Australia beat Japan 4-2 at the Tournament of Nations – as it happened | Football

Australia beat Japan 4-2 at the Tournament of Nations â€" as it happened | Football

7.30pm EDT19:30

That’s two wins in two now for Australia who will face Brazil on Friday. If the USA and Brazil draw in today’s other game Australia will head into that Brazil match with an unassailable lead atop the standings. It’s not the World Cup, sure, but they’ll take it.

Thanks for your company, that’s me done. Have a good day.

7.25pm EDT19:25

Final thoughts

A dominant win by the Matildas today after they fell behind early doors. The damage was done in the first half, thanks mainly to striker Sam Kerr who will remember that 45 minutes well into her dotage. Her first-half hat-trick pushed Australia past Japan and out of sight and ensured Australia’s dominance was reflected in the scoreboard.

Japan’s high defensive line and inability to deal with Australia’s runners saw Kerr take full advantage. She restored parity in the 11th minute after a cross from Raso on the right put the ball on a platter. Kerr made the next goal herself after picking the pocket of Sakamoto and racing 40m to score cooly past Ikeda. Then, minutes before halftime, she got her third after another long run towards goal â€" this time scoring on the second attempt after her first shot was saved. A second-half penalty from Van Egmond completed the scoring for Australia.

Coach Stajcic won’t be happy with Japan’s late goal but he’d be a grinch if he’s anything but delighted after that performance.

7.13pm EDT19:13

Full-time: Japan 2-4 Australia

What a win by the Matildas!

7.12pm EDT19:12

GOAL! Japan 2-4 Australia (Momiki 93min)

And there is a goal but it’s Japan with a late consolation. Haji passes wide to Momiki, she passes inside to Tanaka who uses the sole of her boot to back pass it to Momiki cutting inside. Momiki lashes the ball into the goal. It may have taken a slight deflection but it was well hit.

Updated at 7.13pm EDT

7.09pm EDT19:09

90 min + 2: De Vanna is sweating on the Japan defenders, trying to pilfer the ball and get herself a goal but time is running out.

7.08pm EDT19:08

90 min: A sweet turn by De Vanna shakes off Tanaka on the left wing. She runs into the Japan box but a well-timed sliding tackle dispossess her. Australia do little of note with the corner.

7.06pm EDT19:06

89 min: Now it’s Gorry being replaced. Alex Chidiac comes on in the dying minutes, earning her fourth cap.

7.06pm EDT19:06

88 min: Gorry tries to set Ibini free down the right but she overcooks her through ball and she throws her head back in frustration.

7.04pm EDT19:04

86 min: Japan corner, but it’s a shocker, Momiki scuffing it straight to the first defender.

7.02pm EDT19:02

83 min: Kerr with a chance now! De Vanna does well to skip clear on the left and she slides a cross to Kerr who tries to hit home with the outside on her right boot from an angle. Just misses.

7.00pm EDT19:00

82 min: Kerr in space on the right... she squares to the Japan penalty spot where Foord hammers a shot straight into a defender.

6.58pm EDT18:58

81 min: Sam Kerr conducts a 3 v 3 breakaway â€" she slips a pass right to Gorry who’s back-post cross finds Tameka Butt, but her header lands on the roof of the net.

6.56pm EDT18:56

79 min: Japan sub: Nakajima goes to the bench replaced by Haji, who is on debut. Moments later a dangerous cross across the face of Australia’s six-yard box is defused by Polkinghorne’s extended leg.

6.55pm EDT18:55

76 min: A ball from midfield deflects into the path of De Vanna who has only the keeper to beat. You can’t blame her for going for goal â€" except when she misses. Gorry was inside De Vanna in acres of space. A square ball would have left Gorry with a tap in.

6.53pm EDT18:53

74 min: De Vanna tries to run through the back of Oya who is blocking the Australian off the ball. Da Vanna give her a shove and it’s an obvious free kick to Japan. Before the kick is taken the Aussies makes another sub: Van Egmond goes off, replaced by Tameka Butt who scored that winner against the USA.

And here’s another sub: Raso goes off for Ellie Carpenter. A fine game for Raso whose good work on the right set up Kerr’s opener.

6.49pm EDT18:49

71 min: De Vanna finds Kerr overlapping. She drives to the byline where her attempt at a cross is put out for a corner. Kellond-Knight knocks it over to the near post but, under no pressure, Japan head it away.

6.47pm EDT18:47

69 min: A break and long pass from Hasegawa is snuffed out by the extended leg of Kennedy.

Updated at 6.47pm EDT

6.45pm EDT18:45

67 min: A catch up on some Aussie subs: Gielnik and Logarzo are off, replaced by de Vanna and Foord respectively.

6.43pm EDT18:43

65 min: I must admit, I wasn’t expecting this, especially after that early Japan goal. There is the sense that, to look at the bigger picture, Japan, who are in a rebuilding stage, are on a downward trend, while Australia are on the up. But you don’t tend to score four goals past Japan with 30 minutes left on the clock.

6.40pm EDT18:40

GOAL! Japan 1-4 Australia (Van Egmond 62)

Van Egmond hits it low and right and it nestles in the corner of the net. Australia moving away, and surely safe now.

6.40pm EDT18:40

Penalty to Australia!

A rough call, I think, after a crossed ball hits the arm of Hasegawa which is by her side. Van Egmond to take the spot kick...

6.38pm EDT18:38

60 min: Japan should have scored there! After a smart one-two Hasagawa is put clear down the left flank. She runs deep into Aussie territory and crosses perfectly to Nakajima running into the six-yard box. But the Japan captain just can’t get good purchase on it and Australia are spared.

6.34pm EDT18:34

56 min: Kerr crosses dangerously across the face of goal where it evades everyone. Kellond-Knight retrieves it and lays a ball off to Van Egmond who has time but can’t keep her shot down. That was a good chance to seal this game.

6.32pm EDT18:32

54 min: Kellond-Knight with a free kick from the right. She takes it with her left and it bends in towards the head of a yellow shirt but it ends up in the hands of Ikeda after a glancing header from Kennedy, I think, does little more than loop.

6.28pm EDT18:28

52 min: Japan are definitely trying to give Australia less time on the ball. Still, Egmond finds herself on the left edge of the Japan box. She takes a touch to skip inside onto her right but by the time she takes her shot the Japan defenders have smothered it.

6.27pm EDT18:27

50 min: After hustling Australia’s defenders, Japan win the ball back. After a nice interchange of passes Sumida finds enough space to attempt a shot from distance. But she doesn’t get enough on it nor find the target. An early sign that perhaps Japan won’t allow Australia so much time at the back this half.

6.23pm EDT18:23

47 min: And a snap shot from Nakajima â€"after the Aussies fail to deal with a ball in their boxâ€" stings the gloves of Arnold. A foot wider and that would have been a goal to Japan and changed the face of this match.

6.20pm EDT18:20

We’re about to start the second half, Japan to kick off. The Matildas are in a huddle. I expect someone is saying, “This isn’t over yet.”

6.12pm EDT18:12

Half-time: Japan 1-3 Australia

And that’s that; Australia go to the sheds with a two-goal buffer after conceding an early goal. Sam Kerr the standout with a first-half hat-trick.

Back in a tick.

Updated at 7.18pm EDT

6.11pm EDT18:11

45 min: Japan play out from the back and after a series of lovely passes Nakajima gets into space on the right. She finds Sakamoto on the left and she gets in a shot but it’s hit too weakly to trouble Arnold.

6.09pm EDT18:09

44 min: Gielnik whips in freekick from wide on the left and it has the keeper beaten... but not the crossbar.

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