Summary
Thank you, as always, for joining me tonight. I’ll leave you with Kieran Pender’s match report from Brisbane. Stay tuned for truckloads more content coming out of tonight’s match and looking ahead to Monday’s huge clash. I shall be back on the tools for that, and I look forward to your company then.
Emily van Egmond, scorer of the opening goal, has spoken to Channel Seven in Australia.
Unfortunately the result didn’t go our way. We had so many chances but it was one of those nights we couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net. The last four or five minutes shows what the team is about, never say die attitude. We will be looking to take that into the next game.
Tonight wasn’t our night. I think we had the most possession, we looked to control the game in areas – and I would love to see what the percentage of our ball retention in the opposition’s final third was, we were down there quite a bit. At the end of the day it’s about putting the ball in the back of the net. Unfortunately we were short tonight. I have full faith in the group of girls. We have such a great bunch. We’ve been in this situation many times before. I’m positive that we can go out and definitely get the win against Canada.
We win together, we lose together, no matter what your role is on the team, everyone’s so valued within the team. We are going to need every single player, every single 23 of us, support staff included, to get us over the line against Canada.
We hear every single one of the Australian fans in the stadium. We are so humbled to have you guys out here supporting us. We will need you guys against Canada. It’s a massive game for us. If we want to get out of the group we have to turn it on. I can’t wait to see what Melbourne is about. We look forward to that game now.
Nigeria now have their destiny in their own hands on Monday against Ireland. A draw will suffice for the Super Falcons.
Monday is now a must-win for Australia, and potentially the culmination of the last four years and the entirety of the Gustavsson project. Will Sam Kerr appear? Will Kyah Simon? Does it require wholesale changes?
Pay them!!!!!! @thenff 🇳🇬
— Ian Wright (@IanWright0) July 27, 2023
HarryofOz is more phlegmatic. “One cannot deny that Nigeria probably deserved it. Two clinically taken goals and a good performance from them. And so, it’s on to Canada. An all or nothing win required. Fingers crossed that Kerr and Fowler will be available.”
Robert Moylan is frustrated. “This Matildas team has been exposed as a paper tiger and certainly not worthy of going far in the knockout stage- they don’t even deserve to make it to the next round. What an embarrassing game. Plenty of opportunities early but the finishes continue to be lousy. The passing, if it’s not lousy, is aimless.
But they do finally score (still plenty of doubts about this offense without Kerr), but give up a goal five minutes later right at the half. I mean, what good team allows something so stupid? And now two goals for Nigeria from substitutes and Gustavsson still has no answers.”
“With Nigeria’s victory over Australia we don’t know who will win the Women’s World Cup,” emails Kurt Perleberg. Quite right. The decline from the euphoric send-off against France in Melbourne a few days ago, to the despair of this upset defeat and a packed treatment room, is staggering.
Monday night against Canada in Melbourne now looms as an enormous occasion.
Whatever else happens at this tournament, it has made the point repeatedly that the gap between the best and the rest in women’s international football is narrow than ever.
Blimey. That result, that performance, that ending. Nobody could have foreseen a night like this. It is a crushing blow for Australia, who now risk not reaching the knockout phase.
Full-time: Australia 2-3 Nigeria
Incredibly victory for Nigeria! The Matildas lose at home.
Updated
90+12 mins: The noise in Brisbane Stadium is deafening. Australia are throwing everything at Nigeria, but Nnadozie again is alert to the long ball and gathers calmly.
90+11 mins: Chidiac, long to Kennedy, who nods down to Carpenter on the burst, steaming into the box… Nnadozie saves!
90+11 mins: Just seconds remaining for Australia to force an equaliser.
GOAL! Australia 2-3 Nigeria (Kennedy, 90+10)
Of course, Kennedy does score. Of course, it’s a header from a corner. Football. Lol.
90+9 mins: Still the long balls come raining into the Nigerian box. “Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough! Kennedy” as Betjeman would surely have written.
Updated
90+8 mins: Nigeria earn some respite, inching their way down the right flank, taking an age over throw-ins.
90+6 mins: Catley’s free-kick from near halfway is too hot for Kennedy. Ajibade goes down in the box clutching her head under pressure from Hunt, suffering that same whiplash injury that Vine experienced earlier.
90+5 mins: Half-chance! The angled ball to Kennedy is flicked on. Foord reads the flight well and sneaks in at the far post, getting her head to the bouncing ball, but Nnadozie is perfectly placed to smother.
Thanks, Brisbane! 👏#Matildas #FIFAWWC #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/8RrenSfVPb
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) July 27, 2023
90+4 mins: Cooney-Cross just overhits Australia’s googolplexth corner. Time running out for the Matildas.
90+2 mins: The ‘bomb it long to Kennedy’ approach almost pays off! The makeshift striker wins the latest “lofted pass” and knocks it into the path of Chidiac, but her effort storming in from the right is too high.
90 mins: Catley’s effort swings in menacingly but Nnadozie again does just enough to clear the danger zone. The Nigerian defence then holds firm.
11 (eleven) minutes of added time.
Updated
89 mins: Polkinghorne aims for Kennedy now – not a statement Australian fans would have hoped to read as an attacking strategy at the start of the tournament. Carpenter eschews the long ball option, instead driving with the ball at her feet towards the box and earning the gazillionth corner of the night.
88 mins: Proper “lump it up the big’un” stuff from Australia now. Catley the latest to launch a missile in Kennedy’s direction, but it comes back with interest. The Matildas rebuild, but it takes valuable time off the clock.
87 mins: Route one stuff from the Matildas. The long ball to Kennedy is nodded down. Chidiac is first to the crumbs and she gets a left-footed curling effort away that’s saved comfortably by Nnadozie.
86 mins: Nigeria are happy to defend deep with bodies behind the ball. Australia are offering little in the way of attacking inspiration.
85 mins: Second substitution for Australia with Chidiac replacing the energetic Raso.
84 mins: Nigeria leave their shape for a rare attack. They immediately regret it when Foord and Gorry mount a counterattack, one ended by a necessary Echegini foul 35m from goal.
82 mins: The latest delivery is decent but Nnadozie is first to it. Van Egmond then can’t fire a shot away from the edge of the box.
Polkinghorne’s introduction has seen Kennedy sent forward as an auxiliary target. It’s all a little desperate and threadbare for matchday two of a group stage.
Updated
81 mins: Raso refuses to stop running, or trying to beat he direct opponent on that right wing. She earns yet another corner. Australia have had a Muller factory’s worth of them tonight.
Time for Tony G’s masterplan – and his first substitution is to replace Vine with… Polkinghorne! Is this a corner-based attacking strategy?
79 mins: Almost a moment of brilliance from Foord. She’s found at the top of the box on the left, from where she engineers space, clears her feet and curls a powerful right-footed effort that’s just finger-tipped over the bar by Nnadozie.
Updated
78 mins: Another corner, this time an in-swinger from Catley. It’s curled onto the head of Kennedy on the six-yard line – but with Nnadozie in close attention, the header skims the crossbar and over.
77 mins: Cooney-Cross delivers the corner to the far post but after the contested header the pieces are picked up by Nigeria who hack clear.
76 mins: Foord is late on Alozie, but it’s deemed fair, and Australia win another corner.
Time for Nigeria to make another couple of changes, readying to defend their two goal lead.
78' SUBSTITUTION! in Lang Park 🏟️
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 27, 2023
🇦🇺 Australia 1-3 Nigeria 🇳🇬
OUT
Ashleigh Plumptre
Halimatu Ayinde
IN
Glory Ogbonna
Jennifer Echegini #SoarSuperFalcons #FIFAWWC #AUSNGA
Updated
75 mins: Australia have tried to up the tempo since the third goal, but Nigeria are now defending the edge of their own box in numbers and with great intensity. Still no substitutions from Gustavsson.
GOAL! Australia 1-3 Nigeria (Oshoala, 72)
Wow! This is the stuff of dreams for Nigeria! Oshoala has transformed this game off the bench, and now she has extended her team’s lead. A hopeful ball over the top looked innocuous, but Kennedy and Arnold got their wires crossed, Ashoala nipped between the two and from the most acute angle calmly stroked the ball into the side of the net. She celebrates by removing her shirt as her teammates mob her. Incredible scenes in Brisbane.
Updated
71 mins: Catley passes the ball in low. Foord tries a cute nutmeg-cum-shield at the near post but Nigeria have enough bodies to clear.
70 mins: Ayinde is being helped from the field. She is moving very gingerly. Meanwhile, Australia have a very dangerous free-kick.
69 mins: If Tony G does indeed have a masterplan – as was suggested at half-time – now would be a good time to put it into action.
68 mins: Raso does well on the right to muscle her way to the edge of the box, but she’s brought down in contact with Ayinde. The Nigerian comes off the worse, grimacing on the deck – and she receives a yellow card for her troubles.
66 mins: Well, well, well. That double substitution did the trick instantly for Nigeria. What have Australia got in response?
GOAL! Australia 1-2 Nigeria (Ohale, 65)
And that corner leads to a goal! The initial delivery is headed up in the air. The second ball is won decisively by a Nigerian head, out to Ajibade, who nods a cross-shot – also with her head – that Arnold parries, but into the path of the onrushing Ohale, who bravely diverts the ball over the line as she travels with it into the back of the net!
Updated
64 mins: Immediately Oshoala’s pace frays Hunt’s nerves, and she concedes a corner.
63 mins: Brilliant again from Gorry, carrying the ball forward through traffic then releasing Catley down the left. Her cross is kept alive on the right and sent back over for a glancing header that lacks power. Still the Matildas keep recycling until Cooney-Cross finally drills an effort from range wide.
Nigeria are the first to their substitute’s bench – and on comes Oshoala…
64' SUBSTITUTION! in Lang Park 🏟️
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 27, 2023
🇦🇺 Australia 1-1 Nigeria 🇳🇬
OUT
Ifeoma Onumonu
Uchenna Kanu
IN
Asisat Oshoala
Esther Okoronkwo #SoarSuperFalcons #FIFAWWC #AUSNGA
Updated
62 mins: Australia take their time in the final third, weighing up when to pull the trigger. Eventually Raso feeds Carpenter to chip over a cross that Vine does well to meet in the air, but her header lacks power and is gathered easily.
60 mins: Now Alozie’s on the deck after a challenge from Vine. But she’s not down for long.
59 mins: Payne is back up and walking, but she doesn’t look good. Hopefully just a corked thigh she can play through.
58 mins: Both teams will benefit from the stoppage. Both have looked a little ragged in the past ten minutes or so and ready for some coaching instructions.
57 mins: Gorry and Payne clash in midfield. No foul, but the Nigerian looks hurt, clutching the back of her left knee.
Updated
56 mins: Ayinde does well to repel Raso in full flight. Home fans want a penalty, but that was excellent defending.
55 mins: this match already feels like we’re into the final 10 or 20 minutes with both sides vacating midfield and looking for hopeful long balls with the field stretched. Eventually Nigeria string a couple of passes together and Ajibade larrups one over the bar.
54 mins: Nigeria probe in midfield but they can’t bypass the one-woman wrecking ball that is Katrina Gorry.
52 mins: Foord is such a clever footballer. She has that ability to move laterally with the ball under control, seemingly without moving her feet. She uses this unearthly talent to ghost into the box and earn a corner. Catley delivers but it’s smuggled away at the near post.
Updated
50 mins: Nigeria utilise the same portion of Lang Park to attack but Ajibade’s neat work isn’t honoured by any teammates in the box and her cross is easily cleared. This half has begun with both teams much more open and stretched than in the first half.
49 mins: Raso drops short on the right to play a give and go that allows the release ball in the channel for Van Egmond, but she doesn’t have the pace to keep it in play.
Updated
47 mins: Australia look for the early cross-field diagonal to Vine but Nigeria are alert to it. The Matildas win the ball back and keep it on the deck, working it over to the right. Van Egmond goes over in the box under a challenge but Gorry focuses on only one thing, thrashing the loose ball with fierce power inches over the crossbar. She has been everywhere again tonight, Australia’s midfielder. Not as polished as against Ireland, but enormously effective.
46 mins: 40 places separate these teams on FIFA’s rankings, but they are deadlocked on the field with 45 minutes left to play.
The teams are back out for the second half. What twists and turns do we have in store after dark in Brisbane?
Kári Tulinius is always a welcome sight in my inbox. “I think Van Egmond and Kanu showed the importance of being calm. Both just stroked the ball into the corner with their first touch, not trying to hammer it home or doing anything complicated. You need a clear mind to do the simple thing when under great pressure.” Both finishes improve with repeat viewing.
On that vibe, props to Adidas for using On a Ragga Tip in their superb ad campaign that supports the World Cup.
“This is actually the most fluid the Matildas have looked in attack all tournament,” reflects Chris Paraskevas. “But that’s leaving a lot more space in behind and they look open when Nigeria break. I don’t think this is “Tony G’s” Master Plan for winning the World Cup (assuming he has any cohesive plan at all). To have any chance against the power, speed and technique of a USA, it’ll be borderline cattenaccio. If they press this high, they’ll be picked apart.Hopefully Vine gets a goal tonight. I’m tipping her to be a breakout star. She was lethal in the A-League. Nice to see T.G. has upgraded from earbuds to a Secret-Service-style ear piece.”
Tony G’s Master Plan sounds like an early 90s banger produced by Jazzie B from Soul II Soul.
Time for a cuppa.
While I pop the kettle on, if you’re enjoying the Guardian’s coverage of the Women’s World Cup, consider it’s only possible thanks to funding from our fans all around the world. We don’t have a paywall, so everything we publish is open and free for everyone.
Fund quality sports journalism from the Guardian today from as little as £1. It takes less than a minute but makes a huge difference.
Half-time: Australia 1-1 Nigeria
A half full of energy and industry looked destined to end goalless, and then in injury-time both sides found the back of the net. Plenty of life left in this one in the second half.
GOAL! Australia 1-1 Nigeria (Kanu, 45+6)
Nigeria do have the quick equaliser! Ajibade teased Carpenter down the left, cut inside, drove a shot towards goal that deflects into the path of Kanu, who smuggles home from close range.
Updated
45+4 mins: Nigeria have upped the intensity in search of a quick equaliser, but the central through-ball is well defended by Hunt, then the move on the left is repelled by Carpenter.
45+3 mins: Foord is soon in the book for a rash challenge.
GOAL! Australia 1-0 Nigeria (Van Egmond, 45+1)
Gorry does superbly to cushion a volleyed pass into the path of Foord on the left wing straight from Nnadozie’s goal kick. The Arsenal striker does what nobody else so far tonight has managed to do – take her time and pick out a target in the penalty area. That target is Emily van Egmond, steaming in and stroking a low finish from the penalty spot. Lovely transitional goal.
Updated
44 mins: Raso wins the ball back strongly – then Payne robs Gorry, who returns the favour. It’s all become very helter-skelter in midfield.
Five minutes of added time to play at the end of the half.
42 mins: Still Nigeria come. Gorry can’t dribble the ball out of defence and the visitors retain possession smartly in the final third. The end product is a cross that’s defended well – but straight back to a black jersey. Both sides misplace passes in the middle third and the pace of the game ramps up a notch as bodies fly into contact and space emerges for runners, but nobody can find a clinical pass. No shortage of endeavour from either side so far, but a lack of composure with the killer pass is letting them both down.
41 mins: And so it proves! The delivery is headed clear at first but the second ball is powered through a forest of legs, off the outstretched boot of Plumptre – wrong-footing the hapless Arnold – and agonisingly wide of the post.
40 mins: Some rare possession for Nigeria with Ajibade working hard down the left. She’s eventually supported by Plumptre, who is pegged over by Raso. Good crossing opportunity from the set-piece for Payne.
Updated
39 mins: Cooney-Cross’s delivery should be an easy mark for Nnadozie but she flaps the ball straight to Foord seven metres out. Nnadozie makes amends from the resulting snapshot, before van Egmond volleys over.
38 mins: Nigeria make a mess of the resulting set-piece and Raso breaks, finding Foord up ahead. But not for the first time tonight the Arsenal striker is isolated and outnumbered. Still, she battles hard for corner number seven.
37 mins: Ajibade- blue hair, pink boots - dances past Gorry in midfield, who trips her former roommate for what should be a nailed on booking, but she gets away with it.
35 mins: Australia’s back four are walking the ball out of defence at will. The passes into the front three are crisp, but the combinations to unlock such a deep, structured defence are so far not there. Maybe another corner, a sixth for the hosts, will do it? Nope. It ends with Catley dragging a shot wide form the edge of the box.
33 mins: As with Ireland last week, Nigeria are well set to defend Australia’s early long ball forward. The Matildas have picked up the scraps with more purpose tonight however, pressing higher up the field with more bodies. They just lack an individual with the brilliance to open the game up single-handedly in broken play.
32 mins: So close! Catley’s delivery is flicked on at the near post and reaches Raso steaming in at the far stick, but from point blank range she can’t deflect her reflex effort on target.
Updated
31 mins: The corners keep racking up, this time Raso wins one on the right with a cross deflected off the boot.
30 mins: The corner isn’t dealt with first time and van Egmond does well to dink a cross over that looks destined for the forehead of Hunt 6-yards out, but she can’t make sufficient contact, and Nigeria escape.
28 mins: Cooney-Cross is much more prominent tonight than against Ireland. She tries to dink a ball over the top for Foord but the Arsenal striker can’t get to it in time. Nigeria try to play their way out of defence but Gorry times a sliding interception to perfection and the Matildas fly back into attack. Again Kennedy is high up the field, this time feeding Catley, who wins a corner over on the left.
Updated
27 mins: Carpenter this time travels with the ball at her feet and some nice interplay with Raso and Foord creates space on the right for the Real Madrid flyer to run into, but van Egmond’s pass is poor and the move breaks down.
26 mins: Kennedy tries to step up in possession to draw Nigeria out of their shape, but the Super Falcons are equal to it. Then Hunt looks for the long diagonal to Vine and the ball flies out of play.
24 mins: Australia make a mess of the resulting free-kick, trying to execute a set-play for ending up with a small army of offside players. Vine returns to the fray.
23 mins: It looks as though Vine is receiving a brief on-field concussion test. She’s smiling her way through it, so hopefully she’ll be fine. The reason for the test is because her head whiplashed into the turf after the forceful challenge from behind.
22 mins: Gorry fires a pass crossfield to Vine – who is unceremoniously clattered form behind byAlozie, who is booked for her challenge. That was very 1980s Old Firm areas. Vine has stayed down following the foul… Australia cannot afford another forward missing through injury.
Updated
20 mins: The best way to neutralise Nigeria’s counters is, of course, to keep the ball at the other end of the field. Foord does just that, unleashing a right-footed curler from the edge of the box that flashes just wide.
18 mins: Nigeria are looking so dangerous in transition. In a flash they turn broken field play into a through-ball with runners charging forward through the middle and the channels. The latest threat is aimed at Kanu, on the left of the box, but as she readies to accept possession she slips and the move breaks down. The Matildas have had plenty of warnings.
Updated
17 mins: Nigeria’s turn to enjoy a corner, their first of the night, over on the right. It’s floated over the six-yard line, Arnold flaps unconvincingly, precipitating a scramble that ends with an Australian boot hacking the ball clear. Arnold has been rock solid for the Matildas for many matches, but that was nervy.
15 mins: Nigeria aren’t hanging around in transition. Immediately following a turnover they’re looking for the early central through-ball and it almost works again – the second close call of the night for the Matildas. Once the ball is back in dispute, Vine flattens Ajibade in midfield.
13 mins: This time it’s a near-post delivery that’s headed behind for corner number three. Catley again whips it towards the six-yard box but Nnadozie commands her box well to punch clear. Catley picks up the pieces though, ghosts towards the penalty area and unleashes a fierce left-foot drive that Nnadozie has to dive low to her left to save.
12 mins: Better from Australia, spraying the ball around Lang Park, working the Nigerian defence, until Gorry’s angled cross whacks into the face of Plumptre and out for the second corner of the night.
10 mins: Now Carpenter has to clear a dangerous Nigeria move. Onumonu finds herself between the two Australian centre-backs but the through-ball is just a fraction beyond her stride. From the resulting throw-in, Kanu is gifted acres of space, reaches the byline and whips a cross over, but there’s nobody on the end of it. Nigeria have come to play.
Updated
8 mins: Superb long raking diagonal through-ball from Kennedy to Vine on the left, but the Sydney winger’s control lets her down and Nigeria escape. That early direct ball is Gustavsson’s Plan A, and you can see why when such packed international defences are proving so difficult to unlock.
Updated
6 mins: Nigeria enjoying a decent spell of possession over on their right. Ajibade has been busy early. Eventually a cross is sent over that a gold head gets to first and the ball is soon at the feet of the rampaging Foord – but she is isolated horribly and is soon closed down by black jerseys. It will be tough to play in transition if Australia don’t get bodies forward in support of the sole striker.
4 mins: Australia are set up with van Egmond in the No 10 role, part of an aggressive forward press. But that press is bypassed with a turnover in midfield and it takes Clare Hunt to cover astutely to deny a Nigerian counterattack that was well supported.
3 mins: Nigeria are struggling to play their way out of defence, with Cooney-Cross and Foord both robbing the underdogs of possession in dangerous areas.
2 mins: Nigeria start with 20 seconds of possession, a spell that ends unceremoniously with Demehin getting her feet in a knot and conceding an unforced throw-in. Soon afterwards Australia have a corner on the right. Catley curls the ball into a throng of players at the top of the six yard box but Nnadozie does well to punch clear.
Kick-off!
Can Australia seal qualification to the knockout phase?
The non-playing Sam Kerr gathers her squad in a huddle for a final pre-match rev-up.
Updated
Anthems sung, the two teams remove their warm-up jackets to reveal their technicolour uniforms. Australia are in familiar gold jerseys, green shorts, white socks. Nigeria are in their change kit of black shirts, neon green shorts, and black socks.
The final “oi” heralds the arrival of the two teams onto the field.
The traditional Welcome to Country in Brisbane ends with the same same but different Australian greeting of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi.” The crowd lapped it up.
A mild day in Brisbane is giving way to a cool evening. There’s no rain or wind to report. Lang Park / Brisbane Stadium / Suncorp Stadium is a proper football stadium too, rectangular with four big steep stands. Should be a belting atmosphere.
Game 1 of 8 ✅
— Matthew Oliver (@MatthewOliver87) July 24, 2023
Australia v Ireland Thursday
France v Brazil Saturday pic.twitter.com/nnQbukoXqF
The vibes are building here at Brisbane Stadium (that’s Suncorp Stadium to those not abiding by Fifa’s strict branding rules). The streets around the stadium in central Brisbane are heaving with green and gold-clad fans packing out bars and restaurant (although they’ll need to get a move on with the match due to start very shortly). More than 40,000 were at Brisbane Stadium on Saturday for England v Haiti, and another good turn-out is expected for Brazil v France this weekend. But neither will quite match this sold-out blockbuster clash, with another landmark crowd for the Matildas on home soil.
During Tony Gustavsson’s experimental phase he happened across a midfield partnership of 30-year-old Katrina Gorry and 21-year-old Kyra Cooney-Cross. Australia’s engine room has powered on all cylinders ever since.
Still time to laugh with Squires.
Esther Staubli from Switzerland is tonight’s referee. This is her first appearance at this World Cup. She also refereed at the 2019 and 2015 tournaments. She’s taken charge of two Women’s Champions League finals, and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 final.
Her assistants are Katrin Rafalski and Susanne Küng.
Australia are one of the teams with a ticket to that lottery, and a win tonight would send them through to a round-of-16 clash with England or Denmark.
Anything other than a Matildas win against Nigeria makes the final day of group play incredibly interesting.
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) July 26, 2023
Nigeria facing off with an Ireland already eliminated and if they won that Canada against Australia would become winner takes all. pic.twitter.com/6cm45k1CjE
Speaking of the US, they had to battle hard for a draw earlier on against the Netherlands. They have clearly come back to, or have been caught by, the pack. Predicting the eventual winner of this World Cup feels like a lottery.
Over in Group E, Portugal have just beaten Vietnam. Next up for them is a winner-takes-all clash with the USA. They couldn’t, could they?
Despite the gulf in expectation at this World Cup, the Matildas are not taking Nigeria lightly, and are wary of the threat the Super Falcons pose on the counter attack. Although, given the starting XI, that threat might not arrive until late in the game.
Here’s Nigeria’s arrival into Lang Park, in case you haven’t caught it yet.
🚨Arriving 🚌 Lang Park 🏞️
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 27, 2023
🎶Feel the mood 🎶
🆚 Australia 🇦🇺
Let's do Nigerian proud, girls! 💃💪#SoarSuperFalcons #FIFAWWC #AUSNGA pic.twitter.com/XH2kqipfeB
Peeking behind the scenes at what the players get up to in their hotels when they’re not training or playing is a staple of major tournaments. Kieran Pender tells the tales of table tennis, toddlers, and TV.
While we enjoy the coverage of Nigeria’s squad singing and dancing their way into the Lang Park changing rooms, there’s still time to catch up with the latest Women’s Football Weekly.
Not a novel observation, but it is so heartwarming seeing the level of support for @TheMatildas on the walk to the stadium tonight. All ages, all genders. For all the talk of the impact of the team on young girls, I think the impact on young boys is profound. Football as football
— Kieran Pender (@KieranPender) July 27, 2023
“Soccer fans all over Australia will be rocking if the local darlings get the win tonight,” emails Ezra Finkelstein. “Seeing so much goodwill and support for the Matildas – now all they have to do is perform, score one goal and they can begin preparations for the knockout stages and see how they prevent any more non-game injuries.”
Three points tonight certainly gives Tony Gustavsson room to breathe next week against Canada.
Nigeria XI
It’s not only Australia that can do selection bombshells. Nigeria’s standout player and Barcelona star Asisat Oshoala is not in the starting XI. There will be a few Matildas defenders breathing sighs of relief at that news. The dangerous Francisca Ordega also drops to the bench, and Deborah Abiodun is suspended. It remains to be seen if this is part of a grand plan, or whether something else is afoot.
OFFICIAL: TEAM NEWS 🗞️
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 27, 2023
📄Here's 🇳🇬our starting XI vs #Australia in Brisbane #SoarSuperFalcons #FIFAWWC #AUSNGA pic.twitter.com/y5lM0FEuyS
Updated
Australia XI
Just the one change for the Matildas, with Emily van Egmond somewhat of a surprise replacement for Mary Fowler. The selection of Van Egmond, an experienced ball-playing midfielder, indicates Caitlin Foord will lead the line on her own, with support coming from the width of Hayley Raso and Cortnee Vine.
Tonight will be just the third time in the last five years that one of Sam Kerr or Mary Fowler will not be in the lineup.
STARTING XI 🗒
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) July 27, 2023
Here's how we line up for our second #FIFAWWC group game against Nigeria!
⏰: 8:00pm AEST
📺💻📱: @channel7 & @optussport#Matildas #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/GopFljFyq2
Updated
Kieran Pender sets the scene from the camp of the discombobulated hosts, who are now without three of the four central attacking options in their squad.
Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord is almost certain to start up front, with Hayley Raso and Cortnee Vine on the wings. But with Fowler missing and no like-for-like replacement, Gustavsson may instead shake up the midfield – opting for either youth in Alex Chidiac or experience in the form of Emily van Egmond. Tameka Yallop could also bring attacking potency, although is unlikely to play a full match as she returns from a thigh injury. If Gustavsson opts for a wider overhaul, Everton’s Clare Wheeler may be brought in to anchor the midfield.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v Nigeria from Brisbane Stadium (also known as Lang Park). Kick-off in Match 22 of World Cup 2023 is 8pm AEST / 11am BST.
As Oscar Wilde might have written: to lose one striker may be regarded as a misfortune, but to lose three looks like carelessness. But Australia head into their second clash of their home World Cup without Sam Kerr, Kyah Simon, or Mary Fowler. How they cope with such adversity during 90 minutes of action against Nigeria will reveal plenty about the Matildas’ World Cup ambitions.
“Sometimes you’re unlucky and you need to deal with the cards you are handed,” reflected coach Tony Gustavsson. “We’re ready to play those cards. We have a lot of attacking options still in the roster, but this team has also showed that we’re adaptable.”
Australia will need all that adaptability to break down a Nigeria side that held Olympic gold medallists Canada goalless in their opening match. With the Canadians downing Ireland yesterday, any result other than a Matildas win tonight sets up a tense final round of action.
Nigeria will fancy their chances on the break, with Asisat Oshoala and Francisca Ordega tailor made for hitting a transitional defence at speed. But the Super Falcons have a crucial attacking absentee of their own, with young star Deborah Abiodun suspended after being shown a late red card against Canada.
I’ll be back with team news and insights from the two camps shortly. If you want to get in touch at any point you can always send me an email.
