Ian Chadband
Sam Kerr’s 75th international goal may have been her softest as she sent her Matildas on the way to a surprisingly tough and controversial 2-0 victory over Kenya in the FIFA Series final in Nairobi.
In front of 20,000 excited home fans at the Nyayo Stadium, goals in each half from skipper Kerr and midfielder Clare Wheeler proved enough for Australia to conclude their ground-breaking tour with the victory on Thursday morning AEST.
But Joe Montemurro’s team departed convinced that they had also been robbed of a third goal from Caitlin Foord, which was disallowed for a reason that appeared to leave everyone in the stadium, apart from the referee, baffled.
Nonetheless, the Kenyan hosts showed Kerr’s team, finalists in the recent Asian Cup, that the women’s soccer world is on their tail as the No.128-ranked side proved a match for the Matildas – ranked 15th – in the first half, and only went in one-down at half-time because of a horrendous goalkeeping error.
If anything, Kenya had earned the best chances before calamity struck the hosts in the 25th minute when, from Jamilla Rankin’s corner, Kerr was found unmarked in the box.
Kerr scuffed her shot somewhat and could hardly believe it when the ball dribbled through the fingers of keeper Lillian Awuor. The Kenyan shot stopper was so bereft that she ended up stomping up and down in anger.
Still, Kenya responded well and twice came close to equalising before the break, first when Shalyne Opisa’s stirring run and shot brought a terrific save from Mackenzie Arnold and then when Fasila Adhiambo stormed down the right flank and fired her shot against the post.
Kerr and Foord linked up twice for chances of an early second-half settler for the Matildas, before Foord wiggled through an obliging Kenyan defence in the 54th minute, and picked out Wheeler, whose neat footwork enabled her to jink past a couple of defenders and score.
The Matildas swore they’d nabbed the third too after an hour when Amy Sayer’s cross just evaded Kerr but found Foord at the far post, who looked to have scored with a strong shot from a narrow angle.
Total confusion then reigned as the referee rushed up to chalk off the goal, seemingly believing it hadn’t gone in. The Matildas and coach Joe Montemurro all protested, and goalscorer Foord ended up getting booked for her continued arguments.
It meant the Matildas still weren’t home and dry as Winonah Heatley was forced to make a terrific intervention to rob Kenyan sub Elizabeth Mideva as she was about to shoot on goal.
It had been a landmark afternoon for Alanna Kennedy, who became the fifth Matilda to earn 150 caps and was made captain for the day. The 31-year-old joined teammate Emily van Egmond, Clare Polkinghorne, Cheryl Salisbury, and Lisa De Vanna in the elite club.
AAP
