A Matildas side led by three maiden goal scorers secured a 3-1 victory over Chinese Taipei despite a first-half scare that saw the visitors score against Australia for the first time since 2007. While the Matildas started with several experienced and well-known names, the new faces in Tom Sermanni's team ultimately stole the show at AAMI Park.
The Matildas bounced back from two losses to Brazil with a 3-1 win over Chinese Taipei on Wendesday night. (Image: Tahlia Daly)
Interim coach Tom Sermanni set the Matildas up in a three-at-the-back system, with the wing-backs given full attacking license to essentially act as wingers against a generally deep-sitting Chinese Taipei side.
A diagram of how the Matildas set up in possession against Chinese Taipei.
Tash Prior opened the scoring on her starting debut for the Tillies in the 10th minute, converting from close range after Daniela Galic flicked on a header to the back post.
Prior's chance for the Matildas did not come easily. She retired from football at the age of 21 following six concussions she had suffered at that point in her career. The 26-year-old defender has since returned to the game and impressed last season in the A-League Women's for the Newcastle Jets, playing in all but one league game.
The centre-back was first provided the opportunity to play the second half on the Gold Coast against Brazil, impressing against quality opposition on debut. Prior continued this form into Melbourne, displaying great athleticism and being very comfortable on the ball. She completed 89% of her passes (94/106) and recorded 114 touches.
Post-game, Sermanni noted that she "walked into the team a bit like Clare Hunt did a year and a half ago," a comparison Prior described as "a large compliment."
Shortly after Prior's opener, Sharn Freier doubled the lead for the green and gold, scoring her first goal on her first start in an A International fixture. Increasingly receiving more game time for the Matildas in recent camps, Freier was excellent down the left for the Australians and was named the Player of the Match.
The Brisbane Roar winger presents an interesting profile for the side. She is an energetic and hard-working player capable of operating as a left wing-back or an out-and-out winger. The 23-year-old stood out for the Roar last season, earning her Matildas debut against Mexico in April.
Possessing excellent speed and directness, Freier finished as one of the top dribblers in the domestic competition in 2023/24, completing 2.4 dribbles per game at a 57% success rate. She has also begun to show this ability at the international level, completing six out of nine dribble attempts on Wednesday night.
After going 2-0 up after just 12 minutes, it seemed the Matildas would inevitably continue to score freely against a shell-shocked Chinese Taipei defence. But an expected onslaught did not transpire, with the concussion and subsequent substitution of Chloe Logarzo a particular turning point for the Matildas; a disappointing outcome for a player who had worked her way back to a national team appearance for the first time in over two years.
Perhaps draining the energy and mood of the Aussies, a relatively routine long ball played over the top of Charli Grant found Chen Jin-Wen, who lost the attention of Grant to latch onto the ball and score a massive goal for Chan Hiu Ming's side; who post-game said that he hoped A-League Women teams will look into giving opportunities to his players based on their performances.
Although Grant will primarily receive the blame for this goal (and reasonably so to an extent), being utilised in an unfamiliar centre-back role makes this error more plausible - an error that isn't typically made by experienced centre-halves.
Despite being an attack-minded full-back, Sermanni used Grant in the back three, which was an interesting experiment.
Chinese Taipei's 17-year-long record-breaking goal naturally concerned Tillies fans heading into half-time, with Sermanni's side looking potentially vulnerable to further goals on the counter-attack.
The Matildas maintained a large proportion of possession in the second half while limiting their opponents' chances, all while not creating an awful lot in their attacking third. Bryleeh Henry's introduction provided a necessary spark for the Matildas, the third player who scored her maiden goal on the night, doing so only five minutes after entering the game with a well-placed header.
Bryleeh Henry wheels away to celebrate after netting her first goal for the Matildas against Chinese Taipei. (Image: Tahlia Daly)
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After the 21-year-old Melbourne City wing-back provided a significant two-goal cushion for her side, Sermanni turned to his bench to give more opportunities for some talented-but-inexperienced youngsters, notably with Leah Davidson and Jessika Nash brought on for their Matildas debuts to help see out a 3-1 win.
While not the most attractive win, positives can be drawn from how some of the inexperienced domestic-based players, in particular, have managed to step up to the senior national team level.
Sermanni confirmed that Charli Grant, Clare Hunt, and Daniela Galic would all return to their clubs before the Matildas' second fixture against Chinese Taipei in Geelong.
While it ultimately provides fewer options for his side, it will, in turn, be an excellent opportunity for Prior, Freier, and Henry, for example, to receive more game time after their goals in Melbourne. It will also allow other A-League Women's players like Chloe Lincoln, Karly Roestbakken, and Matilda McNamara to receive their first minutes during this four-game camp.
Sermanni is clearly aiming to prepare the Matildas for the coming years by ensuring depth in numbers. Much of the core group is entering their late 20s and early 30s, so chances for the A-League Women's top talents should likely be available. The key for these players is whether they can cement their names in the squad during this transitional period.
Statistics sourced from Sofascore.
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