If the Matildas needed a result to soothe the wounds of a forgettable Olympic Games, this was it. A long-range screamer from Kyra Cooney-Cross and a Clare Hunt header gave interim coach Tom Sermani some cheer in a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Germany in Duisburg.
As Cooney-Cross reached 50 international caps, the game turned on and will be remembered for the midfielder’s individual moment of brilliance. Pouncing on a loose ball in midfield, she spotted Germany’s keeper, Stina Johannes, off her line and from 40 yards out perfectly looped a shot under the crossbar, stunning the crowd at the MSV-Arena and bringing the game back to equilibrium just before half-time.
“That just shows how much quality and ability she has, and vision,” Sermani said afterwards. “It’s a real class goal because she got herself in a position where she could have taken it forward, but she spotted the goalkeeper off the line and finished perfectly. One of the great goals.”
It was enough to give one whiplash. And not just because it was so good. To that point, the contest had been conducted in a manner that suggested a German procession would break out at any moment. Bidding farewell to international football in the same place her journey began 14 years ago, Alexandra Popp led the line for the hosts and within five minutes of kick-off she was celebrating when Selina Cerci was picked out by Vivien Endemann with a pinpoint ball to the back post for a point-blank header.
Cerci had headed over the bar a minute before that and, three minutes after she struck, Felicitas Rauch stole the ball at the edge of the Matildas’ penalty area and blasted an attempt off the post. Klara Bühl seized upon the ball, cut on to her left and forced Mackenzie Arnold to deflect her attempt away, while Giulia Gwinn again worked the Australian keeper soon after. It was a deluge.
After 22 minutes, there was a flicker for Australia; Cooney-Cross worked the ball to Mary Fowler, who saw more of the ball higher up the pitch than in her largely anonymous, deeper shift against Switzerland. Fowler in turn played Caitlin Foord in behind, only for the Arsenal striker to shoot straight at Johannes. Three minutes later it was Foord again, fed by Cooney-Cross, twisting and turning around Gwinn before forcing a save.
After Popp was given an ovation as she came off after 15 minutes, the hosts should have killed off this resistance. Sjoeke Nüsken could not guide a shot on target in the 29th after being found in the box and then Endemann, inexplicably, shot wide when the ball was deflected to her in the penalty area in the 31st with only Arnold to beat.
Germany could have easily been three goals to the good on another night – they had been against England at Wembley last Friday before easing to a 4-3 win. That same night, Australia battled to a 1-1 draw with Switzerland. But on this evening, the chances fell by the wayside. And then Cooney-Cross struck with a moment of excellence in the 39th minute, her first senior international goal.
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Germany again took control of play as the game continued but the same level of threat that had characterised their opening wasn’t as apparent. They would finish with significantly more shots (20 to 6) and possession (74% to 26%) but just one more shot on target (six to five) – and one less goal.
Just three months ago, the Matildas were being thoroughly outclassed by Germany in the opening game of their Olympic campaign as they crashed out in the group stages, and were perhaps fortunate to only lose 3-0. But on Monday they stuck in the game and were rewarded when Hunt met a perfectly placed corner from Steph Catley in the 77th minute.
It was a first win over Germany in 19 years and, while there’s still plenty of work to do and questions to be asked, it will feel much bigger than its friendly nature suggests.
