Key events
59 Mins: Another attempt for South Korea, after they work the ball across the park from right to left. It ends with a long-range attempt but, on this occasion, it’s sent straight at Arnold.
Goal! Australia 2-3 South Korea
Disaster for the Matildas, who just over ten minutes into the second stanza have gone from 2-1 up to 3-2 down. And it’s the two substitutes thrown on by Shin who have ripped their opponents apart.
On this occasion, Kim, moments after converting the penalty won by Kang, swivels and plays the ball out to her fellow substitute, who knocks the ball to her left to open up a bit of space before driving a low effort into the bottom corner of the net.
The Koreans have come out with more purpose and intent in this second stanza and they’ve got their due reward.
54 Mins: The corner is sent in the direction of Kerr and Kennedy but neither can make proper contact on it. The ball then spills out to Gorry, who has her long-range shot blocked, before a foul is eventually committed by Hunt on Kim Hye-Ri.
54 Mins: The Australians rapidly get the ball forward in an attempt to find an immediate reply and it spills to Fowler, only for her attempt on goal to be swarmed by multiple defenders. Corner.
Goal! Australia 2-2 South Korea (Kim Shin-Ji 53′)
Arnold has a history of big penalty saves for Australia but she had no chance on that one: sent the wrong way by the 21-year-old midfielder, on the park for less than 10 minutes, with a superbly taken penalty.
51 Mins: Penalty to South Korea, Kang’s determined start after coming on is rewarded as she induces a handball from Nevin.
50 Mins: Our referee has been called over to the VAR monitor. Normally, that means we’re about to get a penalty called.
49 Mins: South Korea have made two changes at halftime, with one of them, Kang Chae-Rim, advancing into the penalty area and sending in a shot that is deflected out for a corner.
Hang on… did that come off Nevin’s arm? Oh lawd, replays show it may have.
46 Mins: The second-half is underway at Stadium Australia, the Matildas holding onto a 2-1 lead over South Korea.
So as it stands, it’s the Matildas that would top Group A with nine points, followed by South Korea on six points.
Up 1-0 over Iran at halftime of their clash in Perth, the Philippines currently sit third in the group, on three points and with a goal difference of -3. Mark Torcaso’s side would want a few more goals in the second stanza to sure up their hunt for progression as one of the two best-ranked third-placed sides.
The adaptions of Montemurro were on show throughout that first-half, with his move to switch Fowler across to the opposite flank freeing up both her and Foord to have a greater impact on the game.
Kennedy’s free roaming role in the midfield and an increased emphasis on verticality in the passing game – particularly utilising Foord’s ability to find pockets of space to break through the lines – helped to get the side going.
It’s not been perfect, Gorry and Wheeler are struggling to impact the game in the way they did against the Philippines, but it’s a performance that has the Matildas on their way to topping Group A with three wins from three.
HT: Australia 2-1 South Korea
After failing to take advantage of a series of early chances, it looked as though a night to forget was on the offing for the Matildas when Mun turned in a Jeon cross to put her side ahead.
But Montemurro’s side were able to gather themselves and work their way back into the game, equalising just after the half-an-hour mark when Kennedy was in the right place at the right time to turn in a Fowler shot, and then taking the lead just before halftime when the combination of Carpenter, Foord, and Kerr ripped the Koreans apart at speed.
Goal! Australia 2-1 South Korea (Kerr 45+5)
From 1-0 down to 2-1 up on the stroke of half-time for the Matildas! Carpenter picks up the ball in the middle of the park and gets the ball to Foord as the Australians transition at speed. The attacker then picks it up and starts to carry it with purpose towards the Korean goal.
Defenders collapsing in on the Arsenal striker as she draws ever closer to the penalty area, the veteran attacker keeps her head and plays a perfectly weighted pass to Kerr, who has all the time and space she needs to turn and fire her attempt home.
It all happened rather quickly but it was a fantastically constructed move by the Matildas, showing the free-flowing best that, when they tap into it, makes them one of the best attacking sides in the world.
45+4 Carpenter finds some space on the right and cuts the ball back to Foord, who, under pressure drags as hot wide.
45+2 Foord goes close! A ball from Heatley is directed towards Kerr and, while it can’t find the striker, it does bounce to Gorry. The midfielder’s shot is blocked away but spills to Foord, who drags another attempt across the face of goal.
Concern now for South Korea, as their skipper Ko, who blocked Gorry’s shot, is down and requiring treatment.
45 Mins: We’ll have six minutes of added time to conclude this opening half.
44 Mins: Fowler bends a threatening-looking ball across the face of goal but it’s just got to much swerve on it for Foord, who throws a leg at it but who can’t make contact.
43 Mins: There’s a bunch of space open to the South Koreans in transition if they can win the ball quickly – even with Kennedy often dropping back between the two centre backs – but to now, they’ve proven unable to consistently find the outlet that will allow them to exploit these opportunities.
42 Mins: Confirmation that Hunt has gone into the book for the Australians.
41 Mins: A long ball forward finds Park in a dangerous area but the South Korean attacker had strayed into an offside position. Fowler tries to press the Australian’s initiative quickly but runs into a cul-de-sac and the attack peters out.
40 Mins: The Matildas recycle possession and get the ball out to Nevin on the left. She finds Fowler, who scoops a cross to Foord but the resulting cutback attempt is tame and easily cleared.
39 Mins: The Matildas have had 54% of the ball and are outshooting the South Koreans eight to five, with five shots on target to two, across the opening 40 minutes. The Koreans, however, are far from out of this one and have demonstrated what they can do when they’re afforded a chance to get out in transition, particularly when they win the ball back quickly with a counter-press.
37 Mins: The Matildas have a free kick, which Fowler lofts into the area. It spills out to Kennedy at the back of the waiting pack but she can’t control the ball and the Koreans come away with it.
35 Mins: A bit of pep in their step, the Matildas go in search of a second.
Fowler threads a defence splitting pass through the Korean lines to find an onside Kerr and free her into the penalty area. Taken somewhat wide, however, the striker slices her effort high and wide of the near post.
Goal! Australia 1-1 South Korea (Kennedy 32′)
It’s one of the most chaotic goals you’ll ever see but the Matildas won’t care one bit, because it’s brought them level.
A scramble breaks out after the Matildas’ corner and the ball eventually falls to Foord, who calmly lays the ball back off for Fowler.
She lashes a shot goalward and while it’s not struck all that well, it is struck close enough for Kennedy to pounce upon it and redirect it goalward, with it bouncing off keeper Kim Min-Jung and into the net.
31 Mins: Fowler flashes danger signs, smashing a shot into the side netting after being found by Kerr on the right, weaving into the penalty area, and lashing a shot goalward. It took a touch, so it’ll be an Australian corner.
30 Mins: The South Koreans have a free kick on the right flank, it’s sent searchingly into the penalty area and punched clear by Arnold. Jang collects the ball and tires to send it back into the mixer but Arnold is out to claim.
27 Mins: The Koreans almost catch the Matildas napping and force them to scramble back, before a shot from outside the box is lofted somewhat tamely through to Arnold.
26 Mins: Fowler tries to wind up a shot from very long-range but it takes a deflection and bounces harmlessly through to the keeper.
25 Mins: Kerr gets the ball out to Foord on the left and the attacker drives into the penalty area down the left. Her attempts to cut the ball back, however, is blocked away by Kim and the ball then ricochets off her leg out for a goal kick. The South Korean tries to fire up whatever Korean contingent is in the crowd after her defensive effort.
23 Mins: South Korea gets forward again but, on this occasion, Choe’s run draws an offside flag.
22 Mins: The Koreans force a turnover in the middle of the park and get forward. They’re able to get a cross in despite the Matildas halting their early momentum Jang Sel-Gi’s ball is put too close to Arnold and claimed.