The Matildas’ SheBelieves Cup campaign faced another setback as they fell to the United States women’s national soccer team, losing 2-1 on Monday night. Following their disappointing 4-0 defeat to Japan, the Matildas had some fight in Arizona but couldn’t secure the result they desperately needed.
The match started disastrously for the Australians, who conceded just one minute after the kickoff. U.S. forward Lynn Biyendolo took advantage of poor positioning on the right side of Australia’s defense to net the first goal. The early strike set the tone for the encounter, demonstrating the Americans’ strength right from the start. Biyendolo was swift again seven minutes later, only to be thwarted by the offside flag, but her presence was enough to keep the Australian defense on high alert.
Interim coach Tom Sermanni made four changes to the Matildas’ lineup following the humbling loss to Japan, introducing goalkeeper Teagan Micah, defender Charlotte Grant, midfielder Winonah Heatley, and attacker Holly McNamara to instill fresh energy and tactical adjustments. Despite these shifts, the team struggled to find their footing early, leading to Sermanni's frustration with their atrocious start.
“It was a muchbetter effort from the players, and more so after the terrible start we had,” Sermanni remarked after the match, highlighting the improvements he noticed during the game. Despite the confidence of the coach, technical adjustments still seemed necessary. “Football wise, we’ve got a lot of stuff to do. We need to work on... how we keep the ball from a technical perspective, and we also need to get back to being a bit more physical,” he noted, emphasizing the need for greater stability and control throughout the match.
Even as the Matildas started to grow more assertive, their first half would remain scoreless. Winger Hayley Raso had a golden opportunity to level the score, but her shot missed its mark after getting free from her marker late in the first half. That chance encapsulated the Matildas' struggle to convert pressure and possession early on.
After halftime, the Matildas demonstrated some signs of improvement. Alana Murphy made her national team debut, marking the occasion as the 235th Matilda. Despite this moment of pride, the Americans struck again, extending their lead to 2-0 shortly after with Michelle Cooper scoring her first international goal, thanks to some clever play and positioning within Australia’s defensive lines.
Nonetheless, hope flickered for the Australians after Michelle Heyman, who came on as a substitute, scored with just ten minutes remaining. Her 80th-minute header off Hayley Raso’s precise cross gave the Matildas some late life, pushing them to search for the equalizer.
Even with this late charge, the Matildas left it too late to make anything substantial happen as they chased the match for the final minutes, showing urgency but lacking the clinical edge needed to convert their chances. They faced immense defensive pressure from the Americans, with Teagan Micah making some remarkable saves to deny the accumulating threats.
The match ended with the U.S. securing the win, mounting pressure on the Matildas as they now look ahead to their final game against Colombia. The chance to turn their fortunes around remains, but after two challenging matches, the sentiment around the Matildas is undoubtedly less optimistic.
Looking forward, the Matildas will need to regroup and refocus following their experiences at the SheBelieves Cup. With performances running the gamut from dismal to resilient, they will be aiming to finish on a high note against Colombia, with hope for improvement palpable across the squad.