Australia had Japan on the back foot for long periods but a flurry of shots were scuffed, saved and blocked in a narrow Women’s Asian Cup final defeat
An occasion of grandeur and cruelty in equal measure left Caitlin Foord lying on her back on the Stadium Australia turf. Like most of her Matildas teammates, she was covering her hands with her eyes, tormented by flashbacks of shots scuffed, saved and blocked. Alanna Kennedy was slumped in a seated position. Sam Kerr was in full foetal, nose to the ground.
The Matildas had played their best match since pushing England in the World Cup semi-final at the same venue almost three years ago. This time, they were brilliant against the continental tournament favourites, creating at least half a dozen clear chances. Yet the score in the final of the most successful Women’s Asian Cup ever read Japan 1, Australia 0. The very same result delivered by the tournament at the same stage in both 2014 and 2018.
Continue reading…Australia had Japan on the back foot for long periods but a flurry of shots were scuffed, saved and blocked in a narrow Women’s Asian Cup final defeatAn occasion of grandeur and cruelty in equal measure left Caitlin Foord lying on her back on the Stadium Australia turf. Like most of her Matildas teammates, she was covering her hands with her eyes, tormented by flashbacks of shots scuffed, saved and blocked. Alanna Kennedy was slumped in a seated position. Sam Kerr was in full foetal, nose to the ground.The Matildas had played their best match since pushing England in the World Cup semi-final at the same venue almost three years ago. This time, they were brilliant against the continental tournament favourites, creating at least half a dozen clear chances. Yet the score in the final of the most successful Women’s Asian Cup ever read Japan 1, Australia 0. The very same result delivered by the tournament at the same stage in both 2014 and 2018. Continue reading…
