Matildas belt NZ for biggest win under Montemurro
Jasper Bruce |
It was a case of no Sam Kerr, no worries as the Matildas dominated New Zealand for a 5-0 thrashing – the biggest win of Joe Montemurro’s coaching tenure to date.
Friday night’s friendly in Gosford was billed as Kerr’s first game on home soil for two years but instead, the captain remained on the bench with a calf complaint following the warm up, after also missing Chelsea’s last two games.
Without her, Australia flexed considerable attacking muscle on the Kiwis in their penultimate game before next year’s home Asian Cup.
Katrina Gorry was a menace going forward for the Matildas, who confirmed a big win with two goals in a two-minute blitz during the second half.
Gorry’s high work rate was rewarded with a goal in second-half added time after Holly McNamara cut back from the left side of the box.
The victory is the Matildas’ most convincing from seven games under Montemurro, eclipsing a 3-0 win over Slovenia.
The Football Ferns, 33rd in the FIFA rankings, made little impact in the final third and came up with two diabolical defensive errors on which their hosts pounced.
On the hunt for a new club in 2026, Amy Sayer opened the scoring after 12 minutes thanks to a slick pass from Gorry, who’d broken forward into space.
The 23-year-old Sayer could’ve had a second goal in the first half but struck the woodwork.
It was instead speedy winger Hayley Raso who doubled the Matildas’ lead following a mistake at the back from the Football Ferns.
Maya Hahn tried a one-two with Michaela Foster, only to have her pass picked off by Raso, who caught goalkeeper Anna Leat out of place as she curled the ball home.
After a better start to the second half, the Kiwis were left to rue another defensive lapse as Liz Anton kicked straight to Ellie Carpenter coming out of trouble.
Carpenter made no mistake scoring a fifth Matildas goal, before Kyra Cooney-Cross netted with a spectacular shot from 30 yards only seconds after play resumed.
The Matildas could’ve had a sixth in the final minutes but Steph Catley thundered a penalty into Leat, who’d taken McNamara out just after Gorry’s goal.
Montemurro had flagged his concerns about the Football Ferns’ high press in the lead-up but the visitors took until the 58th minute to register a shot on target.
Indiah-Paige Riley looked likeliest on the right wing, banging a shot just high of the woodwork late in the first half.
A second friendly will be played in Adelaide on Tuesday night.
AAP
