Matildas lose 3-0
Matildas lost their third and fourth place Asian Cup game 3-0 in Vietnam tonight.
A typical open end of tournament game saw Japan take the lead in the first half.
And two goals, one from a 30 yard free kick, in the last three minutes sealed the win. Details to follow.
5 comments:
saw the gae on live stream. result didn't really reflect how much better we plated this time.
HO CHI MINH CITY – Japan secured third place at the 2008 AFC Women’s Asian Cup after defeating Australia 3-0 at Thong Nat Stadium on Sunday.
The East Asian side opened the scoring in the 16th minute through Yuki Nagasato before second-half strikes by Aya Miyama and Homare Sawa made the win safe.
After having lost 3-1 to Japan in their final group game earlier in the competition, Australia performed better in the early stages of this encounter but in the end their opponent’s superior stamina told.
Both sides started brightly with Kozue Ando just failing to connect with Yukari Kinga’s cross in the sixth minute for Japan while Kathy Gill headed just wide from Amy Chapman’s cross four minutes later.
The Matildas then came agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 14th minute when Collette McCallum’s free-kick struck the post before Lauren Colthorpe’s follow-up went over the bar.
It proved a pivotal miss as Japan opened the scoring just two minutes later.
Kinga played a lofted ball over the defence for Nagasato, who sent her shot over goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri.
Clare Polkingthorne headed wide from a free-kick as Australia looked to grab an equaliser before the break but they had Barbieri to thank for keeping them in the game when she blocked Nagasato’s close-range effort on the stroke of half time after the Japanese forward had broken free of the defence.
Norio Sasaki’s side started the second half strongly as Mizuho Sakaguchi drove a shot just over the bar before Barbieri made a fine save to deny Miyama soon after.
Australia had their first chance of the second half in the 58th minute when Lisa De Vanna stole possession from a Japan defender on the edge of the area but her weak shot did little to trouble Ayumi Kaihori.
But the Japan shotstopper had to be at her best just after the hour mark when she pushed Chapman’s drilled effort behind for a corner.
Garriock’s last ditch challenge denied Ando just as she was about to pull the trigger while at the other De Vanna’s rising shot was held by Kaihori in the 73rd minute.
But Japan ensured their was to be no late drama four minutes later when they won a free kick 25 yards from goal and Miyama stepped up to send a fine effort into the net with Barbieri rooted to the spot.
Japan rounded off the victory in the 86th minute after a corner was cleared only as far as Sawa on the edge of the area and the midfielder sent a dipping shot into the back of the net.
Australia had chances for a consolation in the closing stages but Kaihori did well to preserve the clean sheet.
Is Caitlin Munoz injured? They seem to be missing some strikers.
Has been struggling with hamstring problem for sometime, don't know if this is the cause of her lack of game time, suspect it could be given she started against Canada and Taiwan
Have you had a chance to talk to Tom. What does he think?
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