It’s not the main prize on supply in girls’s soccer this 12 months, however Cup of Nations success is the best begin to 2023 for the Matildas.
The Australians clinched the four-team match in Newcastle on Wednesday night time with a 3-0 win over Jamaica.
It was the Matildas third win from three Cup of Nations matches, and their seventh victory in succession in a optimistic signal for the Australians forward of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which begins in July.
Katrina Gorry’s spectacular first-half strike was complemented by second-half targets from substitute Alex Chidiac and Arsenal star Caitlin Foord.
“We wanted to come out strong tonight and finish this tournament off and that’s exactly what we did.” Gorry informed Network 10.
“Three (wins) from three (matches), I think we’re pretty happy with to start off 2023 (that way).”
Gorry stated she loved the bodily battle towards a Jamaican crew that confirmed loads of grit and dedication, significantly within the first half.
“It was definitely physical, but we love that. That’s what we’re all about,” she stated.
“Playing in the midfield when it’s a physical game, it’s always enjoyable
“We knew that was going to happen but we came back pretty strong.”
The Matildas went forward within the 28 minute by way of Gorry’s elegant strike.
Fed with a brief go by Foord, Gorry let fly with a long-distance, first-time shot with the surface of her proper.
The curling effort was too good for Jamaica’s England-born goalkeeper Becky Spencer.
The Matildas in any other case lacked finesse and depth within the opening stanza, and wanted a wonderful save from goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold in first-half stoppage time to forestall the Jamaicans equalising by way of striker Kayla McKenna.
However, the hosts lifted within the second-half to seal their third win of the match with two extra targets.
Chidiac doubled the Matildas’ lead within the 56th-minute, earlier than Arsenal star Foord ensured there was no manner again for the Jamaicans with good a strike from distance 11 minutes later.
Custodian Arnold, who was later named participant of the match, produced one other excellent save within the dying levels to disclaim Jamaica’s Jody Brown.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson admitted his facet lacked vitality in its third recreation within the area of per week.
“But what I credit the team for is how they grew into the game,” Gustavsson stated.
“They didn’t lose their belief (and) they didn’t lose their heads. Sometimes in a tournament it’s not going to be perfect all the time, but then to find a way to score, to find a way to win, is also tournament football.”
The solely regarding facet of the night time was a head knock that led to veteran Matildas defender Clare Polkinghorne not returning after the half-time break.
In Wednesday’s early recreation, match runners up Spain defeated Czechia 3-0.
Originally printed as Matildas beat Jamaica to make sure an ideal Cup of Nations document
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
