Matildas snatch 1-1 draw against USA in second friendly in Newcastle

The Matildas have drawn 1-1 in their second and final friendly match against world champions USA in their last hit-out before January’s Asian Cup.

Australian winger Kyah Simon clawed a goal back in the dying stages of the game in Newcastle, cancelling out an early goal from American striker Ashley Hatch in the fourth minute.

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson made a few changes to the starting XI after Australia’s 3-0 defeat to the USA on Saturday, switching out goalkeeper Teagan Micah for the more experienced Lydia Williams, while Hayley Raso and teen star Kyra Cooney-Cross also started ahead of Caitlin Foord and Jessika Nash.

The Matildas started sluggishly, allowing Hatch and winger Margaret Purce time and space for a simple run and cut-back to open the scoring.

But Australia rallied as the first half wore on, creating more opportunities going forward, particularly through returning winger Raso, though they continued having difficulties connecting crosses and through-balls for marked striker and captain Sam Kerr.

The energy and tempo from both sides seemed to peter out after the break, perhaps a result of the sapping humidity in Newcastle after a day of rain.

However, a flock of changes towards the end of the second half — including centre-back Alanna Kennedy and midfielder Clare Wheeler — brought new life to the Matildas, and it was Wheeler’s crucial slide-tackle that started a move leading to Simon’s equaliser, which was helped into the net by a nasty deflection from American centre-back Becky Sauerbrunn.

The goal lifted the record-breaking crowd of 20,495 spectators — the second-highest for a Matildas home match in history — and the hosts were able to see out the draw, despite a late goal from USA midfielder Lindsey Horan that was called back for offside.

With the Asian Cup now squarely in their sights, Australia will be happy with its improved scoreline, but questions still linger over squad selection and tactics; questions that Gustavsson must now try to answer without any more international windows to do so.