Slow start costs Westfield Matildas against Austria

The Westfield Matildas have gone down 2-1 to Austria in their international friendly at Stadion Villach Lind in Villach overnight.

The host nation caught the Westfield Matildas on the hop with two goals early on to lead 2-0 at the break, before reigning Asian Women’s Player of the Year Katrina Gorry pegged one back in the 83rd minute to set up a tense finish.

But despite the Westfield Matildas’ best efforts and the positive impact of Kate Gill and Ashleigh Sykes off the bench, they could not manufacture an equaliser in what was the first international between the two nations.

“We started the game off sluggishly and slowly which was disappointing,” Westfield Matildas Head Coach Alen Stajcic said in his reflection of the contest.

“Although we had a number of good chances in the second half, overall they were the better side and once they scored their two goals we couldn’t get back.”

On a more positive note, former Julie Dolan Medallist Tameka Butt played the last 20 minutes in her first game back from a lengthy lay off due to an ankle injury, while the hit out was yet another valuable learning experience for the squad in the lead up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015™ Canada in June.

The Westfield Matildas will round off their European tour with a match against Scotland in Falkirk on Thursday 9 April before returning home.

The friendly against Scotland on Thursday kicks off at 2:30pm local time (12:30am AEST, Friday 10 April).

Match Details
Austria 2
(Schiechtl 25’, Makas 28’)
Westfield Matildas 1 (Gorry 85’)
Stadion Villach Lind, Villach

Upcoming Match
Scotland v Westfield Matildas
Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk
Thursday 9 April 2015
Kick-Off: 2:30pm local time (12:30am AEST, Friday 10 April)

There will be LIVE updates from the match against Scotland on the official Westfield Matildas Twitter channel @TheMatildas.

Join the GREEN & GOLD ARMY Family, Friends and Fans tour to watch the Westfield Matildas in action at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. Click here for more information.

See all of the Westfield Matildas’ games at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 live on SBS ONE.