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November 10, 2004 Early goals by Timko too much for Australia to overcome
Australia 1 Canada 2
Wednesday, November 10, 2004 Rachamangala Stadium, Bangkok High humidity, 33°C
Scoring Canada Timko, 14 Canada Timko, 19 Australia McCallum, 4
Australia U-19 National Team 1- Logue, Alison 4- Davison, Emma -Captain (12- Bazi, Julia, 46) 3- Carroll,Kim 5- Beaumont, Ellen 2- Cooper, Caitlin 10- McCallum, Collette 6- Shipard, Sally 8- Colthorpe, Lauren (15- Blayney, Leah, 46) 7- Tristram, Jenna (17- Ledbrook, Kylie, 46) 19- Khamis, Leena 9- Kuralay, Selin
Substitutes not used 11- Cannuli, Catherine 13- Brogan, Danielle 14- Somi, Nicole 16- Holcombe, Briony 18- Favretti, Yasmin (GK) 20- Reed, Alannah 21- Jackson, Monique (GK)
Red Card Logue 69'.
Head Coach Adrian Santrac
Canada 1- Van Boxmeer ,Stacey 15-Lang, Kara 2- Radchuck, Katie 3- Gayle, Robyn 4- Dennis, Tanya (18- Leroux, Sydney, 81) 7- Cicchini, Amanda 10- Iacchelli, Selenia (8- Maranda, Veronique, 53) 11- Belanger, Josee (9- Robinson, Jodi-Ann, 62) 14- Jamani, Aysha 16- Schmidt, Sophie 17- Timko, Brittany
Substitutes not used 5-Emily Zurrer, 6-Justine Labrecque, 12-Kate Bazos, 13-Deana Everrett, 19-Erin McNulty (GK), 20-Stephanie Labbe (GK), 21-Sari Raber.
Match Officials Referee Alexandra Ihringova (Slovakia) Asst. Refs. Blazenka Logarusic (Croatia) Hege Steinlund (Norway) Fourth Official Anna De Toni (Italy)
Game report
But it was the quickfire pair of goals to Canada's seasoned senior international Brittany Timko within the space of five minutes during the first half which in the end proved too great a hurdle to overcome. The lead, which could have been greater, was just reward for a dominant and impressive display by the team which defeated the mighty US in this year's CONCACAF U19 Qualifiers. Yet the Qantas Young Matildas hit back with a Collette McCallum goal early after the break, and put in a much more solid performance for the second half.
Canada caused problems for the Australian defence with their strength in possession and great movement off the ball, with Timko involved in every attack. The first shot of the game in the 9th minute, saw Timko shoot high with a long range strike on the run, before two minutes later headeding just wide from 12 metres out. Lang came close with a freekick, and soon after came another escape for Australia when their goalkeeper came outside the box and her attempted clearance ricocheted off the leg of Timko and luckily went wide.
Canada scored the inevitable first goal in the 14th minute. Timko's shot from the right edge of the 18-yard box was well saved by Logue, but with the loose ball still at her feet, Timko had the presence of mind to round the goalkeeper before calmly placing her chip over the defenders into the top left corner of goal. The lead was doubled in the 19th minute, Timko this time with a fantastic first-time strike on the edge of the 18-yard which curled into the roof of the net.
Khamis had a rare chance for Australia a minute later when the Canadian keeper hit her own defender with an attempted clearance, the ball deflecting into the path of the unmarked striker but her drive from the edge of the 18-yard box flew just wide. Canada's Josee Belanger then found the ball at her feet after a defensive error, but was unable to stretch the lead her first-time drive thumping against the post from eight metres. The Australians showed a little more composure late in the half and were able to get in sight of goal but without any clear chances.
Three changes were made at half-time, midfielders Ledbrook and Blayney plus defender Julia Bazi brought on to try and turn things around for Australians. The team came out with decidedly more confidence and were able to keep possession and push into attack, with the goal four minutes in providing a further boost. Some neat footwork by Kuralay on the right by-line wrongfooted her marker and the striker cut the ball back for Ledbrook. The substitute miscued her first-time shot, but the ball went across the face of goal, nicely into the path of McCallum whose left foot drive flew into the roof of the net.
Canada were still able to get forward but posed much less of a threat in the second half having lost their fluency on the ball and potency in attack.
The send-off occurred during a quieter period of the contest with the Australians only one goal behind and very much back in the game. A long ball forward saw Canadian Aysha Jamani and defender Bazi in pursuit, but keeper Logue rushed outside the area and slid in for the ball. She was judged to have used her hand in the process, and promptly shown the red card by referee Alexandra Ihringova in the 69th minute. Having already made all their permitted substitutions, Australia was unable to bring on another keeper, and midfielder Ledbrook donned the gloves.
Her immediate job was to face the resultant freekick, and Lang's goalbound strike was confidently palmed away with a diving save at the near post by the makeshift keeper and pounced on with Jamani and Jodi-Ann Robinson bearing down on her. Another Lang freekick soon after flew high, as did McCallum's at the other end in the 81st minute.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the spirited Qantas Young Matildas continued to play some good football, and the hardworking Kuralay came close to snatching an equaliser in the 84th minute. Stepping up for a direct freekick 35 metres out, Kuralay drilled a fantastic bending strike which was heading for the bottom right corner of goal but for a solid save by the keeper. Post match quote Australian Head Coach Adrian Santrac It was a very, very nervous start, the players were very apprehensive in the first half. I don't recall a game when so many of the players were off their game at the one time. No real personality came through and most played below themselves. But we regrouped at half-time, and realising what Canada were about, brightened up and began to play. We made some changes to try and stimulate some of our activity and we started to play some good football. The send-off obviously broke some of our momentum, but we still pushed and almost came away with something, but in the end, at this level, you can't concede two goals and expect to come back - it makes it decidedly difficult. Even with the ten players, we still dominated the second half and were pressing hard. We tried to retain possession, tried to penetrate as we wanted, but still it's very difficult with the additional attacking player lost. But our players are walking away knowing more of what it's about and a lot more confidence of what we can achieve.
Australia remains in Bangkok for their second match against Germany on Saturday night at the Supachalasai Stadium.
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