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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.
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.
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
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.
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.
89 min: Now it’s Gorry being replaced. Alex Chidiac comes on in the dying minutes, earning her fourth cap.
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.
86 min: Japan corner, but it’s a shocker, Momiki scuffing it straight to the first defender.
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.
82 min: Kerr in space on the right... she squares to the Japan penalty spot where Foord hammers a shot straight into a defender.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
69 min: A break and long pass from Hasegawa is snuffed out by the extended leg of Kennedy.
Updated
67 min: A catch up on some Aussie subs: Gielnik and Logarzo are off, replaced by de Vanna and Foord respectively.
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.
Van Egmond hits it low and right and it nestles in the corner of the net. Australia moving away, and surely safe now.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.â€
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
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.
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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