Key events
Matildas coach Joe Montemurro explains his bold starting XI while speaking to Paramount. Remy Siemsen and Amy Sayer will play behind veteran striker Michelle Heyman, with Emily Van Egmond also looking to break the lines. Hayley Raso and Holly McNamara will offer their usual threat out wide.
We’ve gone a little bit more attacking tonight, playing with more advanced midfielders and our ability to get past their first line in the way that they press. Hopefully we’ll see advanced full-backs, so we’ll try to override their wide areas and their central areas with more attacking options.
The Matildas are out for redemption after suffering their first defeat under coach Joe Montemurro as teenage substitute Sherline King scored for Panama in the 59th minute and veteran striker Michelle Heyman fluffed a last-gasp chance to equalise.
Panama XI
Panama: Farissa Cordoba (gk), Hilary Jaen, Wendy Natis, Katherin Castillo, Ericka Arauz, Schiandra Gonzalez, Marta Cox (capt), Sherline King, Riley Tanner, Ana Ggabriela Quintero, Carina Baltrip-Reyes.
Panama back in a winning formula with just two enforced changes from the starting XI on Sunday night. Farissa Cordoba continues in goals after being called into the game in the opening minutes of game one while the match-winner in that contest, 19-year-old Sherline King, replaces the injured Desire Salazar. The Matildas might not mind seeing the back of Salazar and her tendency to make robust challenges.
Matildas XI
Australia: Chloe Lincoln (gk), Courtney Nevin, Clare Hunt, Charlotte Grant, Jessika Nash, Emily Van Egmond (capt), Amy Sayer, Hayley Raso, Holly McNamara, Michelle Heyman, Remy Siemsen.
Joe Montemurro swings the changes once again and this time he isn’t messing around with an ultra attacking lineup named to face Panama. Chloe Lincoln makes her starting debut with the gloves. Emily Van Egmond returns as captain after Hayley Raso started with the armband for the first time on Sunday night.
Sam Kerr is not yet ready to return to playing after sustaining a serious knee injury almost 18 months ago. But the Matildas captain has been marking her mark around the squad while joining in parts of training in her home town.
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the second women’s football friendly between Australia and Panama, this time at HBF Park in Perth.
The Matildas are out to finish their four-match stretch of friendlies in WA on a high especially after falling to a 1-0 loss to Panama in Bunbury on Sunday. That marked the first defeat of the Joe Montemurro era and came after the Matildas earned a win and a draw against Slovenia in the coach’s first two games in charge.
Montemurro has not only been trying to evolve the game plan with more of a focus on controlling possession, but also taking a closer look at emerging and fringe players that are competing for spots in Australia’s squad at the Women’s Asian Cup and beyond. The Matildas will have another fresh look about them with Teagan Micah left out as a precaution after copping a blow in the first game against Panama, while Alex Chidiac, Emily Gielnik and Kaitlyn Torpey have left the camp as previously planned.
Kick-off is at 6pm AWST / 8pm AEST. I’ll be back soon with more team news. In the meantime, shoot me an email or find me on X @martinpegan and Bluesky @martinpegan.bsky.social with any questions, thoughts and predictions. Let’s get into it!
