Matildas seal 2-0 win over China in last pre-Games test – FTBL | The home of football in Australia – The Women’s Game

The Australian team is heading to the Olympics on a positive note after securing a promising 2-0 victory against China in a friendly match.

In their final game before the Games, the Matildas scored two goals in the second half, courtesy of Clare Wheeler and Hayley Raso, to claim the win in front of a crowd of 76,798 at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

Critically, there were no major injury concerns for coach Tony Gustavsson, who is already dealing with absences of Sam Kerr, Caitilin Foord, and Katrina Gorry.

“We wanted to showcase our true abilities tonight,” Gustavsson commented.

“We showed a lot of aggression and attacking intent, and we could have been 2-0 up in the first 20 minutes.

“We experimented with different attacking tactics and rotations, and it paid off.

“Additionally, we demonstrated good game management towards the end, knowing how to secure a win and conserve energy for the next round.”

On Monday, Gustavsson informed the players who made it to his 18-player squad for Paris, which will be officially announced in Sydney on Tuesday.

The victory also served as a fitting farewell to Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams, who will retire from international football after the Olympics.

Williams received a standing ovation when she was substituted late in the first half and was able to enjoy the win from the bench.

“Seeing that reminds us that football can be much more than just 90 minutes,” Gustavsson reflected.

“Although I’ve only been part of her career for four years, I feel honored and privileged to have been involved.”

The Matildas displayed a clinical edge to secure the win after missing several opportunities in the first half.

Substitute Clare Wheeler scored with a header from a Steph Catley free-kick in the 48th minute, sparking celebrations in the crowd.

Shortly after, Hayley Raso capitalized on a brilliant throughball from Cortnee Vine to double Australia’s lead.

Goalkeeper Arnold had a relatively easy game, making a routine save from a shot by Chinese forward Zhang Linyan towards the end of the match.