With just 89 days to go before Australia hosts the Women’s Asian Cup next March, the Matildas have ended their final window of 2025 on a high after defeating New Zealand 2 – 0 in Adelaide on Tuesday night.
While it was not the 5-0 trouncing of the Kiwis that Australia delivered on Friday, goals to Alanna Kennedy and Hayley Raso, combined with the long-awaited return of Sam Kerr to the starting side, provided a much-needed confidence boost to the team following an otherwise underwhelming and stagnant year.
Despite playing just 45 minutes, Kerr showed flashes of her old self throughout the opening half. Her link-up play in particular was instinctive and effective, allowing her fellow forwards Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso multiple chances to charge through New Zealand’s defensive lines and create goal-scoring opportunities.
It was Raso who shone brightest in the first half, striking the crossbar in just the third minute before delivering a dangerous dipping cross to the back post for Foord, whose header spun off the base of the post and out for a goal-kick ten minutes later.
The Kiwis offered little pressing or resistance, particularly not in midfield, allowing Emily Van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy – starting her first game since her red card against England in October – to control possession and dictate the direction of play.
Repaying Joe Montemurro’s faith, it was the unlikely Kennedy who popped up near the top of the box to slam home the opening goal after a darting run by Raso in the 18th minute ended with the ball spinning perfectly into Kennedy’s path.
Kaitlyn Torpey, starting in place of Courtney Nevin, and Ellie Carpenter both also had plenty of freedom to roam up-field as New Zealand sat in two deep blocks, forcing the Matildas wide or through – which they repeatedly exploited. Torpey could have made it two after a slaloming run and one-two with Foord in the 36th minute, but her shot sliced wide of the post just minutes after another Foord shot spun away off the upright.
While New Zealand were unconvincing defensively, they created more chances on the counterattack than Australia were ready for. Indiah-Paige Riley was lively down the wing, while Grace Wisnewski created a handful of chances in and around the box.
A choreographed short corner in the 14th minute required a reaction dive from Teagan Micah to stop a shot by Wisnewski, while the visitors found themselves charging into Australia’s penalty area twice in the space of a few minutes as the half drew to a close. But for Micah’s scrambling efforts, half-time could have felt plenty different despite the Matildas entering it with 78 per cent possession, 43 final-third entries, 23 touches in the opposition box, and 12 crosses.
Still managing a “grumbly calf”, Kerr was replaced at the break by Melbourne City striker Holly McNamara, while Nevin took over from the relentless Carpenter. Katrina Gorry, who excelled in the first leg, came on 20 minutes later for Clare Wheeler, while Tameka Yallop replaced Emily Van Egmond.
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But the Matildas created noticeably fewer clear-cut chances in the second period amidst all the changes, with Foord and Raso continuing to do the heavy-lifting as they have so often done over the past two years in Kerr’s absence.
It was Raso’s persistence that paid off in the 69th minute when her own attempted header missed a curling Steph Catley corner, only for the ball to deflect straight back to her, launching it into the top corner for 2-0. She was replaced by Kyra Cooney-Cross ten minutes later to a standing ovation.
“I love playing for Australia; it’s my happy place and I feel like I thrive here,” Raso said afterwards. “I’m in a good position and I’m really enjoying myself at the moment.
“There’s good feelings around the camp. We’re obviously preparing for the Asian Cup, so everything we’re doing is about that.”
And while it was not New Zealand’s night, it was an opportunity to farewell veteran midfielder Annalie Longo, who earned her 144th cap when she was subbed on just after the hour. Longo almost helped pull a goal back in the dying minutes, buzzing around Australia’s penalty area before clipping a ball in for Riley, only for the attacker’s header to loop just over the crossbar.
Montemurro said in the build-up that he hoped to “solidify an idea for the team” and “paint those pictures of what we might get in the Asian Cup”, and the various player and positional rotations showed a team building better depth and versatility against a defensively-minded opponent, which next year’s tournament will certainly provide.
An extended pause as Kiwi striker Kelli Brown required assistance took the wind out of a potential New Zealand comeback in stoppage time as Adelaide farewelled the team they’ll all be hoping can carry this improving form all the way through to the Asian Cup final.