Paris Olympics 2024 live: Matildas lose to USA 2-1 as Tony ...
The Matildas' hopes of progressing through to the quarter-final of the Paris Olympics are now hanging by a thread after losing to former world champions USA 2-1 in their third and final group game on Thursday.
After their slim 6-5 win over Zambia on Monday, Australia needed at least a point against the Americans — a team they have only ever beaten once — in order to secure smooth passage to the knock-outs, but the four-time gold medallists had other ideas.
Tony Gustavsson's side were dominated by the resurgent Americans in the first half, registering just a single shot across the entire opening 45 minutes with just 28 per cent possession.
However, unlike the leaky defence they showed against Germany and Zambia, the Matildas were more disciplined at the back from the opening whistle, thanks partly due to tweaked tactics from Gustavsson which saw the more defensively-minded Kaitlyn Torpey come into the starting line-up to create a back five.
This strong defensive line kept America's lethal front three of Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, and Trinity Rodman at bay in the early stages, forcing the Americans to recycle their overwhelming possession as they tried to carve out small openings in a wall of yellow shirts.
But the USA's front three slowly warmed into the game, with Swanson and Rodman in particular causing havoc out wide as they found more and more space behind Australia's full-backs.
It took 24 minutes and several waves of American attack before Australia registered their first and only shot of the half, with Mary Fowler getting on the end of a neat zig-zaggy move into the USA's penalty area before sending her low shot wide of the far post.
In the blisteringly hot conditions in Marseille, both teams were afforded drinks breaks in each half, but the small refreshers seemed to favour the Americans, who came flying out of the restart to force a whole-body save from Mackenzie Arnold to stop a shot from Swanson.
Trinity Rodman opened the scoring for the USA against the Matildas.(Getty Images: Alex Livesey)
Arnold was called on again and again as the first half wound down, making two crucial saves in the 37th and 39th minutes to parry away shots from Crystal Dunn and Lindsay Horan.
But the relentless USA would finally breach Australia's defence in the 42nd minute, with a corner finding Sophia Smith at the back post, who headed the ball back in the direction it came for her strike-partner Rodman to poke home.
However, there was a stoppage of several minutes as the VAR was called upon to double-check the goal, with replays showing American midfielder Sam Coffey standing in an offside position, potentially obscuring Mackenzie Arnold in the process.
The delay was created by what appeared to be a broken headset, with the referee having to borrow their assistant's equipment to communicate with the VAR. But after inspecting the screen, and handing out a yellow card to the bewildered Tony Gustavsson, the goal was allowed to stand.
Two more attacks from the USA closed out the first half, and things didn't get much better for the Matildas in the second.
Sophia Smith could have doubled their lead after a brisk counter-attack behind Australia's backline, but a charging Ellie Carpenter cleared the ball off her toe just as she went for the shot.
Substitute midfielder Korbin Albert eventually capitalised on the USA's dominance, hammering home a beautiful strike into the top corner after a terrible clearance from Clare Wheeler.
As they have done for the past two games, the Matildas seemed to burst to life when all seemed lost. Gustavsson threw his plans to the wind and sent centre-back Alanna Kennedy up front, trying to combine her height with that of substitute striker Michelle Heyman.
And in the 91st minute, it worked. A looping cross from Caitlin Food found the head of Heyman in the box, with the forward nodding the ball down into the path of the charging Kennedy, who stuck out a hopeful foot and poked the ball beneath goalkeeper Alyssa Naher to make it 2-1.
Kennedy could have drawn Australia level a minute later, when a carbon-copy cross from Carpenter sailed towards the towering centre-back at the far post, but she just missed the header that was begging to be buried.
With six minutes of stoppage time added, the Matildas won a corner in the final minute, with Mackenzie Arnold sprinting up from her goal to add an extra body to the fray.
But it came to nothing: the corner was easily cleared by the terrific Naomi Girma and sent up-field, moments before the referee blew his whistle to potentially pull the curtain across Australia's Olympic dreams.
Their fate will now be determined by the results of other games. If Canada defeat Colombia by fewer than four goals, the Matildas will be out at the group stage — their earliest exist since they made their Olympics debut at Sydney 2000.
Check out how the game unfolded our live blog below.
Key Event
Final thoughtsNobody likes to leave a game like this not knowing what the future holds.
Unfortunately, the Matildas dug their own grave over the course of this group stage. Two losses and a slim win has put them in a precarious position, and they'll need a minor miracle to get them out.
A last-ditch goal from Alanna Kennedy made the 2-1 scoreline today respectable, but let's be honest, just like Germany, the USA probably should've won this game by a couple more goals than what they did.
Regardless of what happens from here, you'd have to think this will be the end of Tony Gustavsson's tenure with the Matildas. All three performances have been underwhelming, and the team has really suffocated under the pressure rather than flourished within it.
I'll have a match report up shortly, followed by some analysis later today about what we've just seen and what happens next.
Until then, thank you so much for joining me this morning. I'll be back for another blog if the Matildas make it to the quarter-finals; if not, I'll be over on the main blog helping out the rest of the ABC Sport gang for the remainder of the Olympics.
Take care.
Two goals from two poor defensive moments, which you can't get away with against the top teams. An improvement overall, but let's be honest, that wasn't hard after the last two games.
- Lewis
That second half was great!! Alannah Kennedy is incredible - whole body on the line, every time! Down with Canada!!
- Bummer
Sadly not to be for the Matildas but credit to the girls for having a never say die attitude and trying to salvage the draw today.
- Adam
So proud of the girls!!! Now we wait…
- M
WELL DONE TILLIES! Kennedy rocks. Proud whatever happens!
- A
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The state of playSo, how many goals do we now want Colombia to beat Canada by?
- Ingrid
Australia's 2-1 loss this morning means they now sit on three points, with a goal difference of -3.
That puts them just behind Brazil in Group C, who have three points and a goal difference of -2.
The only hope the Matildas have of progressing now is if Colombia win or draw against Canada. If Canada win, though, they'll leapfrog both Australia and Brazil and go through as the best third-placed team with a superior goal difference, while Brazil will go through in the final spot.
One goal is all that'll separate them.
Canada and Colombia are currently 0-0, ten minutes in. We'll keep you updated on how that game goes over on the main Olympics blog, which you can find here.
Ellie Carpenter is in tears as she's hugged by Lindsay Horan.
Alanna Kennedy has her face in her hands.
The players know they needed at least a point from this morning's game to guarantee qualification, but nothing has gone the way they've wanted in this tournament, and that trend has continued today.
To their credit, the team played better and more structured today that they did against Germany and Zambia. But their struggles in the attacking third continued.
Same, Alanna. Same.(Getty Images)Tony Gustavsson gathers his team in a circle and gives them a pep-talk; trying to keep them positive and motivated, you'd think.
He immediately goes over to Kennedy and gives her a big hug. The camera captures the tears in her eyes. She could have scored the equaliser right at the death, but she was half an inch off.
Really tough scenes in Marseille.
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Full-time: Australia 1 - 2 USAThe Americans top the group and sail through to the quarter-finals.
But the Matildas' hopes of progress now hinge on the result between Canada and Colombia, which has just kicked off.
We'll know in two hours whether Australia are through to the knock-outs, or if they're out of Paris altogether.
Catley's in-swinger is headed clear by a white shirt before rolling up-field.
Mary Fowler tries to send it back out to Catley, but the linesperson raises their flag for offside.
A long throw from Ellie Carpenter is headed over the goal line by Lindsay Horan.
Mackenzie Arnold has come up for the corner.
This is it. The last moment.
Steph Catley stands over it...
She's our only hope at this point, and Catley finds Kennedy again charging down the left side, just outside the box.
She tries to twist and turn past Casey Krueger, and almost seems to nip the ball away from the substitute defender and into the box, but it just rolls away from her for a goal kick.
Omg!!!!!!!! Yes!!!!!!!!!
- M
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaasssss!!!!!!
- Minimiser
Alana Kennedy! What a defender you are!
- Mike
C'mon!!!!! Never say die
- stumcin
Three minutes left!
A cross from Carpenter in exactly the same position as Foord's earlier ball is curled towards the back post where Kennedy is still lurking.
The defender throws her head at it and is SO CLOSE to deflecting it into the back corner of the net but the ball just flies past her and out for a goal kick.
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91' GOAL AUSTRALIAJUST AS I SAY THAT, THE MATILDAS PULL A GOAL BACK!
A long speculative ball by Caitlin Foord into the box is nodded down by Michelle Heyman, right into the path of the charging Alanna Kennedy.
The centre-back throws her toe at the spiralling ball and clips it underneath Alyssa Naher's legs and into the net.
1-2!
7 minutes for the Matildas to try and get a goal back and improve their goal difference somewhat!
Let's go gals!!!
A rare Australian corner is recycled out to Mary Fowler on the left wing.
She looks up, seeing a forest of yellow shirts still in the box from a few moments ago, and sends a hard, flat cross into the area.
Steph Catley connects with it first, skipping the ball off the back of her head, trying to direct it towards the back post.
Alyssa Naher dives, but the ball bounces just wide.
Tameka Yallop replaces Hayley Raso.
Come on Matildas, we're cheering from Italy too ????
- Paolo
I'm still hopeful. Never say die!
- Ingrid
Now we really need a goal!!!!
- stumcin
Can the Matildas' spirit see them claw their way back into this?
There's just over 5 minutes of regulation time left.
Sophia Smith picks up the ball on the left side of Australia's box and smoothly beats Ellie Carpenter, tearing into the area with absolutely nobody around her before shooting towards the front post.
The ball pings off the post and spins agonisingly along the line, bouncing all the way towards the OTHER post, deflecting off it and bouncing into Arnold's arms.
If there is a god, she definitely just kept the ball out of Australia's net.
You were saying about doing well to only concede 1...
- Jinx
Sorry, Australia.
The youngster Croix Bethune comes on to replace Mallory Swanson.
Some lax defending from the USA sees Hayley Raso sneak in behind and nip the ball away from Emily Sonnett just as it looked to roll over the goal-line.
She winger charges into the box and tries to cut back to Michelle Heyman, but the ball whacks off the torso of a defender before spiralling away.
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75' GOAL USAAnd it's the substitute Korbin Albert who doubles America's lead.
Some neat play across Australia's box sees the ball initially intercepted by Clare Wheeler, but she makes a diabolical clearance right into the path of Albert, who's stationed at the D.
The midfielder immediately opens her body and puts her foot through it, rocketing the ball into the top corner of the net.
2-0.
