The Matildas slumped to a shock 3-2 defeat to Nigeria in Brisbane that now has the host nation’s Women’s World Cup knockout hopes hanging by a thread.
Emily van Egmond opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time however Nigeria hit again with three straight objectives to safe a vital three factors and transfer into second in Group B, whereas the Matildas dropped to 3rd regardless of a late comfort purpose.
It has left Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson with an almighty battle on his arms as they possible should now beat Olympic gold medallists Canada on Monday to guide a spot within the Round of 16.
Foxsports.com.au breaks down how everybody carried out in Player Ratings!
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Celebration to shock! Matildas surprised | 00:47
Mackenzie Arnold – 5
Nigeria made an announcement with their first nook of the match, placing 5 attackers contained in the six-yard field to stress the Australian.
She nonetheless managed to battle by means of the our bodies and get a – considerably unconvincing – punch to the ball.
Although she wasn’t at fault for Nigeria’s first purpose, Arnold could have wished to get a stronger hand to divert the preliminary effort additional away from hazard.
For Nigeria’s third purpose, she had a significant miscommunication with centre again Alanna Kennedy which allowed Asisat Oshoala to sneak in and rating.
Steph Catley (C) – 5
Her corners had been harmful and he or she got here near opening the scoring with a powerful try from a decent angle inside quarter-hour. While she remained largely restrained in assault towards Ireland, this time she had a higher alternative to get ahead and had a stable affect. Was unlucky Nigeria’s equaliser went by means of her legs, however the skipper ought to in all probability have accomplished higher.
Alanna Kennedy – 5.5
Kennedy was largely stable all through and made some key blocks in addition to distributing the ball nicely.
However, she’ll rue the woeful miscommunication with Arnold for Nigeria’s third purpose which in the end proved to be the match winner.
Popped up with a late, late purpose in second half stoppage time, however other than that she didn’t have a lot of an affect when thrown ahead.
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It was a tricky evening for Kennedy.Source: Getty Images
Clare Hunt – 5.5
We’ve spoken for years – a long time at this level – about Kennedy’s distribution and long-range passing, however Hunt stole the present in that regard towards Nigeria. She sprayed lengthy passes throughout the park, repeatedly discovering Cortnee Vine and Hayley Raso with sensational diagonal balls. Nigeria offered a tricky problem within the air, but Hunt was up for each battle.
Ellie Carpenter – 4.5
It was an analogous story to the opening recreation: Carpenter charged forwards as ceaselessly as doable, moving into good positions – then failing to ship the ultimate ball. She was badly caught out of place for Nigeria’s opener, when the Matildas ought to have been knuckling down and seeing out first-half stoppage time.
Emily van Egmond: 7.5
There are few gamers as skilled and as calm below stress conditions as van Egmond, and her technical brilliance was on full show towards Nigeria. After an excellent 15-minute cameo towards Ireland, she was trusted to switch Mary Fowler (concussion) towards Nigeria, and opened the scoring with a scientific first-time end. It was her thirty first worldwide purpose in her 129th look. She opened up loads of house for her teammates together with her clever positioning in a floating quantity 10 position – fortunately drifting to the wing in addition to tucking deep to assist the central midfield duo. Like all midfielders, she gave away possession too ceaselessly at occasions.
Van Egmond’s day began brilliantly however pale away.Source: AFP
Katrina Gorry – 6.5
With Nigeria usually sitting in two clear traces when out of possession, Gorry’s balls excessive grew to become a vital technique of breaking the traces.
Defensively she was very stable, completely timing her tackles – apart from a Thirty sixth-minute late try that would simply have earned her a yellow card.
Became a bit of careless with possession at occasions within the later levels of the competition because the desperation ranges elevated, however was once more the Matildas’ metronome in the course of the park.
Kyra Cooney-Cross – 5
Cooney-Cross was by no means afraid to throw herself into the challenges and topped the crew in tackles made with 5. However, she struggled to indicate her attacking qualities as a central midfielder alongside Gorry and Van Egmond, and had difficulties stopping the circulate of Nigerian counters.
ATTACK
Cortnee Vine – 4.5
The Sydney star was within the wars all through the primary half. She crashed to the bottom and slammed her head on the turf after a tough deal with from Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie after 20 minutes, which noticed the defender cop a yellow card. In stoppage time she was cleaned up once more, this time leaving her limping. She was saved very quiet all through the match.
It was a brutal and bruising affair for Vine.Source: AFP
Caitlin Foord – 6
Worked laborious on and off the ball, and bought a deserved help when she bought into her preferrred place – with the ball at her ft, working at a defender down the left flank.
Might have felt a bit of an excessive amount of adrenaline after that opening purpose, as a result of she picked up a yellow card hardly 30 seconds later!
Her capturing boots – or head – had been missing at occasions, misplacing a few photographs together with a close-range header on the loss of life.
Hayley Raso – 5.5
In the thirty first minute, Raso raced to the again put up and had a tap-in from shut vary as a Catley nook someway made it by means of a pack of our bodies, however she couldn’t wrap her boot round it and information the ball residence.
Foord couldn’t fairly make the distinction.Source: Getty Images
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SUBSTITUTES
Clare Polkinghorne – 6
She saved issues stable on the again and was as reliable as ever. A tough-nosed veteran in each sense of the phrase. “Polks is a real winner,” Gustavsson stated, however she couldn’t make a distinction on attacking set items.
Alex Chidiac – 6.5
A superb cameo off the bench that leaves us asking why it took Gustavsson so lengthy to deliver her on the pitch.
“Chids got here in and he or she was that game-changer … she did precisely what she was requested to do,” Gustavsson stated.
