The Matildas' seven-match winning streak has been broken by a stoic Scottish side 1-0 in the first of two Europe-based friendlies before the 2023 Women's World Cup.
On a day when the Australians were buoyed by the return of fullback Ellie Carpenter after a two-year international absence, Tony Gustavsson's team were left ruing a series of missed chances as they lost for the first time since September.
An experimental-looking Matildas hit the woodwork twice through Cortnee Vine and debutant Clare Hunt, and clearly struggled to create convincing chances without the firepower of the benched Sam Kerr and the injured Caitlin Foord.
The Scots, ranked 23 in the world, eventually prevailed over their top-10 opponents with a freakish, looping second-half strike from Nicola Docherty but, spurred by their very own Sam Kerr, they also created enough opportunities to embarrass a rearguard led by Claire Polkinghorne on her 155th appearance.
In front of a holiday crowd of 2,136 at AFC Wimbledon's Plough Lane stadium in London, the Aussies clearly missed some of their marquee names with about 600 caps' worth of players either out injured or being saved on the bench.
Gustavsson left out Kerr, evidently preparing to unleash his superstar striker for the glamour match against England at Brentford on Wednesday morning, the key final overseas outing before the World Cup.
Carpenter's return was a boon, though. She opened up impressively, forging forward as if she'd never been away and getting over an hour under her belt before being substituted.
Early on, it was Hayley Raso who really caused problems for the Scottish defence, being brought down just outside the box after weaving a path through.
Katrina Gorry swung in a dangerous free-kick to the far post which Raso and debutant Hunt could have done more with, but that was effectively the last time the Matildas threatened in the first half as the Scots created the lion's share of chances.
Winger Martha Thomas twice came close, forcing a first save from Mackenzie Arnold and then volleying just over. Then Kerr — the Scottish version — struck one from distance just wide as the Scots found alarming amounts of space.
The game's complexion changed within two minutes after the break when, almost out of nowhere, Docherty unleashed a speculative, looping effort from the left edge of the box which curled agonisingly beyond Arnold into the top far corner of the net.
It spurred the Matildas into life: Vine hitting the underside of the bar, Mary Fowler being denied one-on-one with goalie Lee Gibson, and Hunt then unleashing a piledriver from more than 20 metres out that struck the woodwork again.
Vine and Fowler again came close as the Aussies scented an equaliser, but there was danger at the other end too as Thomas could easily have ended with a hat-trick.
Take a look at how the match unfolded in our live blog below.
Key events
Live updates
Final thoughts
By Samantha Lewis
After a topsy-turvy game, Australia's 7-game winning streak has been snapped by a resolute Scotland side thanks to a glorious Nicola Docherty strike.
The Matildas had their chances, no doubt: three of their 17 shots came off the crossbar, while two more were saved by Scotland's Lee Gibson, but the lack of quality offered by more senior players like Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord was noticeable, particularly in transition.
Ultimately, though, this was a game about asking and answering questions around Australia's squad depth.
Starting centre-forward Larissa Crummer showed glimpses, though tended to make the wrong decisions at critical moments. Alex Chidiac once again showed her game-changing qualities, while Mary Fowler played her best game in midfield in some time.
Cortnee Vine and Charlotte Grant have undoubtedly staked their claim as understudies, while Kyra Cooney-Cross and Katrina Gorry are certainly the best central pairing, despite being bodied off the ball regularly by a highly physical Scottish side.
Clare Hunt had yet another impressive stint at centre-back, in just her second ever international window, while Courtney Nevin used her brief substitution period towards the end of the game to show she's a useful understudy to Steph Catley at left-back.
These are players who have needed to step up and make a claim for that final 23-player World Cup squad, with just one more game against England to do so before Tony Gustavsson makes the final cut.
And I'll be there on Wednesday morning from 4:00am AEST to take you through it all.
Until then!
Full-time: Australia 0 - 1 Scotland
By Samantha Lewis
93' One last shot
By Samantha Lewis
Cooney-Cross does brilliantly to ride a few challenges and win a foul near the centre-circle.
Caroline Weir gets a yellow card for delaying the taking of the free-kick, which Mackenzie Arnold launches into the box.
It bounces off the head of Polkinghorne and out for a goal kick.
That's it.
Four minutes of additional time
By Samantha Lewis
88' Squeaky bum time!
By Samantha Lewis
A free kick for Australia is taken by Mackenzie Arnold past the half-way line, with almost all of her team-mates gathered around the 18-yard box.
The ball pings up and around, recycling out to Mary Fowler who clips it back in, but it's cleared away again.
It then makes its way up the other end of the field to the feet of Caroline Weir, who tries to cut back for a team-mate but the shot is fired wide.
Not long to go now and it feels like anything could happen.
86' Scotland substitution
By Samantha Lewis
Martha Thomas probably should have had a goal or two tonight given the chances she created, including that baffling one-on-one with Arnold in the first half, but she's run out of time to do so.
She's replaced by Brogan Hay.
85' Some tired legs out there
By Samantha Lewis
Both Mary Fowler and Katrina Gorry have done a mountain of work, which you can tell because the former just tried to lay off a pass to the latter but there was no communication between the two whatsoever, with the ball instead falling Scotland's way to set off a counter-attack.
This has been a much better game from Fowler overall: you'd have to think her being moved to the bench for the past few windows sent her a message that she needs to do as much as possible with the time she's given.
81' Australia substitution
By Samantha Lewis
Tameka Yallop comes on for the excellent Hayley Raso, while also handing a small note to a team-mate.
Yallop seems to slot into right back, pushing Charlotte Grant centrally alongside Clare Polkinghorne.
And it's Clare Hunt who has been pushed into a centre-forward position, with Gustavsson seemingly wanting to use her height and strength in the air.
Let's see if it works.
77' Scotland substitute
By Samantha Lewis
Kirsty Hanson comes off for Jamie-Lee Napier.
Official crowd: 2,136
By Samantha Lewis
74' Chance Scotland!
By Samantha Lewis
A tired Katrina Gorry has the ball poked out from her foot by Kirsty Hanson, who charges down a third of the field before feeding Weir down the right.
Courtney Nevin does well to track back and get in Weir's way, but the RealMadrid midfielder neatly finds Hanson in the box, who fires straight at Mackenzie Arnold who knocks it over the crossbar.
The resulting free kick comes to nothing, but hoo boy that was close.
72' Yellow card Australia
By Samantha Lewis
Hayley Raso receives the first slice of cheese for an Aussie after sliding in dangerously off the ball on a Scottish player. Seems a bit unfair given how many fouls have been committed against her, but alas. That's why I'm here and the referee is there.
72' Australia 0 - 1 Scotland
By Samantha Lewis
The Matildas have created far more convincing chances in the first 20 minutes of the second half, but their momentum seems to have slowed a bit now - just as it did in the first half.
Alex Chidiac has provided some much-needed spark, as has the shifting of Cortnee Vine into a central position.
Scotland's chances have been few and far between so far this half, largely thanks to some more solid and organised defending.
Can the Matildas find their way back into this?
65' Scotland substitution
By Samantha Lewis
Emma Watson comes off after an impressive debut, to be replaced by fellow youngster Chelsea Cornet.
Claire Emslie also comes off, with Lauren Davidson on.
63' Chidiac almost changes the game!
By Samantha Lewis
The substitute picks up a loose pass and drives towards the top of the box, forcing her defender backwards, before easing the ball onto her preferred left foot and drilling low and hard across goal.
It seems to nick off a defender and dribble out for a corner, which eventually comes to nothing, but there's the game-changer we know and love!
Update
Audience comment
Love seeing Ellie back! She’s been missed!
- Alex
62' Australia substitutions
By Samantha Lewis
Alex Chidiac is on for Larissa Crummer, while the excellent Ellie Carpenter is replaced by Courtney Nevin.
Charlotte Grant is shifted to right-back, giving the left-footed Nevin her spot, and Cortnee Vine is shuffled into the centre-forward position as Chidiac takes the left wing.
61' Fowler with the shot
By Samantha Lewis
Some nice one-on-one work from Cortnee Vine on the left side sees her ease past two defenders to feed Fowler, who'd ghosted into the box in front of her tracking player.
The teenager lets off a first-time strike that tries to loop up and over the goalkeeper, but it's just too high and flies over the crossbar instead.
59' SO CLOSE!
By Samantha Lewis
Another one-two between Carpenter and Raso leads to Raso somehow finding herself in midfield with the ball at her feet, running towards the top of the box unchallenged.
She glances towards goal, shifts the ball onto her stronger right foot, and unleashes a strike that flies straight at Gibson - but the force behind it means Gibson doesn't claim it cleanly and it almost spins off her and into the net before the goalkeeper bats it away.
Cripes.
56' Two chances in two minutes for both teams
By Samantha Lewis
I CAN BARELY KEEP UP!
Claire Emslie and Martha Thomas combined brilliantly on the break down one end, with the Manchester United striker poking just wide of the post, before the quick goal-kick falls to the feet of Raso, who immediately zips down the other end and squares for Vine, whose shot ricochets off the shin-pad of a Scottish defender and away.
My keyboard is currently a puddle of black plastic from typing so furiously.
ABC/AAP
