Well, you can debate Alanna Kennedy’s place as a Matildas starter or even the veteran centre-back’s viability as a midfielder. But you cannot argue with the speed and trajectory of her strike that got half the job done against New Zealand.
The always-opportunistic Hayley Raso made it 2-0 on Sam Kerr’s home comeback in Adelaide to ensure Australia head into their home Asian Cup campaign with two trans-Tasman wins on the trot.
She scores, she screams!Credit: Getty Images
But Tuesday night really belonged to Kennedy. For the goal and for the redemption – if redemption is a thing that happens in friendlies.
Joe Montemurro had spent the past few days referencing a “scenario” he still needed to test out before the Asian Cup. The most obvious to the viewer seemed to be Kennedy back in a defensive midfield role, having served a one-match suspension for her early red card against England a month ago.
The error prompting the 17th-minute send-off, that set the tone for the 3-0 away loss, became the source of conjecture around whether the long-time Matildas stalwart’s once-guaranteed place in the national team was at risk.
The referee shows Alanna Kennedy a red card during a friendly against England on October 28.Credit: Getty Images
It felt fitting then that Kennedy, in a midfield combination with Clare Wheeler and Emily van Egmond, scored around the same time in this match via a terrific finish off a Raso run set up by Kerr.
“It does feel good for me. It was disappointing to have missed the last game but obviously, you make a mistake in a game and that’s what happens,” Kennedy said.
“So, I was looking forward to tonight’s game and just happy that we had another positive result.”
There was plenty of experimentation on the part of coach Joe Montemurro, who deployed a starting IX comprising six changes from the one which had so expertly dispatched the Football Ferns 5-0 in Gosford four days earlier.
Chief among them, of course, was Kerr, who wore the captain’s armband throughout a 45-minute shift after overcoming a minor calf irritation, spearheading a formidable attack with Raso and Caitlin Foord.
It had been a long time between drinks for Kerr; two years all up since the last game on home soil in November 2023, two months before the ACL rupture and protracted recovery began.
Sam Kerr played for 45 minutes in the match against New Zealand.Credit: Getty Images
Nevertheless, the international comeback trail continued in earnest at Coopers Stadium, where the 32-year-old fed teammates searing passes but was more impressive for her shrewd movement off the ball to bait defenders and hold up play.
“I would have liked to have played longer,” Kerr said. “But obviously, regardless of the performance, it was just night to be back playing on home soil and have the crowd behind us.
“In the preparations for the Asian Cup sometimes you lose sight of why we play football, and tonight just felt like one of those moments where I could just really go out there and have fun.”
Overall this performance lacked the fire of Gosford – and the flare thrown onto the pitch at one stage – and the contest waned in parts.
Part of the credit can go to said Kiwis, who altered their formation in a manner that closed the gaps Australia had repeatedly exposed.
One-time Matilda Indiah-Paige Riley was an alert back-line presence, while a series of strong chances were engineered further up the field on a night to honour retiring Ferns great Annalie Longo.
But the free, fluid style of play characterising Montemurro’s project was still evident across the field, particularly through Steph Catley as a ball-playing centre-back who seemed to be everywhere.
And it did not stop Raso from putting the match to bed, unable to connect her head with a Catley corner but alive to curl the rebound over Alina Santos, who had a far more enjoyable outing in goal than Anna Leat and dived to deny Foord a third in the last 10 minutes.
A flare is set off during the match.Credit: Getty Images