primary time that the Matildas have returned to AAMI Park since their 4-0 win over Canada through the 2023 Ladies’s World Cup, when Hayley Raso scored a first-half double earlier than Mary Fowler and Steph Catley sealed the win that ensured the hosts topped their group. These 4 regulars are all lacking from the squad to face Taiwan however Sermanni has referred to as the necessity to use these matches to develop the subsequent era.
Kick-off time in Melbourne is 8pm AEDT. I’ll be again shortly with the lineups and workforce information.
If you wish to share any feedback, queries, concepts or predictions, shoot me an email, or discover me on Bluesky @martinpegan.bsky.social and X @martinpegan. Let’s get into it!
Tonight we return to Naarm to play on Kulin Nation.
We respectfully acknowledge the Conventional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Jap Kulin Nation, and pay our respect to their Elders previous, current and rising. pic.twitter.com/CRumcMpSz7
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) December 4, 2024
