{"id":13223,"date":"2023-02-16T11:32:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T11:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/16\/matildas-overcome-slow-start-to-beat-czechia-in-cup-of-nations-thrashing\/"},"modified":"2023-02-16T11:32:00","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T11:32:00","slug":"matildas-overcome-slow-start-to-beat-czechia-in-cup-of-nations-thrashing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/16\/matildas-overcome-slow-start-to-beat-czechia-in-cup-of-nations-thrashing\/","title":{"rendered":"Matildas overcome slow start to beat Czechia in Cup of Nations thrashing"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Matildas responded to an \u201camazing\u201d speech from Sam Kerr to awake from a first-half slumber and thrash Czechia 4-0 in Gosford on Thursday night. <\/p>\n

The Europeans were the better of the teams in the opening 45 minutes, with the Matildas starting their Cup of Nations campaign on a sleepy and at times disorganised manner on the Central Coast. <\/p>\n

However, following a stirring half-time address from star Chelsea striker Kerr, the Matildas showed greater intent and energy in the second half, and were rewarded with four goals in a positive sign ahead of this year\u2019s FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup. <\/p>\n

Watch the world\u2019s best footballers every week with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. LIVE coverage from Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Carabao Cup, EFL & SPFL. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now ><\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

Two goals came from Manchester City winger Hayley Raso, while Kerr and record-breaking defender Clare Polkinghorne also got on the scoresheet. <\/p>\n

Polkinghorne\u2019s 84th-minute goal was a fitting way to end the game, with the veteran defender captaining the side on the night she grabbed sole possession of the record for most Matildas appearances with 152. <\/p>\n

The 34-year-old Queenslander was also rock solid in defence against a Czechia side that troubled the Matildas in the first-half before being outclassed by the hosts for the remainder of the contest,<\/p>\n

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson was pleased with his side\u2019s second-half response, and paid credit to Kerr for lifting her teammates.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer half-time talk was amazing,\u201d Gustavsson told Network 10. <\/p>\n

\u201cHer leadership is phenomenal. She\u2019s been around in important games and can replicate what it can be like.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe patient, believe, be positive, energised but we need to play faster, we need to better … it\u2019s that balance of support and demand. It\u2019s great leadership.\u201d <\/p>\n

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Clare Polkinghorne (4) celebrates her goal with teammates in Gosford. Picture: Scott Gardiner\/Getty Images<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Earlier, Kerr had claims for a penalty waved away in the 18th minute when she was outmuscled by veteran Czechia defender Petra Bertholdov\u00e1. <\/p>\n

The Matildas then wasted a potential chance seven minutes later with a poorly placed pass from Raso.<\/p>\n

Czechia then took control, and had three chances in the space of six minutes.<\/p>\n

On each occasion, Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold was forced into saves.<\/p>\n

The West Ham custodian tipped a long-distance effort from defender Anna Dlaskova around the post in the 26th minute.<\/p>\n

Arnold was then grateful for a poor finish from Jitka Chlast\u00e1kova in the 29th minute.<\/p>\n

Chlast\u00e1kova, who plays for the Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League women\u2019s competition, should have scored but directed her weak shot straight into the grateful arms of Arnold. <\/p>\n

Sloppy play from the Matildas then led to a chance for Michaela Khyrova in the 32nd minute, but Arnold again came to Australia\u2019s rescue with smart save at her near post. <\/p>\n

That proved to be the end of Czechia\u2019s highlights, with Raso giving the Matildas the lead three minutes after half-time via a shot that deflected off Dlaskova and hit the inside of the post before rolling into the back of the net. <\/p>\n

Raso doubled Australia\u2019s lead in the 56th minute with a close-range header.<\/p>\n

Kerr\u2019s 62nd goal made it 3-0 in the 71st minute, with Polkinghorne providing the icing on the cake 13 minutes later.<\/p>\n

In Thursday\u2019s early Cup of Nations match, Spain beat Jamaica 3-0.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Matildas responded to an \u201camazing\u201d speech from Sam Kerr to awake from a first-half slumber and thrash Czechia 4-0 in Gosford on Thursday night. The Europeans were the better of the teams in the opening 45 minutes, with the Matildas starting their Cup of Nations campaign on a sleepy and at times disorganised manner […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2228,83,1736,4344,4339,4338,2904,2892,1429,4340,4015,1425,4343,2901,4345,4342,3231,1626,2895,1728,4341,4334,4335,3878,1767,4217,4337,4336],"class_list":{"0":"post-13223","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-home","8":"tag-agence-france-presse","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-australia-and-new-zealand","11":"tag-central-coast","12":"tag-clare-polkinghorne","13":"tag-close-range-header","14":"tag-czech-republic","15":"tag-eastern-europe","16":"tag-europe","17":"tag-first-half-slumber","18":"tag-football-match","19":"tag-getty-images-inc","20":"tag-goals-cane","21":"tag-gosford","22":"tag-k-kjdjkdkjd-kjdjkdkdk","23":"tag-long-distance-effort","24":"tag-marco-monteverde","25":"tag-new-south-wales","26":"tag-newswire-sport","27":"tag-oceania","28":"tag-record-breaking-defender","29":"tag-saeed-khan","30":"tag-scott-gardiner","31":"tag-star-striker","32":"tag-tasmania","33":"tag-tony-gustavsson","34":"tag-veteran-defender","35":"tag-western-sydney-wanderers"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13223"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13223\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}