Iran 0 Australia 4
The Loose Moose was a very appropriate venue for the Matildas Active pre-game get-together, ardent Australia fans from around the country descending on Broadbeach for another marvellous meeting of our beautiful game. The steamy conditions suggested late rain, but the short walk to the shuttle buses was in hot sunshine, and the party contiued to the station for the short walk to the stadium. The dress-rehearsal earlier this afternoon gave way to the real thing, fans streaming from trains and buses to join the peaceful Iranian protests outside the venue.
Inside, the fireworks got the attention of the fans, filling the stadium with smoke, as the ACDC-esque bells tolled and the flag bearers marched across the pristine Cbus Super Stadium surface. An air of smoky mystery surrounded the fans, the blue seats of the stadium disappearing as predominantly yellow shirts took their place. This was in no way a sell out, but there was a good atmosphere as the players lined up for the national anthems. Stand, if you are able, for the national anthem of Iran, came the instruction. We all did. What followed was incredible; the Iran players all saluted immediately and those knowledgeable enough in the crowd began to whistle, drums banging so loudly that the national anthem could not be heard. Echoes of the World Cup 2022 in Qatar when the national anthem was soundly booed by the Iran fans in each of their games, the saluting of the players asked more questions than it answered. Advance Australia Fair was a welcome relief.
Caitlin Foord was upended after a crisp one-two with Emily Van Egmond on the edge of the area within two minutes. The Iran fans in the North Stand were noisy, the Australia contingent banged out a tune in response. Van Egmond’s low free kick was well fielded by Maryam Yektaei and we didn’t get our early goal. It would soon follow though, Ellie Carpenter doing all the spade work and Amy Sayer cutting back in from the right to deliver a cross that sailed over everyone into the far side of the net. A Torpey goal if ever there was one. Sam Kerr was next to have a go, played through over the top, but her delicate lob was not quite delicate enough. Following the first injury stoppage for Shabnam Behesht, Kerr was again lively in the box, turning and striking on goal to win a corner. Atefeh Imani sliced one wide of her own goal leading to a criminally wasted corner by Van Egmond.
Caitlin Foord was roaring and she sped onto a fortunate lay off by Kerr and rifled home, but the goal was rightly flagged offside. Iran had nothing going forward, but hassled well, Fatemeh Shaban racing after whoever had the ball in a cat-and-mouse chase. Courtney Nevin lost her footing in the penalty area when presented with a shooting chance, and Kerr could only place a free header well wide. The blue of the stadium seating was still visible when a long cross from Foord was only palmed away by Yektaei and Mary Fowler applied the sole of her foot to turn the ball home slowly for 2-0, the goal subjected to a lengthy VAR check but with no reason given. Of course it was a goal, despite Yektaei lying on the ground needing attention for her pulled heartstring.
The Active fans bounced to the beat of the drum as the Iranian keeper was seen to, the Iran fans who had been in full protest mode outside the stadium, making themselves heard with drum and voice from different parts of the arena. Carpenter and Kerr combined straight from the restart and only a last-ditch clearance saved Iran from further damage. Alanna Kennedy was next though, Kerr and Van Egmond teeing her up for a rasping shot from inside the penalty area that gave Yektaei no chance. The keeper pulled off a glorious save soon after, Carpenter lining one up from distance that took a heavy deflection, and Carpenter then found Kerr in the area in space, but her control let her down. This was one-way traffic, as expected, the Matildas just stronger and more skilful than their meek opponents. Foord missed a sitter at the far post after Carpenter drove a cross acros te defence, somehow not sorting her feet out and blazing over.
Iran went to the bench well before the break, a line of six defenders now, the Iranian fans in the main stand making a din, but Amy Sayer silenced them, playing in a direct ball to Kerr who did the rest from a tricky angle, the spectre of VAR bringing exasperated gasps from the crowd who had endured it with every goal so far. This one looked close to the naked eye in real time, and indeed was ruled out for the faintest of offsides. The Matildas were pegged back to three, and had seven minutes of added time to find more goalscoring opportunities. Clare Hunt smashed one in from distance that Yektaei did well to parry, Kerr headed over from the corner, but Iran were battling hard, making the most of the international spotlight. Foord’s cross from the right was just too hard for Kerr, who got her boot to it but only over the bar. The drum was joined by whistles and Iran were making themselves heard. No time for sentiment though from the Matildas, and they poured forward with no return, three goals the reward for their endeavour at the halfway stage.
The saxophone was well received at half time as the active fans bounced along to some sax-heavy classics; this was a lot of fun and the crowd was animated as the lights dimmed and the music roared. The Matildas squad warmed up through the pulsating lights, Vanessa Amorosi’s 2000 Olympics tune capping off a superb half time, while there was no sign of any Iranian players. The starting eleven came out early after half time, the field full of Australia players. The Iran team came out gingerly as if they were walking into a storm. After all that, the kick off was delayed, giving the Iranian drummer an opportunity to get the beat going again. We had been waiting for Mona Hamoudi who eventually joined the throng, typing up her shoelaces to delay the start even further to the ire of the crowd.
Golnoosh Khosravi was harshly penalised for handball, the ball bouncing onto her arm in a totally natural position, and by the letter of the law it should never have even been considered. The annulment of the penalty stoked up the crowd, who had been annoyed already by Video Assistant all the way through the first period. Carpenter put her laces through the ball when she got a lucky ricochet, substitute goalkeeper Raha Yazdani right behind the fierce shot. Sayer tested Yazdani again, before Charlie Rule was penalised for a trip after a misunderstanding. The resulting free-kick was fired just wide by Fatemeh Pasandideh as Australia showed a chink in their armour.
Again the drums and whistles rose above the Oi Oi Oi, Iran making themselves heard. The inevitable injury stoppages peppered the game, but there was little sympathy. Sayer took a corner from the right when Sara Didar was off receiving treatment and Kennedy rose to power home a free header for four. Australia then mixed up the line-up, Hayley Raso for Kerr, Remy Siemsen on for Foord and Fowler making way for Holly McNamara. It was a bold move, designed to bring more hunger into the team, but the benefits were not immediately obvious. Hunt’s shot from outside the area took a deflection and bounced onto the top of the net, but play was again stopped for an Iran injury, this time the stretcher out to cart off Pasandideh who had gone down in a challenge with Carpenter.
Kaitlyn Torpey came on with Steph Catley, Hunt and Carpenter making way. Raso copped a clearance to the face that had the crowd wincing as one. Always Raso! She came through the concussion test and was back on the field within 30 seconds. Siemsen slashed at a high ball, before yet another Iranian injury stopped play, this time goalkeeper Yazdai with some nonsense after seeing a ball wide. The Mexican Wave was underway with ten minutes to go as minds wandered and the spectacle seemed to be over. The rain lashed down, the drums continued, the all-white clad Iranians continued to drop to the ground. It was frustrating to see, any contact sending the players to the floor, the crowd not buying the histrionics even if they may have been justified. This was now just a party in a stadium, the football taking second stage to the crowd noises, bang bang bang “Iran” went the crowd, jokes were flying around of 20 minutes added time, but we only got 11.
Raso poked one at the keeper when she rushed a shot, Nevin blazed over from distance, Australia didn’t look like getting the all important fifth goal until Sayer tested Yazdani from distance, the goalkeeper fumbling the ball wide. Raso was in the wars again, copping another close-range ball to the face leaving her on the ground in disrepair. This time she wasn’t moving too well, Michelle Heyman warming up as a concussion sub just in case, and we got to see the Canberra flyer for the final moments of added time. Sayer wasted a good opportunity, paying a nothing ball straight to Yazdani, and that was it, the thirteen minutes of added time not enough to get the safety of a fifth goal.
The players stuck to the plan of the neat handshakes in the centre circle, the Matildas then moving into their whole-squad huddle where a rain-drenched Joe Montemurro addressed his troops. The players then headed around for a lap and a wave, keeping their distance as they always do in tournament football. This had been a good performance against a frustrating opponent, Chloe Lincoln had barely had a touch. Australia wer short one goal, but with a big game to come on Sunday.
The AFC officials are meticulous with their press conferences, chairs in the right place, microphones precisely positioned, name plates square on. The Iranian coach Marziyeh Jafari gave us little to work with, the difficulty in translation diluting every question and answer. Journalists were told to stick to the script. Only football. Questioned why the second choice goalkeeper didn’t make it onto the field, there was no answer, the question of the morale of the players was simply ignored. When a Persian journalist asked a question in his native tongue, he was immediately shut down, and the microphone taken away when whe refused to continue in English.
Alanna Kennedy was the player of the match – the tried and tested scorer of the most goals in the winning team. The aim had been to win and that’s what they had done. Joe Montemurro was happy that his team was growing into the tournament, the quick turnaround was in their favour, but they could always improve. The number six role was discussed, Australia having an embarrassment of riches in that position, but Kennedy knew she had to keep it simple. Hayley Raso’s condition wasn’t known, but she was being assessed, but there were no injuries.
The main takeaway from this post-match chat was that Montemurro doesn’t adhere to the Russian roulette of goals scored and goal difference. Australia will be playing to win on Sunday. It’s business as usual and Sunday will be an exciting game with two teams who want to dominate. Let’s take that mantra and get the job done in front of a huge crowd in Sydney. See you all there!