Australia’s Women’s Asian Cup hopes took a reality check after the Matildas blew the chance to top their group in a 3-3 draw with South Korea, leaving one player battered and another in hot water for an X-rated spray at an official.
The draw in front of 60,279 fans at Stadium Australia on Sunday means the South Koreans advance to the knockout stages as group winners, with Joe Montemurro’s side paying the price for a second-half implosion.
The frustration clearly got the better of defender Ellie Carpenter, who believed the Matildas had earned a corner only for the sideline official to deny them late in the match and a goal behind.
‘Corner! Corner!’ she screamed as she ran to the spot.
The official was unmoved, however, leading Carpenter to mutter ‘f*** off’ as she ran away, a moment caught on camera by the broadcasters.
In a further blow, the Matildas could be without star defender Steph Catley for their Asian Cup quarter-final after a worrying head knock against South Korea.
Matildas defender Ellie Carpenter vented her frustrations at an official in the second half
Steph Catley was ruled out of the match after 17 minutes after being hit in the head with a ball
Catley has been one of the Matildas’ best in the tournament but they will be sweating on her availability for the quarter-finals
Catley, who has been central to organising Australia’s defence throughout the tournament, was struck in the head by a ball while attempting to stop a breakaway early in Sunday night’s match at Stadium Australia.
The defender immediately collapsed to the turf as the crowd fell silent and medical staff rushed onto the field.
She was eventually able to walk to the goal line with medics, where she underwent concussion testing.
‘Immediately this is a huge concern,’ Andy Harper said on Paramount+.
‘This is a really, really concerning sign,’ Matildas great Grace Gill added.
Catley briefly returned to the field but was forced out of the match in the 17th minute.
Owing to their inferior goal difference, the Matildas needed to win in Sydney to finish first in Group A, which would have afforded the hosts the luxury of not having to travel for the remainder of the tournament.
‘We got some chances we probably should have converted, but we didn’t manage the moments well with the ball, that’s the honest truth,’ Montemurro said after not even a goal from Sam Kerr and a brace from Alanna Kennedy proved enough to win the day.
It was a frustrating draw with Matildas coach Joe Montemurro admitting they had squandered several chances
The result means South Korea topped their group thanks to their superior goal difference
Now Australia will advance in second place and will be sent on the road to Perth for a quarter-final against the runners-up of Group B – either North Korea or China – on Friday.
The Matildas led 2-1 at halftime through goals from captain Kerr and Kennedy but a collapse in the quarter-of-an-hour after the break paved the way for the South Koreans to claim a point.
‘The comments at halftime were to control the ball,’ Montemurro said.
‘We were in control and we finished the first half quite well and we were probably more proactive.’
‘It was a patchy sort of game and we never really found any momentum which was disappointing because it’s something we’ve been working towards.’
Of further concern for Montemurro will be the fitness of Steph Catley, who wore a cannoning shot to the head after just six minutes.
The left back was initially cleared to play on before going off for Courtney Nevin after South Korea’s 13th minute opener.
Centre-back Wini Heatley was caught upfield and the Koreans played in behind her, with Mun Eun-Ju tucking a Jeon Yugyeong cross past Mackenzie Arnold.
The Matildas now face a harder road to the Asian Cup summit after missing the chance to top their group
South Korea’s Kim Shinji took the time to pose for photos with Matildas fans after the match
Australia looked to have found some fluency after Montemurro switched Mary Fowler to the left flank and Caitlin Foord to the right midway through the first half.
The move opened up the Matildas’ attack and both Fowler and Foord were the providers for their side’s first two goals.
Fowler’s cross across the six-yard box helped set up Kennedy, who bundled the ball over the line in the 32nd minute to pull Australia level.
Foord blew a couple of handy chances before she set up Kerr in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time to give the home side a 2-1 lead at the break.
But after doing all the hard work to take the lead, the Matildas couldn’t hold on to it.
Kim Shin-Ji buried a 53rd minute penalty after Nevin’s hand blocked a Kang Chae-Rim shot.
Nevin was crestfallen and appeared gun-shy afterwards which allowed South Korea to push ahead when Kang was given space by the left-back to fizz a 57th-minute shot past Arnold.
Kennedy added a second – her fourth goal of the tournament – in the dying stages but Australia’s response in search of a winner came all too late.
