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Key events
In case you missed it yesterday: Sermanni let everyone know what he thinks about the state of the A-League Women during the pregame press conference. He said the lack of professionalism for players and staff in the league is dragging Australian women’s football down as the rest of the world ploughs ahead.
Marvel is starting to fill up now, about 40,000-strong crowd expected, and it’s a chilly 12C! The teams have finished their warm ups.
Today marks 15 years since the Matildas won the Asian Cup in Chengdu, China. If you look back at the footage you’ll see some very familiar faces – Sam Kerr, Clare Polkinghorne, Tameka Yallop and others, plus coach Tom Sermanni at the helm.
(It’s also Sermanni’s 150th match as Matildas coach – probably not a milestone he ever expected he would reach!)
Argentina line-up
Argentina XI:
What do we know about debutant Kahli Johnson? Sermanni says she’s a bit of an old-fashioned player – robust, competitive, well rounded. It’s not only her first cap it’s also her first senior call-up (she has been in the young Matildas ranks).
Australia line-up
Australia XI:
Still basking in their Champions League glory, Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Steph Catley may be shaking off the jetlag as they only touched down in Australia a couple of days ago. If we do see them my guess is it will be for a brief appearance only.
So where is Sam Kerr????
The last we heard from Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor was that she still didn’t have a clear answer on when Kerr would return to the pitch. The Matildas captain has been out for 16 months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury during warm weather training in early January 2024.
The state of Kerr’s fitness may be unknown but I can almost guarantee the state of her sleep is at an all time low, thanks to new baby Jagger. Kerr and partner Kristie Mewis announced the birth of their boy in early May.
A reminder of who’s in and who’s out of the extended squad.
OUT (injuries and personal leave): Mackenzie Arnold, Hayley Raso, Tameka Yallop, Ellie Carpenter, Katrina Gorry, Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler
IN: Morgan Aquino, Tegan Micah, Jada Whyman; Steph Catley, Charlotte Grant, Winonah Heatley, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Courtney Nevin, Natasha Prior, Jamilla Rankin; Kyra Cooney-Cross, Leah Davidson, Isabel Gomez, Amy Sayer*, Emily van Egmond, Clare Wheeler; Caitlin Foord, Bryleeh Henry, Michelle Heyman, Kahli Johnson, Holly McNamara, Kaitlyn Torpey
There’s four potential debutants on the list: Aquino, Whyman, Gomez and Johnson.
*Such exciting news for Sayer back in the squad for the first time since her ACL injury!
Preamble
Jo Khan
Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live blog of the first of two international friendlies between the Matildas and Argentina. It’s Jo Khan here, and I’ve got you covered for all the pregame news and minute-by-minute football action.
The last time we saw the Matildas on home soil was in April when they took two wins from two against South Korea. The overarching feeling after the second match was, “how good is Mary Fowler?” Oh dear. That sentiment, while remaining true, amounts to little since Fowler now faces a long recovery from an ACL injury sustained during Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final defeat in mid-April.
With no Fowler, no Sam Kerr, other injuries, personal absences and several veterans coming off heavy seasons overseas, the fresh faces in the Matildas camp are going to be called on to do heavier lifting than usual. It could make for a surprising game, and one debutant is in the starting XI!
If you want to get in touch, shoot me an email. Where are you following along from? What’s for dinner/breakfast/lunch? Who are you most excited to see stretch their legs today? Let me know your thoughts, and let’s get into it.
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