Latest news with #SamKerr
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Matildas coach responds after worrying scenes despite win without Kerr and Fowler
The Matildas have started life under Joe Montemurro with a 3-0 win over Slovenia with Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler both out with ACL injuries, but the coach was left frustrated with a few mistakes as he tries to implement his style. Hayley Raso returned for the Matildas and was the star of the show having scored a cracking third goal in the victory in Perth on Thursday. But adapting to Montemurro's new style of play has proven to be a challenge for the team. Montemurro often deploys a more possession-based game plan than what some of the Matildas players are accustomed to during their time in the national jersey. And it showed with the players giving the ball away time and time again. This allowed Slovenia to record a massive 30 shots on target across the contest. Despite struggling in possession and making errors, the class of the Matildas was on display having made the crucial plays when it mattered. While life under Montemurro started with a victory, the former Lyon coach was left unimpressed with certain areas of their performance. "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." Although Montemurro admitted the players need to learn to suffer with and without the ball to return to the top level again with the Matildas dropping to their equal-lowest ranking in years. "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," he added. "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." Fortunately for Montemurro, the 3-0 win came with a host of superstars missing from the side. Alongside Kerr and Fowler, the Matildas were missing stars Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry, Cortnee Vine and Clare Wheeler. Many are taking an extended rest after a long European season. Just as Montemurro was announced as the new coach of the Matildas, Kerr suffered a fresh injury. Kerr has not played football in more than 16 months after tearing her ACL during training for her club side Chelsea. And earlier this month, it was revealed Kerr underwent surgery on a separate injury. Little is known about her recovery timeline, with Kerr and partner Kristie Mews recently taking a break and holidaying in the off-season. However, the Matildas superstar handed fans an update having posted footage of her back training and running with the ball during a Chelsea session. Although she was once again excluded from the Matildas squad with fans increasingly interested over when she will make a comeback. The Matildas superstar has been undergoing her recovery and was a hope to line-up for Chelsea, before their record breaking Women's Super League season came to an end. Although this didn't come to fruition with the plan for Kerr to remain in England and continue her recovery with Chelsea. Fowler remains out having also suffered an ACL injury towards the end of Manchester City's season. The Matildas star has been undergoing recovery with her club side having been told she can't travel after surgery. This meant she wasn't able to return home to watch partner Nathan Cleary in State of Origin.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Sam Kerr causes stir as Matildas play ‘perfect game'
Sam Kerr would have liked what she saw just as mush as new Matildas coach Joe Montemurro as the Tillies played a 'perfect game' in a 3-0 win over Slovenia in Perth on Thursday. Montemurro took charge of the Matildas for the first time since being announced as coach on June 2. He had only three training sessions with the squad before Thursday night's friendly. Key players including Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler are missing due to ACL injuries. Clare Wheeler, Cortnee Vine, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Katrina Gorry are all absent on personal leave. Kerr caused quite a stir on the sideline at HBF Park on Thursday night as she made a rare on-field appearance with her Aussie teammates. Montemurro said earlier this week injured Kerr has brought 'fantastic' energy to this week's training camp, with the new boss spending as much time in recent days 'meeting players' in his squad. Kerr's return after more than 18 months on the sidelines with a knee injury will be one of Montemurro's biggest challenges heading into the AFC Women's Asian Cup, which is being held on home soil, beginning March 1, 2026. If the sight of fans flocking to see Kerr in Perth on Thursday, he will be under plenty of pressure to get the Chelsea forward back into the starting side when she is available for selection. Kerr was given permission by her English club to continue her rehabilitation in Australia. There remains no set return playing date for Kerr, who Montemurro said was a welcome addition to the group, assembled in her home state, as she continued to build her 'physical capacity'. 'It's fundamentally a situation where she's now building her physical capacity, and we'll monitor that through,' Montemurro said on Wednesday. 'The important thing is, we're working with Chelsea to make sure she's right for pre-season and she gets some games under her belt. 'It is an individual sort of process, but it's great to have her around the group, and her energy is fantastic.' Vice-captain Ellie Carpenter, returning to national duties after personal leave, during which time she was married, said having Kerr around, even keeping a low profile, was a boost, given she had been absent from the field for so long. 'She's a massive player, also a massive character for the team,' Carpenter said. 'She's been absent from the team for a while, so it's nice to have her training individually, and hopefully, soon she can be back with us.' Thursday night's win suggested the Matildas will be fine without her. Montemurro said the win over Slovenia was exactly what the team needed. 'We have to put ourselves in positions, especially against the team that played player on player, to be comfortable receiving the ball under pressure,' he said. 'And we made, I think, 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. It was the perfect game; a team that's pressured all over the pitch, and we have to be comfortable under that pressure. 'We have to learn to be that. 'So, for me it was an important exercise tonight.' The Matildas had the first goal scored after just three minutes. None of the Slovenian players had registered a pass at that time. Australia then had to wait 83 minutes for the next goal though, which was quickly followed by a third. Substitute Hayley Raso was among the action for the last two goals, passing one to Holly McNamara for her first international goal. She kicked the last one herself. The two sides meet again in the second and final friendly at Perth's HBF Park on Sunday.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Joe Montemurro unconcerned by error-riddled Matildas in coaching debut against Slovenia
Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has given his first match in charge a tick of approval 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 Slovenia to unleash 20 shots on goal during Thursday night's match. The Matildas also created plenty of chances, with Emily Gielnik's third-minute strike getting the hosts 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. 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 in Perth. Montemurro said the errors committed were all part of the process in teaching the players how to handle pressure when on the ball. "It was an entertaining game. It could have been 6-5, or 7-6 or something," he 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." The Matildas will face Slovenia again in Perth on Sunday. They play Panama in two matches — one in Bunbury (July 5) and the second in Perth (July 8). AAP
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Matildas start a new era with 3-0 win - but the best moment happened off the field with Sam Kerr
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. But arguably the best moments of the win on Thursday night came after fulltime, when Sam Kerr thrilled fans by getting up close and personal with them. One young spectator broke down in tears of joy as she shared a moment with the injured striker, who made a surprise trip to her home town to train with the Tillies as she continues to fight her way back from a knee injury. Emily Gielnik's third-minute strike 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.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Australia beat Slovenia to ensure winning start for 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. 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. Advertisement 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. "We have to learn to be comfortable under pressure," Montemurro said of the 15th-ranked Matildas. "It was an important exercise tonight, it's about the process going forward." The 55-year-old Australian 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 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 38th-ranked Slovenia's chances of an upset were dealt a blow when midfielder Sara Makovec hobbled off early in the second half with a knee injury. "Something popped in her knee, hopefully she's going to be alright," coach Sasa Kolman said of Makovec, who plays in Austria. The teams meet again at the same venue on Sunday before Australia face Panama in a pair of home friendlies next week. tl/pst
