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90+5 Minutes: China sends the ball into the penalty space and Carpenter boots it clear. On the following ball swung in, Torpey clears, then Van Egmond.
Kerr then will get ahead to stress the defence and wins a throw-in on the midway line – rallying the group within the aftermath.
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90+4 Minutes: Foord finds herself remoted up high and opts to attempt a spectacular long-range effort that might kill the sport off however places it over the bar.
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90+3 Minutes: Liu Jing thinks she’s received a nook however is left fuming when the ball’s adjudged to not have final come off Wheeler however as an alternative, herself.
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90+2 Minutes: A greater probability to China, as flashes an effort from outdoors the penalty space simply broad.
Montemurro, in the meantime, makes two extra modifications, bringing on Charlie Rule and Van Egmond for Kennedy and Gorry.
In approaching, Van Egmond brings up Matildas look 170 – essentially the most of any Australian in its senior worldwide historical past.
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90+1 Minutes: China works the ball to the sting of the Matildas’ penalty space. An opportunity? No, Yuan Cong is unable to get a shot off.
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90+1 Minutes: There will likely be six minutes of added time.
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90 Minutes: Given their staring down elimination from the Asian Cup, China will likely be inevitably be dissatisfied with how this night has gone. They’ll seemingly be fairly down, nonetheless, on their second-half, through which they’ve didn’t register a single shot on the right track and been taken fully off their recreation by Kerr’s go-ahead aim.
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89 Minutes: The Matildas have masterfully managed the sport out throughout these final quarter-hour: China has hardly had a sight on Arnold’s aim.
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88 Minutes: Catley rolls her free kick down the left for Foord, the place she and Wheeler erode a number of extra seconds earlier than successful a throw-in.
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87 Minutes: Zhang Chengxue and Chen Qiaozhu make means for Wang Linlin and Yuan Cong.
Wu Haiyan goes into the referees pocket book after she drags Kerr down following the resumption of play.
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Up to date at 07.47 EDT
87 Minutes: China’s makes an attempt to get the ball ahead are being pissed off by the Matildas press and, as a rule in these previous few exchanges, that’s been resulting in turnovers earlier than they’ll work the ball into the ultimate third.
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86 Minutes: A hopeful ball ahead from Torpey is in a imprecise, Kerr-like path however it’s rapidly claimed by the Chinese language defence.
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84 Minutes: Torpey is ready to sneak previous Zhang Chengxue and Shao Ziqin and transfer into the penalty space however slips simply as she seems for a cutback. Torpey’s having an enormous second half.
Kaitlyn Torpey in motion. {Photograph}: Paul Kane/Getty ImagesShare
Up to date at 07.49 EDT
83 Minutes: Treasured seconds proceed to tick away and the Matildas have the ball of their attacking third, with Foord and Torpey locking the ball up close to the nook flag to assist in losing away the clock.
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81 Minutes: Torpey once more places in an enormous problem, assisted by Foord, and wins a throw-in. She comes up limping however will have the ability to proceed.
Zhang Chengxue can’t get previous Kaitlyn Torpey. {Photograph}: Gary Day/APShare
Up to date at 07.44 EDT
80 Minutes: Actually good defending by Torpey! China work the ball into the ultimate third however the Newcastle defender makes a collection of tackles, following the ball additional again with every one, to drive the aspect in purple again to the midway line.
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79 Minutes: Wheeler making an instantaneous impression on her Chinese language opponents, getting up of their faces and frustating their makes an attempt to play out.
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77 Minutes: The ball goes bouncing in behind the defence however a fatiguing Shao Ziqin is gradual in her makes an attempt to shut it down and he or she’s enveloped by defenders.
Two extra modifications for China, with Li Qingtong and Liu Jing changing Zhang Rui and Wang Yanwen, whereas Clare Wheeler and Amy Sayer change Cooney-Cross and Fowler.
Fowler departs after an important contribution. {Photograph}: Paul Kane/Getty ImagesShare
Up to date at 07.41 EDT
76 Minutes: 35,170 is the attendance at Perth Stadium.
Perth Stadium has crammed up over the course of the match. {Photograph}: James Worsfold/Getty ImagesShare
Up to date at 07.38 EDT
75 Minutes: Some, small, indicators of resistance from China however their newest try to get in behind is poor. This recreation has been fully turned on its head since Kerr’s aim.
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74 Minutes: Ooof, it’s a great supply to the again submit, the place it drops onto the pinnacle of a working Chen Qiaozhu. The ensuing try on aim can’t be dragged again far sufficient, nonetheless.
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73 Minutes: Lastly, China get ahead, and whereas they’re preliminary quick break is closed down by a retreating defence they shift our bodies ahead quick sufficient to retain the ball and win a nook.
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72 Minutes: Carpenter and Fowler look to mix on the suitable however the defence holds. Sadly for these in purple, they’ve been pegged to this point again that they don’t have the numbers to attempt to shift the territory and so they’re quickly underneath stress once more.
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71 Minutes: A change is made by China, with Jin Kun changing Wurigumula.
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70 Minutes: Fowler’s nook from the suitable is sweet, too, however China knock it clear. The Matildas get a throw-in taken by Carpenter however China as soon as extra head it away.
Irritating Milicic’s aspect’s efforts to search out an equaliser, nonetheless, the Matildas seize the ball once more.
Alanna Kennedy jumps to satisfy a nook ball. {Photograph}: Paul Kane/Getty ImagesShare
Up to date at 07.33 EDT
69 Minutes: Catley’s supply is a extremely good one, touchdown on the pinnacle of Kerr on the penalty spot in stride. Her header slices broad however, happily for the skipper, it bounces off a Chinse shoulder on the way in which out and goes out for an additional nook.
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68 Minutes: Foord drives to the byline and tries to chop the ball again as a sliding problem from Wu Haiyan is available in. It’s a great deal with however Kerr is on the spot to contest it and drive China to clear the ball for a Catley nook.
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67 Minutes: China launches the ball ahead within the Wurigumula path however the Matildas knock it clear and take possession.
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66 Minutes: Torpey will get the ball to Foord and continues ahead after the Arsenal ahead cuts inside, her try to return the ball is picked out by China.
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64 Minutes: Kerr goes down after a heavy problem, as does Torpey. And now Gorry. And amid all that, China reset and are available once more.
Not one of the Australians have remained down, nonetheless, and so they’re as much as defend as Fowler earns a free kick for her defensive work in opposition to Chen Qiaozhu on the left.
Sam Kerr is fouled by Zhang Rui. {Photograph}: Janelle St Pierre/Getty ImagesShare
Up to date at 07.31 EDT
63 Minutes: China launches a free kick into the field however it’s deflected away. They clear up and reset however the Matildas get eleven gamers behind the ball to defend.
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62 Minutes: The gang has all of a sudden roared again into life: the Australians discovering their voice after watching their hometown hero put the Matildas forward and the Chinese language contingent doing all they’ll to induce their aspect to seek out one other equaliser.
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60 Minutes: Montemurro has made a change within the aftermath of the aim, with Heatley coming in for Hunt.
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Objective! Australia 2-1 China (Kerr 58′)
And similar to that, in a flash, Australia get out in transition and restore their lead!
Torpey will get a boot in to close down a Chinese language assault and abruptly the Matildas are off the races as she combines with Gorry after which will get the ball to Kerr.
The Aussie skipper then slides the will get to Foord on the left and continues her run, placing herself able to obtain a cross behind the strains, spherical Peng Shimeng, and roll a shot on an acute angle over the road.
Kerr scores in her dwelling city for the second-straight recreation and the Matildas have one foot within the Asian Cup last.
Absolute perfection from the house city hero! 🇦🇺
An unimaginable end from Sam Kerr places @TheMatildas again on high in Perth, after a pinpoint cross from Foord units up the star striker to make it 2-1
Watch #CHNvAUS dwell on Paramount+ 📺 pic.twitter.com/FTE0vPU1gn
— Paramount+ Australia (@ParamountPlusAU) March 17, 2026
Sam Kerr beats China’s goalkeeper to attain. {Photograph}: Dean Lewins/AAPShare
Up to date at 07.43 EDT
55 Minutes: Zhang Chengxue has a throw-in deep on the attacking proper flank after which will get a cross in however the Matildas are in a position to scramble it away.
Nonetheless ready for certainly one of these two sides to quicken the heartbeat of their foes on this second stanza.
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52 Minutes: Extra back-and-forth play within the midfield with out both aspect producing true ahead momentum in the previous few exchanges. An arm wrestle.
Kyra Cooney-Cross and Wurigumula combat for possession. {Photograph}: Gary Day/APShare
Up to date at 07.14 EDT
48 Minutes: One other factor to regulate is the fatigue ranges of China. They’ve made six modifications however, nonetheless, they had been pressured to go 120 minutes in opposition to Taiwan of their quarterfinal and had a day much less relaxation than the Matildas.
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47 Minutes: Keep in mind, of us, if we’re nonetheless locked up at 1-1 on the conclusion of the 90 we’ll play one other half-hour of extra-time. No golden aim, two 15-minute halves.
And if we’re nonetheless locked up after that? Penalties.
The minister of defence might but be known as upon for an additional shootout. {Photograph}: Janelle St Pierre/Getty ImagesShare
Up to date at 07.11 EDT
46 Minutes: China get the second-half underneath means.
Neither aspect has made a change on the break.
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Up to date at 07.07 EDT
The gamers are again on the pitch and huddling up, the second half is quickly to get underneath means.
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Up to date at 07.07 EDT
Very shut recreation.
China doing nicely on transitions, enjoying ahead early to entrance 4.
Australia must be cautious when enjoying by way of midfield, and when in assault.
Don’t be too open.
Cease counters.
Very tense.
True semi last. https://t.co/SysFTY8cKN
— Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster) March 17, 2026
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Half-time: China 1-1 Australia
An entertaining opening stanza involves an finish, with either side recording a aim apiece and lacking probabilities that would have seen them report extra.
It’d be tough to attain if it had been a boxing match, with either side exchanging durations the place they seemed the extra seemingly – Australia having 61.9% of the ball however China having ten pictures (4 on the right track) to 4 (two). Perhaps you’d say the defending champions are simply shading it.
As evidenced by their aim, the Matildas have checked out their finest after they’re in a position to get by way of the Chinese language press, construct up a little bit of momentum and assault area within the attacking half, with the transfer that preceded Foord’s aim the precise sort of factor they excel at. It explains why, regardless of some nervy moments, they proceed to look to play by way of the Chinese language stress somewhat than go over it.
China, in the meantime, need to get ahead rapidly after which lock the ball of their last third, letting their harmful attackers go to work. Wurigumula more and more loomed over the competition because it progressed, as did the pace to get in behind possessed by Wang Aifang.
Zhang Linyan takes the penalty she received. {Photograph}: Xinhua/ShutterstockShare
Up to date at 07.34 EDT
45+3 Minutes: China’s press forces the Matildas to go lengthy and it comes straight again. Wurigumula tries to feed a darting run from Wang Yanwen however Fowler has retreated deep to snuff it out.
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Up to date at 07.09 EDT
