Westfield Young Matildas do the double over China
Westfield Young Matildas have successfully defeated China U20, 2-0, during the international friendly match in Canberra today.
Westfield Young Matildas have successfully defeated China U20, 2-0, during the international friendly match in Canberra today.
The Westfield ‘Promising Matildas- defeated China U20 2-1 on Thursday, while the Westfield Young Matildas also defeated their Chinese counterparts, 2-1, in Canberra on Saturday as well as this afternoon.
In today-s match, Tameka Butt opened the scoring in the 15 minute while Samantha Kerr secured the Young Matildas- second goal in the 76th minute.
“This is another pleasing result, but possibly the most pleasing aspect is that there is still room for improvement,” said Westfield Young Matildas Coach, Alen Stajcic.
“Our defence held well when under pressure and the effort in both games was fantastic.
“For a lot of players these games were their first internationals.
"This experience lays a good foundation, both technically and tactically,” said Stajcic.
After a fairly even start to the match, it was Australia that went up a goal early, when Butt got in behind the defence and her angled shot from the corner of the six-yard box, was helped into the goal off a Chinese defender.
Four minutes later China had a great chance to equalise when Australian keeper Casey Dumont was adjudged to have fouled a Chinese player, which resulted in the Chinese player going off the field. But Dumont atoned with a great diving save to deny Wei Zhu.
This started a dominant period for China and they were unlucky again when Jiahui Lou chipped Dumont only for the ball to rebound off crossbar and cleared away.
Butt had a chance to extend Australia-s lead soon after the half time break, when she got free, but her chipped shot went just over the crossbar.
Butt was then dismissed in the 65th minute for retaliation, although under a pre-existing agreement, Australia was allowed to bring on a replacement with Samantha Kerr coming on.
And it was Kerr who grabbed the second goal in the 76th minute when she latched onto a ball over the top from Elise Kellond-Knight to shoot home from an acute angle.
Many of the Westfield Young Matildas players will be in contention to participate in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U19 Championships to be held in Kuala Lumpur in October/November.
Match Details
Australia U20 2 (Tameka Butt 15-, Samantha Kerr 76-) China U20 0
Westfield Young Matildas line-up: Casey DUMONT (gk), Samantha WOOD (Ella MASTRANTONIO 55'), Emily VAN EGMOND, Marianna TABAIN (Ashleigh SYKES 75'), Teresa POLIAS (Linda O'NEILL 83'), Tameka BUTT (RC) (Samantha KERR 65'), Angela FIMMANO (Rachel QUIGLEY 55'), Alesha CLIFFORD, Kyah SIMON (Sophie HOGBEN 55'), Christine WALTERS, Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT.
Subs not used: Sian MCLAREN (gk), Nicole SYKES, Karina ROWETH, Samantha SPACKMAN, Jessica SEAMAN, Ruth BLACKBURN, Nikki DIETER (gk)
Red Cards: Tameka Butt (65') (Replacement allowed under agreement between two countries)