Australia’s Sam Kerr scored her first international hat-trick in the Matildas’ 3-2 defeat of Japan on Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.
By Debby von Winckelmann
The Australian women’s national team racked up their second consecutive win in the inaugural Tournament of Nations, defeating Japan 4-2 on Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
The Matildas’ success in this tournament may have been overshadowed by the exciting USA comeback win over Brazil on Sunday, but the fact is: Australia is firmly planted as the leader to take the tournament title.
The seventh-ranked Matildas opened their tournament play with a stunning first-ever defeat of the United States on Friday in Seattle. After 26 years of matches against, and 27 losses to the US, persistence paid-off with an unanswered goal by Tameka Butt in the 67th minute, resulting in the 1-0 victory.
The US certainly had opportunities to equalize, but the Aussie defense held strong, with goalkeeper Lydia Williams able to stop any shots that were on target.
On Sunday, Japan was unable to contain Sam Kerr, who scored her first international hat-trick in the first half of the match. Kerr is the second highest scorer in the National Women’s Soccer League, where she plays for Sky Blue.
Although Japan scored first, with Mina Tanaka heading in a free kick, that goal seemed to light a fire under Kerr, who equalized five minutes later on a cross from Hayley Raso. Just five minutes later, Kerr punished Japan’s Riho Sakamoto for not taking care of the ball and stole it from her, racing down the field while Sakamoto gave chase. Kerr sent a low, hard shot past Japanese goalkeeper Sakiko Ikeda for the brace.
Kerr completed her hat-trick after she sprinted with the ball from the half-line, again with Sakamoto trying to chase her down. Kerr’s shot bounced off Ikeda and Kerr knocked the rebound into the back of the net, then celebrated with a backflip.
The Matilda’s fourth goal came from Emily van Egmond on a penalty shot in the 62nd minute. Japan snuck in a late goal by Yuka Momiki in extra time, but that couldn’t make-up for the damage done by Kerr.
While the Aussie defeat of the US was unexpected, the Matildas’ rise in international play and FIFA rankings has been steady. Australia upset Brazil in the 2015 Women’s World Cup and made it to the quarter-finals in the 2016 Olympics, where host Brazil got revenge by defeating the Aussies.
Perhaps it is fitting that the Matildas will take on eighth-ranked Brazil on Thursday in Carson, Calif., when the Tournament of Nations concludes.
The tournament title is really Australia’s to lose. With six points, they just have to tie or beat Brazil to win the tournament. The US still has a slight chance with three points, but would need Brazil to beat Australia, and would need to win their match against Japan by enough goals to overcome the goal differential.
