WATCH: CommBank Matildas dazzle in Canberra with Kerr double
In the Commonwealth Bank Matildas’ 50th meeting with New Zealand, Australia defeated the Football Ferns 3-1.
Sam Kerr’s double – which takes her to 59 international goals – and Hayley Raso’s curling strike were enough to render Hannah Wilkinson’s goal mere consolation.
In the team’s first appearance in the nation’s capital since 2013, the CommBank Matildas carried on their strong attacking form from the match in Townsville but didn’t leave it nearly as late to strike.
Raso and Kerr were in the thick of the action early with the duo putting some early chances wide as well as into the palms of Erin Naylor. But those two would soon find their shooting boots with Kerr opening the scoring in the 15th minute.
A short corner found its way to Katrina Gorry with Mini’s pinpoint delivery finding the head of the captain. Gorry has continued to shine in her return to the national team, only seven months after giving birth to daughter, Harper.
Raso made it two in as many minutes with a curling left foot strike. The speedster was able to capitalise on a block from the Kiwi defence and place it past Naylor in goal.
The Commonwealth Bank Matildas continued to attack with purpose. Caitlin Foord and Emily van Egmond got in on the act with the Arsenal forward playing through the San Diego midfielder.
READ: Aivi Luik's personal quest in support of Noa
WATCH: Kerr scores her second in style | CommBank Matildas v New Zealand
But it was captain Kerr once again who found the back of the net. Van Egmond’s chipped pass over the defence was latched onto by Kerr who finished deftly with the outside of her boot.
Ellie Carpenter had a great chance to make it four but forced a super save out of Naylor. While the CommBank Matildas once again had the glut of chances, they didn’t have it all their own way with the Football Ferns pegging one back on the stroke of half time through Hannah Wilkinson.
In front of 13,077 fans, the Australians tried to create more goals and to extend the scoreline with Foord hitting the bar.
At the hour mark, head coach Tony Gustavsson rang the bells of change, making five substitutions in the one window.
Aivi Luik replaced Clare Polkinghorne in the heart of defence while the midfield trio saw the injection of Clare Wheeler and Alex Chidiac in place of Emily van Egmond and Mary Fowler.
While Kerr started the game flanked by Foord and Raso, she ended with Tameka Yallop and Kyah Simon. Charli Grant also replaced Alanna Kennedy.
Kerr could have nabbed a hat trick following ping-ponging efforts from Carpenter and Yallop on opposing flanks but ultimately the scoreline stayed at 3-1.
Post-match Aivi Luik followed through on her promise to shave her head after hitting her fundraising target in support of her brother, Noa, who has recently been diagnosed with brain cancer.
Football Fern, Rebekah Stott, herself a cancer survivour and a good friend of Luik's, did the honours, in a moment bigger than football.