Can the Matildas exact revenge against a Spanish side missing 15 of their biggest stars? Or will Spain’s depth shine through?

Follow below for live updates.

Key events

Live updates

HT: Australia 3 – 0 Spain

1m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:52am

By Samantha Lewis

Key Event

That was, without doubt, one of the best halves of football the Matildas have played under Tony Gustavsson.

Almost from the opening whistle, they were intense, organised, and direct in their attacking moves. They know exactly where Spain’s weak-points are, and have been pressing and pushing and prodding them all half.

Spain have had a handful of decent chances, though, mostly coming from delightful little through-balls that carved open Australia’s back-line. You have to wonder whether a more experienced starting line-up would have made that opening 45 a much more even contest.

What did you think of that, beloved blog-watchers? Is that the kind of half you were expecting from the Tillies? What do you think the second 45 has in store for us?

Comment below!

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44′ Hayley Raso is down

6m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:46am

By Samantha Lewis

The Manchester City winger is clutching her wrist and looks to be in some pain after tumbling to the grass.

The fourth official adds three minutes of extra time as Raso is helped off the pitch, with what looks like strapping being wrapped around it tightly.

Let’s hope it’s not as bad as it looks on the big screen!

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43′ Kerr almost adds a fourth!

7m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:45am

By Samantha Lewis

Direct, precise, lethal football from the Matildas.

Foord picks up the ball in midfield and spins, knowing Kerr is racing off the shoulder of the last defender.

The Arsenal winger clips a perfect ball into Kerr’s path as the Chelsea striker takes a steadying touch and fires…

…but it just fizzes wide of the far post.

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42′ First yellow card of the match

9m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:44am

By Samantha Lewis

And it goes to the goal-scorer Caitlin Foord for accidentally elbowing Codina Panedas.

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41′ GOAL AUSTRALIA

10m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:43am

By Samantha Lewis

Key Event

Caitlin Foord marks her return with an easy header off a perfect Steph Catley free-kick.

Spain have only got themselves to blame here: not only did their players give away the set-piece totally unnecessarily, bundling Hayley Raso to the ground when she was off the ball, but they didn’t even watch Foord ghosting into the six-yard box as Catley’s cross sailed towards her.

3-0.

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37′ Almost a third for Australia!

13m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:39am

By Samantha Lewis

A bullet Sam Kerr header almost rips the back of the net clean off, but the linesperson raises their flag to bring an abrupt end to the crowd’s wave of screams.

The replay shows Kerr’s shoulders leaning juuust over the line carved into the grass, so technically she’s right, but, like, spiritually? Say it with me: Kerr was robbed.

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34′ Charlie Grant gets away with one there

15m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:38am

By Samantha Lewis

The right-back was in a bit of a pickle, getting boxed-in near her own corner-flag and having the ball stolen by Jenni Hermoso.

The Spanish striker shapes to cross before feinting back inside, with Grant swinging a wild leg to try and intercept, with the ball spinning off upfield.

The referee signals a throw-in… for Australia.

Lol.

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30′ Drinks break!

20m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:33am

By Samantha Lewis

It’s pretty warm here in Parramatta, so each half will have a drinks break.

The players have got ice towels around their necks as Tony Gustavsson is gesturing wildly and giving quick tips to his players.

Their energy has dropped off somewhat in the last five minutes, so let’s see what the next ‘quarter’ of football brings.

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Would you like a Matildas kit with rainbow numbers?

22m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:31am

By Samantha Lewis

Key Event

A Football Australia representative just confirmed to us that customisable jerseys will be available on their online store from tomorrow!

Get in quick, because they’re reaching the end of their current cycle before their 2023 Women’s World Cup jerseys are released.

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23′ Things starting to settle now

28m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:24am

By Samantha Lewis

It’s been a wild opening 20 minutes to this game, with both sides playing a really energetic, pro-active style of possession football.

The Spanish side look a little shell-shocked, but they’ve shown some glimpses of danger every now and then.

The Matildas need to keep their concentration and ensure they don’t let this intensity drop.

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18′ Spain trying to get back into it…

33m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:20am

By Samantha Lewis

Some nice one-touch passing slices through Australia’s defensive third and finds a Spanish player all alone near the penalty spot. Her shot looks for all money like it’s flying into the net, but Steph Catley sticks out a strong left boot and sends it spinning out for a corner, which comes to nothing.

Phew!

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15′ GOAL AUSTRALIA

34m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:19am

By Samantha Lewis

Key Event

CLARE POLKINGHORNE!

Now you don’t see this every day: that’s two goals in two games for Australia’s all-time leading appearance-maker.

Spain fail to deal with a corner properly, with the ball being recycled immediately by the Matildas before it finds Raso stationed out on the left.

She clips in a lovely cross to the box, with the deflected Sam Kerr header being bundled around by a Spanish defender.

Polkinghorne bodies her off inside the six-yard box and slams it into the top left corner.

2-0!

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14′ Matildas with the first corner

37m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:16am

By Samantha Lewis

Hayley Raso has been an absolute menace down the right wing so far, regularly getting the best of Spain’s young left-back.

Another cut-and-cross deflects off a red sock and flies out for the first corner of the match.

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Update

39m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:14am

Audience comment

Thanks Sam. If this is what we’ve got to look forward to in July and August, bring it on. Spain are at another level compared to Czechia.

– Mark

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Update

39m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:14am

Audience comment

YYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

– Natty

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12′ Caitlin Foord almost doubles the lead

39m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:14am

By Samantha Lewis

The Matildas gain back possession almost immediately after kick-off with the Arsenal forward finding herself charging towards Spain’s defenders.

She shimmies and slices around Andreas Sanz before letting it rip, but her shot sails just wide of the far post.

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10′ GOAL AUSTRALIA

40m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:12am

By Samantha Lewis

Key Event

AND IT’S CORTNEE VINE!!!

A fantastic counter-attack by the Matildas starts down the right with Hayley Raso pulling wide before cutting inside and sending a sizzzling pass across the D to an open Vine, who absolutely LEATHERS IT into the top right corner.

Stunning opener for Australia. 1-0.

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Natty is all of us with these rainbow jersey numbers!

44m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:08am

By Samantha Lewis

I want that Kerr jersey…

– Natty

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5′ Spain almost with the opener!

45m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:08am

By Samantha Lewis

Jenni Hermoso, Spain’s all-time leading goal-scorer, finally gets her foot on the ball.

She rides a sliding challenge by Hunt and slots a perfectly-weighted pass through the line for winger Carmona Garcia, who shoots low and hard to the right side, but Arnold gets down low and parries it away.

The offside flag comes up seconds later, but it’s good to know Arnold is up for this one!

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4′ Vine is at it again

47m agoSun 19 Feb 2023 at 7:06am

By Samantha Lewis

The Matildas have started this game with great intensity.

A glorious cross-field pass from Katrina Gorry finds Vine zooming down the left wing. She turns inside and sends a lovely cross near the top of the box, but a Spanish defender just plonks it away with her shin.

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