Slovenia's late equaliser spoils the Matildas' Montemurro welcome party

The Age9 hours ago

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Pinned post from yesterday 10.50pm
Slovenia's late equaliser spoils Montemurro's welcome party
A 91st-minute strike from Mirjam Kastelec has earned Slovenia a 1-1 draw with the Matildas in Perth, denying new Australian coach Joe Montemurro two wins from two games and spoiling an improved performance from the hosts.
After a scoreless opening half at HBF Park on Sunday evening, the Australians secured a deserved breakthrough five minutes after the break when Remy Siemsen set Ellie Carpenter up to float a cutback to Michelle Heyman, who placed a side-footed volley into the net.
But a late flurry from the Slovenians was rewarded a minute into added time when an effort from Naja Poje Mihelic bounced off the post and back into the path of fellow substitute Kastelec, who slid in front of a desperately retreating Australian defence to fire home.
It dampened a performance from the Australians that showed signs of improvement as they continue to adapt to the new possession-based principles of Montemurro – even if the margin was well off the 3-0 victory they secured over the same opposition on Thursday.
After a midweek win characterised by struggles with the Slovenian press and sloppy turnovers, the hosts were cleaner with the ball in their defensive third in the re-match, which resulted in fewer opportunities off giveaways for the Europeans. This was accompanied by improvements in the side's movement and combination play going forward, particularly from Carpenter and Amy Sayer on the right.
The promising build-ups, however, were frequently let down by the final ball or stymied by desperate last-gasp defending. That was until the 50th minute, when Siemsen's inch-perfect ball for Carpenter set the wingback up to put it on a plate for Heyman.
Charli Grant came close to killing the game off in the 70th minute, but had her shot cleared off the line. The visitors then raised their intensity.
Having hardly been sighted to that point, Mackenzie Arnold was called into action in the 90th minute to deny Kastelec, but the Australian keeper could do little about the 22-year-old's effort a minute later.
Seeking to bounce back, Montemurro will now shuffle his deck for fixtures against Panama on July 5 and July 8, with Carpenter, Cooney-Cross and Kennedy among eight players leaving camp to make way for eight new squad players.
yesterday 10.30pm
Thanks for joining us tonight
It was not the result many die-hard Matildas wants would have wanted tonight but, hey, it was a friendly and all eyes are on the right choices for Australia ahead of next year's Asian Cup. The Tillies were smooth and created enough chances. A second ball in the back of the net for Australia would have proved all the difference. In any case, there's optimism for the future.
Good night.
yesterday 10.17pm
Not a bad Sunday night turn out
yesterday 10.02pm
Full-time: There's the whistle
The match finishes at 1-1 – a result which will leave the Matildas a tad frustrated. No-one wants to give up a goal in injury time, and that's exactly the mood here. The Tillies were impressive throughout, creating numerous chances but could only put one in the back of the net after a goalless opening half. The window was open for Slovenia to somehow snatch an equaliser .… and they did.
yesterday 9.59pm
GOAL: Oh, no, the equaliser
90+1′ - SLOVENIA have SCORED. An equaliser in stoppage time. That's well against the script, and against the flow ...
Mirjam Kastelec pounced on a ball in the box and slotted at home. The ball bounced off the left post and, in this case, it was fortuitous for the visitors that it went in the right direction.
Australia 1 Slovenia 1
yesterday 9.54pm
The big final minutes have arrived
85′ - The big final minutes have arrived. The Tillies can't simply try and protect a one-goal lead. Slovenia have at times looked dangerous on the counter-attack. As Australia draw heavily on bench rotations, the emphasis on exposing the squad must be balanced with locking in the victories.
yesterday 9.51pm
More changes for the Tilles
That big chance for Australia came closely after a few more substitutions. The Matildas are rotating through the squad now.
yesterday 9.48pm
This was a decent chance
77′ - The Matildas hover in the attacking third with venom. There was basically three different shots on goal. One shot is expertly cleared from the goal line by the Slovenian 'keeper.