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45+1 Mins: After one minute of added time is signalled the Matildas<\/a> quickly win the ball back and Foord once again tries her luck from range after cutting inside, with this attempt, too, going across the face of goal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 Mins: Raso, who has been very busy in this first-half, tries to get down the right and send the ball in but Bunge, who has also been very busy in this opening 45, shuts it down and wins a goal kick.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 43 Mins: A chance for Foord goes begging.<\/p>\n More superb hold-up play by Kerr springs Foord in behind but she\u2019s just unable to find the angle to goal she needs and sends her shot across the face of goal<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 42 Mins: More slow build-up play from the Matildas<\/a> \u2013 we\u2019ve seen enough of it now that you have to think, after the speed they played with last week, they\u2019re under instruction from Montemurro to play this way.<\/p>\n Eventually, they work the ball forward and Foord is able to carry the ball into the penalty area from the left and send in a low cut-back for Raso but, under pressure from Foster, her attempt goes wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 40 Mins: New Zealand bursts forward in transition and Riley sends it to Clegg. She moves to the top of the box but gets her foot under the ball and skies her attempt high and wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 38 Mins: A huge chance for the Kiwis! Should it be 1-1?<\/p>\n Wisnewski is played in-behind the Australian backline by a surgical pass and is able to have a shot from inside the penalty area but her effort is too close to an on-rushing Micah and deflected away. Milly Clegg lunges at it to try and keep the attack alive but it\u2019s teasingly out of reach.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.21 EST<\/p>\n 37 Mins: This time it\u2019s the turn of Torpey to go close!<\/p>\n Raso cuts inside and finds the on-rushing left-back who, in turn plays a one-two with Foord to advance into the area. The defender does will to get herself set to shoot but her effort goes just wide. Build-up that would have been well-worth a goal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 36 Mins: A long ball over the top gives Kerr something to chase but the flag goes up to ensure that, even if she had got to it before Santos, it wouldn\u2019t have counted.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 35 Mins: Andy Harper noting on the broadcast the hold-up play and the focus on quality over quantity with her touches that are marking Kerr\u2019s game tonight.<\/p>\n Have to agree with him, Kerr is proving an absolute menace tonight and it\u2019s mostly coming not from her attempting to force anything but, instead, serving as the foundation upon which her teammates are launching themselves at the Kiwi goal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 34 Mins: Oooh, nice chance for the Australians. Carpenter carries the ball forward and centres it for van Egmond, who comes under pressure but is able to keep the ball moving and switch it across to Foord on the left. She drives in a low shot but it just finds the side netting.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 32 Mins: Australia have increased their control of the possession stats to over 70%, marked by a series of balls getting sent in on the right.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 31 Mins: A shout-out on the broadcast for Foord\u2019s placement in The Guardian\u2019s 100 best female footballers in the world \u2013 even if it\u2019s followed by a note that Foord\u2019s place has dropped a few places.<\/p>\n Now, where could one read that list. Oh bother, I dropped something\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 29 Mins: A nice bit of play develops after both sixes, Kennedy and Clare Wheeler actively show to receive the ball.<\/p>\n The attack peters out in the Kiwi penalty area but it\u2019s always worth taking note of when midfielders are actively showing for the ball rather than hiding in \u2018cover shadow\u2019 \u2013 it\u2019s a sign of positive intent, a willingness to embrace risk, and confidence in the gameplan.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 27 Mins: Riley cuts inside Raso on the left and plays a cross-field ball for Gabi Rennie. Kaitlyn Torpey, starting at left-back tonight, gets across to make the challenge and while the attacker wants a corner, it\u2019s going to be a goal kick instead.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 26 Mins: Kennedy whips a ball in from the left but it can\u2019t be turned in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 25 Mins: Some miscommunication at the back by the Matildas<\/a> almost leads to a very awkward moment. Micah comes haring out of her area attempting to claim the ball but she cannot claim the ball.<\/p>\n With an attacker lurking, the hosts are forced to scramble it clear to save their keeper blushes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.07 EST<\/p>\n 24 Mins: Successive crosses are whipped into the box by the Matildas<\/a> but eventually Santos is able to make the claim.<\/p>\n After copping the opening goal, these are important moments for the visitors: they can\u2019t afford to ship another in quick succession and risk having the floodgates open once more.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 22 Mins: Australia are now back on the ball and there\u2019s a clear pattern to the Matildas<\/a> play when they\u2019re asked to build-up from the back.<\/p>\n They\u2019ll knock the ball around slowly as their wide-players, particularly Raso and Carpenter on the right make runs seeking to drag their opponents up the field out of possession \u2013 opening up pockets of space down the flank.<\/p>\n Eventually, they\u2019ll be enough room for a ball to be played in and for one of the lightning attackers in green and gold to get onto it, with Kerr dropping in to provide a combination option.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Goal! Australia 1-0 New Zealand (Kennedy 19′)<\/p>\n Australia have the lead and in what is a very big game for her after her send-off against England last month, it\u2019s come from Kennedy!<\/p>\n Carpenter finds Kerr with a throw-in on the right and the captain, in turn, feeds the ball to Raso. She darts into the penalty area and cops a crunching challenge from Moore but Kennedy, who is playing as a six tonight, is there to meet it with a first-time effort that Santos can\u2019t keep out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 17 Mins: After that scare, the Matildas<\/a> look to build-up once more \u2013 they\u2019ve had 66% of possession thus far \u2013 and they eventually get the ball down the right to Raso.<\/p>\n The winger\u2019s cross flies across the face of goal and out to Foord but the Arsenal attacker\u2019s ball back into the mixer is cleared away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 15 Mins: Big chance for the Kiwis! The Ferns win a corner kick on the right and eventually after a short-corner routing, Foster gets the ball in.<\/p>\n It bounces down to Grace Wisnewski in a really dangerous position but her attempt is not as good as she would have hoped and held by Micah.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.57 EST<\/p>\n 14 Mins: Carpenter has gone on an adventure, as she does, drifting over to the left. And she\u2019s chasing down a ball lofted down a flank, as she does. She can\u2019t gather it, however, and the Kiwis will have possession.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 13 Mins: Emily van Egmond\u2019s resulting corner from the left is rather comfortably cleared away by the Matildas<\/a> and Australia will look to build once more.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 12 Mins: Another ball lobbed into space down the right is claimed by Raso. Some really nice combination play between Raso, Kerr and, Carpenter eventually sees the latter drop a ball into Foord\u2019s head at the far post but her attempt is scrambled out for a corner at the near post by Alina Santos.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 11 Mins: A throw in on the left-flank for the Kiwis sees them win a free kick after Riley gets bundled over by Raso.<\/p>\n It\u2019s whipped in by Michaela Foster but claimed with confidence by keeper Teagan Micah.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 9 Mins: After sniffing the Australian penalty area a couple of times in the opening few minutes it\u2019s been all Matildas<\/a> since: the Football Ferns left chasing their foes.<\/p>\n On this occasion, however, they\u2019re chasing a Caitlin Foord who strayed into an offside position and will have a free kick.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 9 Mins: A piece of broken play on the edge of the Kiwi penalty area \u2013 looks like another poor back pass from a defender \u2013 allows Kerr to lash a half-chance on goal from range but it goes wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 8 Mins: Catley and Carpenter converse over the dead ball before the Arsenal defender takes control.<\/p>\n She whips in a ball that is headed clear by the Kiwis, who look to break quickly through Indiah-Paige Riley but Carpenter gets in with a strong challenge to snuff that out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 6 Mins: Catley whips in an in-swinging corner from the left but the Ferns are able to clear the ball away.<\/p>\n The Matildas<\/a> look to build once more and Kerr is brought to ground from behind by Bunge, winning a free kick. Too far out to score but something that can maybe create a dangerous situation.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 5 Mins: Steph Catley grabs the ball and carries it forward to shift territory into the Kiwis\u2019 final third. The ball is eventually put out for a Matildas<\/a> throw in that Carpenter sends to Sam Kerr.<\/p>\n The skipper\u2019s first touch of the game wins a corner, as Bunge applies a challenge that sends the ball out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 4 Mins: Again, patient build-up from the Matildas<\/a> as they attempt to retain possession and execute the patterns of play that Montemurro wants to see.<\/p>\n Eventually, Carpenter lobs a ball into an avenue of space for Hayley Raso to run onto on the right and she opts to shoot rather than cut the ball back, hitting the bar!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 3 Mins: The Matildas<\/a> comfortably repulse New Zealand\u2019s attempts to penetrate their defensive third but the visitors retain possession and look to reload\u2026 until an attempted long ball from Claudia Bunge goes straight to Ellie Carpenter. Australian ball.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 2 Mins: Australia are looking to play out from the back in the opening few minutes but the Kiwis have come out in a well-organised structure, forcing a turnover by Alanna Kennedy and winning possession.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Kickoff!<\/p>\n We are underway in Radelaide!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Emily Husband spotted next to Joe Montemurro on the Matildas<\/a> bench.<\/p>\n The former title-winning Central Coast Mariners coach was drafted in as an assistant after the last A-League Women season and as one of Australia\u2019s best coaches, Montemurro\u2019s eventual successor could already be being groomed.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Not only are the Football Ferns looking for their first win over Australia since 1994 in tonight\u2019s fixture but they\u2019re also looking to a clean sweep in senior internationals against Australia in 2025: last Friday\u2019s 5-0 loss inflicted by the Matildas<\/a> joining two wins by the Socceroos over the All Whites back in September.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The national anthems of the two nations ring out \u2013 New Zealand\u2019s first, followed by Australia\u2019s.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The broadcast throws to a video of the mascots for tonight\u2019s game yelling \u201cGo CommBank Matildas<\/a>.\u201d Youngsters are, of course, famously known for their observation of naming rights deals signed by national federations in their fandom.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.36 EST<\/p>\n The two belligerents are in the newly renovated player\u2019s race at Hindmarsh Stadium. Grab a Farmers Union and a pie floater, because kick-off is imminent in South Australia.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Elsewhere this window, Spain and Barcelona have been dealt a big blow after scans confirmed that three-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner Aitana Bonmat\u00ed is set for an extended period on the sideline after fracturing her leg in a training-session fall.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n If you were following along with some of the Matildas<\/a> rivals at the Asian Cup, you would have noted that China, led by Australian coach Ante Milicic, were smashed 8-0 by England last week.<\/p>\n The Lionesses will face another lesser heralded foe in Ghana this window but as Suzy Wrack writes, these games allow Sarina Wiegman a chance to look at the bigger picture.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Ahead of her first game on home soil in two years, Sam Kerr spoke on the Paramount broadcast.<\/p>\n It feels good to be back. It\u2019s good to be back in the sunshine. Good to be back with the girls. I played the games before [in Europe], but it\u2019s different playing in Australia. It feels really nice.<\/p>\n Obviously happy to play tonight. Last game. I hope I could have got up, but the calf was still a little bit sore. [But] I\u2019m good to go tonight.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s different playing in Aus, it feels really nice\u201d \ud83d\udc9b<\/p>\n Ready for her first minutes on Australian soil since 2023, hear what @TheMatildas<\/a> captain Sam Kerr had to say pre-game \ud83d\udde3\ufe0f<\/p>\n Watch #AUSvNZL<\/a> live on Paramount+ \ud83d\udcfa pic.twitter.com\/K78ulQGLbi<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Paramount+ Australia (@ParamountPlusAU) December 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.31 EST<\/p>\n Tillies coach Joe Montemurro was asked on the Paramount broadcast about the level of experimentation in tonight\u2019s Matildas<\/a> XI.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a little bit of experimentation tonight. A little bit more. I need to tick off one little moment, or one little scenario that we think we could get at the Asian Cup.<\/p>\n So, we\u2019re close, we\u2019re close to solidifying the situation with in terms of the squad. But the reality is, is that we\u2019ve still got a little bit of work to do. And tonight we\u2019ll still do a little bit more work leading into it, we\u2019ve got that opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n We now cross live to gauge the reaction of Chelsea fans upon learning that Sam Kerr, who was absent from the Blues\u2019 last game before the window in addition to sitting out last week\u2019s game with a sore calf, is starting tonight.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The rather pedestrian defensive performance on display from the Football Ferns last Friday has put focus on two of the more curious absences from their squad: veteran defensive pair Katie Bowen and Rebekah Stott.<\/p>\n Both are playing at a high level with their clubs: Bowen arguably the Kiwis\u2019 most in-form player as she anchors Inter Milan\u2019s backline and Stott captaining a Melbourne City side flying high in both the A-League Women and Women\u2019s Asian Champions League.<\/p>\n Indeed, so strong has the latter\u2019s form been across the past year, she was crowned MVP of the newly revamped Women\u2019s Asian Champions League last season and was subsequently nominated for the FIFA Women\u2019s World 11.<\/p>\n And yet, neither is in this squad.<\/p>\n Mayne was asked about Stott\u2019s absence following the Gosford game and responded, \u201cShe knows what she needs to do. Any player that\u2019s not here had got the feedback they need.\u201d<\/p>\n Curious, because one does wonder what two highly-credentialled defenders need to prove to get into a side that has now conceded 13 goals across its last three games.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.08 EST<\/p>\n New Zealand XI<\/p>\n Six changes for the Ferns, with Claudia Bunge coming into the backline and Alina Santos making her debut between the posts.<\/p>\n Football Ferns legend Annalie Longo starts on the bench in what will be her final game for her country \u2013 the 34-year-old announcing in the build-up to this game that she\u2019s set to hang up the boots after a 19-year international career.<\/p>\n Stepping away from professional club football after the end of Wellington Phoenix\u2019s last A-League Women, the veteran defender had retained by Ferns\u2019 coach Michael Mayne to help guide the side during a period of transition and, should she get on the park, she\u2019ll end her career with 144 appearances for the side.<\/p>\n That makes her New Zealand\u2019s fifth highest capped international women\u2019s footballer, trailing only Ria Percival, Ali Riley (who rather surprisingly wasn\u2019t afforded a farewell game when she hung up the boots last month), Betsy Hassett and Abby Erceg<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.10 EST<\/p>\n Big time noticing how every broadcast of a national team game played in Australia these days starts with a tourism advert for the city\/state hosting it.<\/p>\n The State Governments bidding to host these games gotta get their money\u2019s worth, I guess.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.02 EST<\/p>\n This series, of course, represents the final international window the Matildas<\/a> will get before the best of Asia descends next March for the Women\u2019s Asian Cup.<\/p>\n While Australia\u2019s women have mostly played in mid-size stadiums in recent times \u2013 Hindmarsh is listed as having a 16,500 capacity, 15,000 of which are seated \u2013 Jack Snape detailed last week how organisers of that tournament feel vindicated for scheduling the Matildas in some of the country\u2019s biggest stadia for next year\u2019s tournament; Sarah Walsh, herself a former Matilda and now the chief operating officer for the Women\u2019s Asian Cup declaring that the risk of scheduling the team in these large venues is \u201cpaying off\u201d.<\/p>\n Walsh says that a major marketing campaign is planned in the coming weeks, and it will be interesting to see how that plays out in ticket sales for the games not involving the Matildas \u2013 organisers currently running a promotion offering a free junior ticket with every adult ticket purchased<\/a>.<\/p>\n Though the Matildas remain a brand that mostly creates its own demand, convincing the residents of Western Sydney to buy a ticket to see North Korea face Uzbekistan, or the citizens of Perth to head out to watch Chinese Taipei against Vietnam, might be a tougher ask.<\/p>\n And in the A-League Women, we already have a case study in the halo surrounding Australia\u2019s favourite football team not quite bathing others<\/a> in the kind of light they\u2019d be hoping for<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.04 EST<\/p>\n Australia XI<\/p>\n Six changes to the Matildas<\/a> side that hammered New Zealand in Gosford.<\/p>\n Sam Kerr will make her first start home soil since returning from an ACL injury \u2013 her first start Down Under since November 2023 \u2013 while Teagan Micah comes in between the posts.<\/p>\n Alanna Kennedy returns after sitting out the first game through suspension and this probably looms as a big game for her.<\/p>\n Clare Hunt, Tash Prior, Wini Heatley were already putting the squeeze on her place in the XI and now with Steph Catley increasingly kicking inside for both club and country that pressure will only become more significant. Proving herself in the midfield perhaps an avenue to shoring up her place.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.07 EST<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n As mentioned, it was a pretty comprehensive win for the Matildas<\/a> in last week\u2019s meeting between these two sides, with Amy Sayer, Hayley Raso, Ellie Carpenter, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Katrina Gorry netted in a comprehensive win.<\/p>\n Indeed, while it wasn\u2019t a perfect performance by the Matildas \u2013 the Kiwis created a few half chances and didn\u2019t exactly present the kind of defensive obstacle that they\u2019ll face with any kind of regularity \u2013 it was probably their best performance yet in the short tenure of Joe Montemurro.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how Jo Khan saw everything in the minute-by-minute<\/a> and here\u2019s my match report<\/a> to get you up to speed.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.01 EST<\/p>\n Preamble<\/p>\n Joey Lynch<\/p>\n Howdy all, you\u2019ve arrived at the Guardian\u2019s live coverage of the second fixture of this two-game international friendly series between Australia and New Zealand\u2019s women, tonight emanating from Hindmarsh Stadium in Radelaide, South Australia.<\/p>\n Last I checked, my name remained Joey Lynch and I\u2019ll be taking you through all the action from this evening\u2019s clash, in which the Matildas<\/a> will be looking to back up the 5-0 thumping they handed out in the first meeting between these two in Gosford last Friday and the Kiwis will be looking, if not to claim a first win in this fixture since 1994, to at least salvage some level of pride.<\/p>\n Kick-off in the City of Churches is at 8.00pm AC\u26a1DT, 8.30 AEDT, or 10.30pm NZDT if you\u2019re following along from Aotearoa.<\/p>\n Line-ups soon!<\/p>\n