Latest news with #Matildas'
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
WA news LIVE: Matildas coach not concerned by errors in 3-0 win in Perth
Latest posts Latest posts 9.30am Montemurro not concerned by Matildas' errors in 3-0 win over Slovenia in Perth It wasn't pretty, but new Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has given his first match in charge a huge tick after watching his side escape with a 3-0 win over Slovenia in Perth. The understrength Matildas struggled to adapt to Montemurro's possession-heavy game style, with error after error allowing world No.38 Slovenia to unleash a whopping 20 shots across Thursday's match. The Matildas also created plenty of chances, with Emily Gielnik's third-minute strike getting them off to a flyer, before Holly McNamara and Hayley Raso scored in the dying minutes to seal the win. Montemurro only had a few days with the squad before his first match, and he is still missing the likes of Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry, Cortnee Vine and Clare Wheeler. Implementing a new game plan - especially one as pressure-filled as possession-based football - is going to take time. The former Arsenal, Juventus and Lyon coach was happy with what he saw first-up, saying the errors committed were all part of the process in teaching the players how to handle the heat when on the ball. 'It was an entertaining game. It could have been 6-5 or 7-6 or something,' Montemurro said. 'But for me, it was a very important test, because a team that will play player-on-player in that manner, we have to learn to be better under these circumstances, because a lot of teams will do this now in modern football 'When you want to play a game where you're breaking lines and preparing to break lines and you're playing under pressure, you are going to make mistakes. 'You are going to make errors, and I'm demanding this, because for us to be at the top level, we have to be comfortable doing this. 'We made three or four big errors in that. But I'm not concerned, because it's the process going forward. 'For me, it was the perfect game against a team that's obviously pressured all over the pitch. We have to be comfortable under that pressure.' When asked whether his team went overboard in trying to maintain possession even in situations of grave danger, Montemurro replied: 'That to me says good things. 'That sends good signals, because they're trying to, at all costs, solve the problems with the ball. 'The positive thing is a lot of Slovenia's chances came from our errors trying to play. 'That's a positive for me. We just polish that stuff up and we'll be able to play against the top teams.' The Matildas will face Slovenia again in Perth on Sunday, before taking on Panama across two games - one in Bunbury, and the other in Perth. 9.30am Across Australia and around the world Here's what's making headlines elsewhere today: The three Australians accused of murdering a countryman and wounding another inside a luxury Bali villa have been paraded before the media as police say they are still investigating whether the man gunned down was the intended target or the victim of a botched hit. Australians who join, recruit or fund a white supremacist network that has told its members how to attack politicians and minority groups, will face up to 25 years in prison after the Albanese government listed Terrorgram as a terrorist organisation. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed victory over Israel and said his country had 'delivered a hand slap to America's face' on Thursday, in his first public comments since a ceasefire was declared in the war between the two countries. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed victory in the war with Iran, saying the outcome created the opportunity for a 'dramatic widening of peace agreements for peace'. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has clashed with reporters over their coverage of the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites, providing new details on the strikes but shedding little light on the damage inflicted. Trump officials will give their first classified briefing to US Congress about the president's decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, told French radio the agency can no longer assess the degree of damage, but uranium enrichment centrifuges at Fordow are 'no longer operational' because of the power of US strikes.
The Age
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
WA news LIVE: Matildas coach not concerned by errors in 3-0 win in Perth
Latest posts Latest posts 9.30am Montemurro not concerned by Matildas' errors in 3-0 win over Slovenia in Perth It wasn't pretty, but new Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has given his first match in charge a huge tick after watching his side escape with a 3-0 win over Slovenia in Perth. The understrength Matildas struggled to adapt to Montemurro's possession-heavy game style, with error after error allowing world No.38 Slovenia to unleash a whopping 20 shots across Thursday's match. The Matildas also created plenty of chances, with Emily Gielnik's third-minute strike getting them off to a flyer, before Holly McNamara and Hayley Raso scored in the dying minutes to seal the win. Montemurro only had a few days with the squad before his first match, and he is still missing the likes of Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry, Cortnee Vine and Clare Wheeler. Implementing a new game plan - especially one as pressure-filled as possession-based football - is going to take time. The former Arsenal, Juventus and Lyon coach was happy with what he saw first-up, saying the errors committed were all part of the process in teaching the players how to handle the heat when on the ball. 'It was an entertaining game. It could have been 6-5 or 7-6 or something,' Montemurro said. 'But for me, it was a very important test, because a team that will play player-on-player in that manner, we have to learn to be better under these circumstances, because a lot of teams will do this now in modern football 'When you want to play a game where you're breaking lines and preparing to break lines and you're playing under pressure, you are going to make mistakes. 'You are going to make errors, and I'm demanding this, because for us to be at the top level, we have to be comfortable doing this. 'We made three or four big errors in that. But I'm not concerned, because it's the process going forward. 'For me, it was the perfect game against a team that's obviously pressured all over the pitch. We have to be comfortable under that pressure.' When asked whether his team went overboard in trying to maintain possession even in situations of grave danger, Montemurro replied: 'That to me says good things. 'That sends good signals, because they're trying to, at all costs, solve the problems with the ball. 'The positive thing is a lot of Slovenia's chances came from our errors trying to play. 'That's a positive for me. We just polish that stuff up and we'll be able to play against the top teams.' The Matildas will face Slovenia again in Perth on Sunday, before taking on Panama across two games - one in Bunbury, and the other in Perth. 9.30am Across Australia and around the world Here's what's making headlines elsewhere today: The three Australians accused of murdering a countryman and wounding another inside a luxury Bali villa have been paraded before the media as police say they are still investigating whether the man gunned down was the intended target or the victim of a botched hit. Australians who join, recruit or fund a white supremacist network that has told its members how to attack politicians and minority groups, will face up to 25 years in prison after the Albanese government listed Terrorgram as a terrorist organisation. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed victory over Israel and said his country had 'delivered a hand slap to America's face' on Thursday, in his first public comments since a ceasefire was declared in the war between the two countries. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed victory in the war with Iran, saying the outcome created the opportunity for a 'dramatic widening of peace agreements for peace'. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has clashed with reporters over their coverage of the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites, providing new details on the strikes but shedding little light on the damage inflicted. Trump officials will give their first classified briefing to US Congress about the president's decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, told French radio the agency can no longer assess the degree of damage, but uranium enrichment centrifuges at Fordow are 'no longer operational' because of the power of US strikes.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Montemurro era begins with a bang as Matildas secure 3-0 victory against Slovenia
Holly McNamara has scored her first international goal but new Matildas coach Joe Montemurro was left with plenty to ponder after his side scratched out an unconvincing 3-0 win over Slovenia in Perth. Emily Gielnik's third-minute strike in Thursday night's match at HBF Park got the 15th-ranked Matildas off to a flyer, but it wasn't until McNamara scored in the 86th minute that the win was safe. Hayley Raso added the icing on the cake in the 87th minute when she waltzed through the midfield untouched before unleashing a strike from outside the box. Although the 3-0 scoreline looked good on paper, the performance was far from slick in front of a crowd of just 8678. The under-strength Matildas were error-prone throughout the night, especially in defence where they attempted to play their way out of trouble at every chance. Montemurro's possession-based game plan was always going to have teething problems, but the sheer amount of errors will be a huge concern. Things started brightly when Gielnik stayed persistent in a goalmouth scrap to score the opener. But the Matildas' determination to retain possession at all costs led to numerous sloppy turnovers, many of which should have been punished. Time and again, the Matildas opted to go backwards instead of finding the gaps further ahead - leading to problems whenever Slovenia were able to pick off the pass. One such turnover let Spela Kolbl off the leash in the 15th minute, with her floating cross glancing off the crossbar. The Matildas' best opportunities in the first half generally came when defender Ellie Carpenter found some space to charge forward, with her pace and physicality proving hard to stop. The Matildas' worst defensive error of the night arrived in the 52nd minute when Clare Hunt was unaware an opponent was bearing down on her as she attempted a short pass. She got stripped of the ball but was left breathing a huge sigh of relief when Slovenia striker Zara Kramzar fired straight at Matildas keeper Teagan Micah from close range. It was Alanna Kennedy's turn to commit a horror mistake 10 minutes later when her clumsy attempt to control the bouncing ball while running back to defend resulted in a costly deflection. Slovenian substitute Nina Kajzba pounced on the mistake, with her strike forcing Micah to make a fine diving save. McNamara, who has endured three knee reconstructions during her career, was a threat throughout the match. The 22-year-old, playing her 10th international, finally received her reward when she put away a header at the far post following a sublime cross from Raso. McNamara's teammates mobbed her as she celebrated her first Matildas goal. A minute later, Raso went on a run and curled in a precision strike from the edge of the box. The Matildas went into the international window missing a host of their best players. Sam Kerr (ACL), Mary Fowler (ACL) and Tameka Yallop (leg) were all out through injury, while Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry and Cortnee Vine are all on personal leave.
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
McNamara ends goal drought to help save sloppy Matildas
Holly McNamara has scored her first international goal but new Matildas coach Joe Montemurro was left with plenty to ponder after his side scratched out an unconvincing 3-0 win over Slovenia in Perth. Emily Gielnik's third-minute strike in Thursday night's match at HBF Park got the 15th-ranked Matildas off to a flyer, but it wasn't until McNamara scored in the 86th minute that the win was safe. Hayley Raso added the icing on the cake in the 87th minute when she waltzed through the midfield untouched before unleashing a strike from outside the box. Although the 3-0 scoreline looked good on paper, the performance was far from slick in front of a crowd of just 8678. The under-strength Matildas were error-prone throughout the night, especially in defence where they attempted to play their way out of trouble at every chance. Montemurro's possession-based game plan was always going to have teething problems, but the sheer amount of errors will be a huge concern. Things started brightly when Gielnik stayed persistent in a goalmouth scrap to score the opener. But the Matildas' determination to retain possession at all costs led to numerous sloppy turnovers, many of which should have been punished. Time and again, the Matildas opted to go backwards instead of finding the gaps further ahead - leading to problems whenever Slovenia were able to pick off the pass. One such turnover let Spela Kolbl off the leash in the 15th minute, with her floating cross glancing off the crossbar. The Matildas' best opportunities in the first half generally came when defender Ellie Carpenter found some space to charge forward, with her pace and physicality proving hard to stop. The Matildas' worst defensive error of the night arrived in the 52nd minute when Clare Hunt was unaware an opponent was bearing down on her as she attempted a short pass. She got stripped of the ball but was left breathing a huge sigh of relief when Slovenia striker Zara Kramzar fired straight at Matildas keeper Teagan Micah from close range. It was Alanna Kennedy's turn to commit a horror mistake 10 minutes later when her clumsy attempt to control the bouncing ball while running back to defend resulted in a costly deflection. Slovenian substitute Nina Kajzba pounced on the mistake, with her strike forcing Micah to make a fine diving save. McNamara, who has endured three knee reconstructions during her career, was a threat throughout the match. The 22-year-old, playing her 10th international, finally received her reward when she put away a header at the far post following a sublime cross from Raso. "She's a player that's very, very smart in arriving in space," Montemurro said of McNamara. "And what I mean by that she makes her runs very, very late, which is very hard to mark. "That's a feeling - you can't coach that." A minute after McNamara's goal, Raso went on a run and curled in a precision strike from the edge of the box. The Matildas went into the international window missing a host of their best players, including injured superstars Sam Kerr (knee) and Mary Fowler (knee). Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry and Cortnee Vine are all on personal leave, while Clare Wheeler left the camp earlier this week due to personal reasons. Australia face Slovenia again in Perth on Sunday, before taking on Panama in Bunbury on July 5 and in Perth on July 8. Holly McNamara has scored her first international goal but new Matildas coach Joe Montemurro was left with plenty to ponder after his side scratched out an unconvincing 3-0 win over Slovenia in Perth. Emily Gielnik's third-minute strike in Thursday night's match at HBF Park got the 15th-ranked Matildas off to a flyer, but it wasn't until McNamara scored in the 86th minute that the win was safe. Hayley Raso added the icing on the cake in the 87th minute when she waltzed through the midfield untouched before unleashing a strike from outside the box. Although the 3-0 scoreline looked good on paper, the performance was far from slick in front of a crowd of just 8678. The under-strength Matildas were error-prone throughout the night, especially in defence where they attempted to play their way out of trouble at every chance. Montemurro's possession-based game plan was always going to have teething problems, but the sheer amount of errors will be a huge concern. Things started brightly when Gielnik stayed persistent in a goalmouth scrap to score the opener. But the Matildas' determination to retain possession at all costs led to numerous sloppy turnovers, many of which should have been punished. Time and again, the Matildas opted to go backwards instead of finding the gaps further ahead - leading to problems whenever Slovenia were able to pick off the pass. One such turnover let Spela Kolbl off the leash in the 15th minute, with her floating cross glancing off the crossbar. The Matildas' best opportunities in the first half generally came when defender Ellie Carpenter found some space to charge forward, with her pace and physicality proving hard to stop. The Matildas' worst defensive error of the night arrived in the 52nd minute when Clare Hunt was unaware an opponent was bearing down on her as she attempted a short pass. She got stripped of the ball but was left breathing a huge sigh of relief when Slovenia striker Zara Kramzar fired straight at Matildas keeper Teagan Micah from close range. It was Alanna Kennedy's turn to commit a horror mistake 10 minutes later when her clumsy attempt to control the bouncing ball while running back to defend resulted in a costly deflection. Slovenian substitute Nina Kajzba pounced on the mistake, with her strike forcing Micah to make a fine diving save. McNamara, who has endured three knee reconstructions during her career, was a threat throughout the match. The 22-year-old, playing her 10th international, finally received her reward when she put away a header at the far post following a sublime cross from Raso. "She's a player that's very, very smart in arriving in space," Montemurro said of McNamara. "And what I mean by that she makes her runs very, very late, which is very hard to mark. "That's a feeling - you can't coach that." A minute after McNamara's goal, Raso went on a run and curled in a precision strike from the edge of the box. The Matildas went into the international window missing a host of their best players, including injured superstars Sam Kerr (knee) and Mary Fowler (knee). Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry and Cortnee Vine are all on personal leave, while Clare Wheeler left the camp earlier this week due to personal reasons. Australia face Slovenia again in Perth on Sunday, before taking on Panama in Bunbury on July 5 and in Perth on July 8. Holly McNamara has scored her first international goal but new Matildas coach Joe Montemurro was left with plenty to ponder after his side scratched out an unconvincing 3-0 win over Slovenia in Perth. Emily Gielnik's third-minute strike in Thursday night's match at HBF Park got the 15th-ranked Matildas off to a flyer, but it wasn't until McNamara scored in the 86th minute that the win was safe. Hayley Raso added the icing on the cake in the 87th minute when she waltzed through the midfield untouched before unleashing a strike from outside the box. Although the 3-0 scoreline looked good on paper, the performance was far from slick in front of a crowd of just 8678. The under-strength Matildas were error-prone throughout the night, especially in defence where they attempted to play their way out of trouble at every chance. Montemurro's possession-based game plan was always going to have teething problems, but the sheer amount of errors will be a huge concern. Things started brightly when Gielnik stayed persistent in a goalmouth scrap to score the opener. But the Matildas' determination to retain possession at all costs led to numerous sloppy turnovers, many of which should have been punished. Time and again, the Matildas opted to go backwards instead of finding the gaps further ahead - leading to problems whenever Slovenia were able to pick off the pass. One such turnover let Spela Kolbl off the leash in the 15th minute, with her floating cross glancing off the crossbar. The Matildas' best opportunities in the first half generally came when defender Ellie Carpenter found some space to charge forward, with her pace and physicality proving hard to stop. The Matildas' worst defensive error of the night arrived in the 52nd minute when Clare Hunt was unaware an opponent was bearing down on her as she attempted a short pass. She got stripped of the ball but was left breathing a huge sigh of relief when Slovenia striker Zara Kramzar fired straight at Matildas keeper Teagan Micah from close range. It was Alanna Kennedy's turn to commit a horror mistake 10 minutes later when her clumsy attempt to control the bouncing ball while running back to defend resulted in a costly deflection. Slovenian substitute Nina Kajzba pounced on the mistake, with her strike forcing Micah to make a fine diving save. McNamara, who has endured three knee reconstructions during her career, was a threat throughout the match. The 22-year-old, playing her 10th international, finally received her reward when she put away a header at the far post following a sublime cross from Raso. "She's a player that's very, very smart in arriving in space," Montemurro said of McNamara. "And what I mean by that she makes her runs very, very late, which is very hard to mark. "That's a feeling - you can't coach that." A minute after McNamara's goal, Raso went on a run and curled in a precision strike from the edge of the box. The Matildas went into the international window missing a host of their best players, including injured superstars Sam Kerr (knee) and Mary Fowler (knee). Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry and Cortnee Vine are all on personal leave, while Clare Wheeler left the camp earlier this week due to personal reasons. Australia face Slovenia again in Perth on Sunday, before taking on Panama in Bunbury on July 5 and in Perth on July 8.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Australia beat Slovenia to ensure winning start under Montemurro
An understrength Australia beat Slovenia 3-0 in a friendly in Perth on Thursday to ensure Joe Montemurro's reign as coach got off to a winning start. While their execution lacked conviction at times, the Matildas' effort and intent would have encouraged their new taskmaster on a cool night at HBF Park. Advertisement Montemurro has vowed to implement an attacking, possession-based style with the Matildas, who have started preparations for next year's Asian Cup on home soil. It didn't take long for the hosts to take heed of Montemurro's blueprint when forward Emily Gielnik poked in after three minutes. The crowd of 8,678 were left slightly disappointed until Holly McNamara and substitute Hayley Raso scored in the dying minutes to put gloss on the scoreline. The 55-year-old Australian Montemurro was appointed coach this month, ending a long search after Tony Gustavsson departed following the Matildas' lacklustre performance at the Paris Olympics. Advertisement Montemurro enjoyed successful coaching stints at Arsenal, Juventus and Lyon, who he recently steered to their fourth consecutive league title. Australia were without English Women's Super League stars Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler and Clare Wheeler. The talismanic Kerr, Australia's leading scorer in international football, has not played since January last year when she ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament while training with Chelsea. Kerr won't make her long-awaited return in this block of friendlies, but has rejoined the squad and watched the game on the sidelines. After a fast start the Matildas were in danger of letting Slovenia back into the game. Advertisement Forward Spela Kolbl almost equalised in the 14th minute only for her chip to smack off the crossbar. Slovenia kept pressing after the interval, but rued errant finishing with Zara Kramzar's shot from point-blank range straight at goalkeeper Teagan Micah. The teams meet again at the same venue on Sunday before Australia face Panama in a pair of home friendlies next week. tl/pst
