The Westfield Matildas fell to a fairly uncommon home defeat as a prepared Chile came from abaft to win 3-2 at Panthers Stadium on Saturday.

TOP: Clare POLKINGHORNE (4), Cait FOORD (9), Lydia WILLIAMS (1), Em VAN EGMOND (10), Mary FOWLER (5), Lisa DE VANNA (11).
BOTTOM: Tameka BUTT (13), Sam KERR (20), Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT (8), Ellie CARPENTER (21), Chloe LOGARZO (6).
(Source: Australian National Women’s Football Team/Seven Consulting).


Francisca Lara and Carla Guerrero accumulated to annul Emily Van Egmond’s ninth-minute penalty before Yessenia Huenteo addled to affirm the Westfield Matildas’ first defeat in Australia since back in 2014.

Source: The Matildas’ Instagram

There was time remaining for Van Egmond to bury an additional spot-kick far into added time but it was accepted only as alleviation as Alen Stajcic’s squad aim to take back the teams glory in Newcastle on Tuesday night for the second leg of the two-match Seven Consulting International friendly Series.

Van Egmond amazed the 15,185-strong crowd early when she managed to outwit Christiane Endler, sending her to the wrong way from the spot, Geraldine Leyton having a misarrangement over Caitlin Foord.
Sam Kerr on two occassions came close to doubling the lead but it was the Chilean side who equalised against the sequence of play within the 20th minute.

Sam Kerr (Matildas’ Instagram)

Laura Alleway’s under-hit backpass forced Lydia Williams out of her box and, from Clare Polkinghorne’s clearance, Lara took advantage with a chipped in finish.

Australia might have restored their lead before the interval if not for the impressive Chilean keeper, who did well to tip over a long-range Van Egmond drill.

Instead, Chile struck again within three minutes after the restart, Guerrero catching Williams off her line with an instinctive poked finish from a half-cleared free-kick.

A scrambling Su Helen Galaz managed to deny Kerr on the line with just over 15 minutes remaining and, though the Westfield Matildas made all of the running in the closing stages, they were made to pay for pushing forward as Huenteo pounced on Van Egmond’s loose pass and poked into the bottom corner.

Kyah Simon (Matildas’ Instagram)

The midfielder atoned with a calm second penalty following a foul on Kerr at the other end to reduce the deficit, but it came too late for the hosts to salvage a result.

Coverage of the second game will begin from 7:00 PM Tuesday 13 November 2018 (AEDT).

Banner Source: Matildas’ Emily Van Egmond and Tameka Butt.