Matildas draw 1-1 with China after Michelle Heyman's stoppage-time equaliser (2024)

I think we're all on the same page about tonight's game: the Matildas definitely didn't show enough against China to convince us of anything, so they'll really need to step it up in the second match in Sydney on Monday to settle out nerves about their readiness for the Olympics.

We'll have a match report out shortly, but for now, thanks so much for engaging with the blog tonight, and I'll see you all again here on Monday night from 7:00pm AEST!

Until then, enjoy your weekend, and gooooo Tillies!!!

Whenever the Matildas have two-game windows, they do tend to be quite rusty and slow in the first of the two matches. So in that context, tonight's game isn't a huge surprise, nor is it a shock given the five changes Tony Gustavsson made to the starting line-up.

And yet... with Paris less than two months away... the Matildas don't really have time to be this sloppy, do they? They certainly won't be forgiven for it against the USA, Germany, and Zambia.

But who do you reckon impressed tonight? Did any player convince you that they should go to the Olympics? Or do we need another game to figure it out?

I was literally typing a post about Michelle Heyman's game tonight, and then she just goes and scores.

Maybe that's why she goes to Paris: because she can be there right until the very end.

Just like the last time they played, a stoppage-time equaliser rescues the Matildas after a pretty sluggish display.

Absolute scenes from the sold-out stadium - and from all of you - right at the death!

MICHELLE HEYMAN EQUALISES AFTER A TRULY BIZARRE SERIES OF EVENTS!

A free kick just outside China's box was awarded after their goalkeeper came sprinting off her line and seemed to hand-ball it after a miscontrol?

Mary Fowler stood over the ball, sending her rocket of a right foot through the set piece towards the front post, where the keeper isn't able to catch it and the deflection falls right to the feet of Heyman, who pokes it home.

1-1!

As I wrote at the start of tonight's blog, the Matildas really haven't figured out the answer of how to score goals without Sam Kerr.

As Adam says, this injury to Caitlin Foord is a worry. She was massive for the Tillies during the World Cup when Kerr was unavailable. Mary Fowler's wobbly form in this game is a concern, as has Michelle Heyman's kinda-nothing performance.

So what's the answer?

Another counter-attack from China sees Wu Chengshu through one-on-one with Clare Hunt, who's backtracking into her own box, trying to hold up the energised substitute.

Chengsu twists and turns and finds a half-space, swinging her foot through the ball, but she doesn't quite connect and it fizzes into Mackenzie Arnold's hands.

A wildly spinning aerial ball from Hayley Raso that deflected off a Chinese player falls dangerously towards the top of the box, where Clare Hunt and substitute Wu Chengshu both race towards it, trying to nick it out of the air and do something.

Hunt is the tallest of the two and is able to head it away in time, but Chengshu barrels straight through the centre-back, sending her crashing into the grass.

There's a couple words exchanged between the Chinese striker and Steph Catley afterwards as Hunt catches her breath. Not so friendly after all, this.

I don't know how you folks feel, but when I see Alanna Kennedy thrown up front into the centre-forward position, that's when I know that Tony Gustavsson is running out of ideas.

Like, I get it. She's tall and good in the air. But so is Michelle Heyman. Is this really Plan B if the Matildas are behind during the Olympics?

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Mengwen Li is off for Mengyu Shen.

Shuang Wang Shuang is replaced by Cong Yuan.

And Yanwen Wang is off for Jiali Tang.

She's really just been a warm body out there for this second half, hasn't she? It's like the game has been happening around her and she's just kinda been watching from a really awesome front-row seat.

I do think that the build-up play has affected her tonight, though. She barely connected with the two midfielders in the first half, and now is having to deliberately involve herself in plays to try and get anywhere near the ball.

She leaps onto a moment now, spinning on the ball after a China error, and takes a couple charging steps into the box, but just as she tries to shoot, a Chinese defender gets a toe on the ball and it spins into the keeper's arms.

They're throwing more bodies forward now, trying to overload China's backline and create a bit of chaos.

Another corner is taken short, with Fowler delivering the ball to the very back of the box, where Hayley Raso nods it back towards the penalty spot.

Kennedy is there, and tries an acrobatic sideways kick, but she doesn't quite catch it and it spins over the bar.

Honestly? I agree. Emily Van Egmond doesn't seem to have the speed or style that you associate with this high-intensity Matildas team, so it's odd that she's played such a pivotal role in the side for so long.

Emily Van Egmond was clipped from behind by a clumsy Chinese player just outside the top of the box.

Steph Catley and Alanna Kennedy are standing over it. China have five players in the wall...

Hectic. Well done, Adelaide!

Uh oh.

Caitlin Foord, who came on only 15 minutes ago, goes down in the grass, gesturing towards her hamstring.

A minute later, she walks off the field, replaced by Brisbane Roar winger Sharn Frier.

A more characteristic passage from Australia with Ellie Carpenter slotting through the speedy Hayley Raso down the right wing.

She cuts the ball back from the by-line, aiming for the penalty spot, where Mary Fowler is steaming in to meet it.

But Carpenter is there instead, and gets in the way of Fowler's swing, so she doesn't quite meet it properly and the ball deflects off a China defender and bounces away up-field instead.

Bugger.