South Australia's Charli Grant scored her debut goal for the CommBank Matildas on Wednesday, helping her country to a memorable 2-0 victory over England in London.
In her 18th appearance in the green and gold, Charlotte 'Charli' Grant headed home on 67 minutes to inflict England’s first defeat in thirty matches with a heroic 2-0 win over the Lionesses at Gtech Community Stadium in London.
Speaking after the match, Charli was ecstatic about her achievement, but was quick to congratulate the team as a whole:
"That was unreal. I’m so proud of the girls on getting the win but to get a goal on top of that is just so exciting and I’m just pumped. That was the first time I've scored for the national team. It's not often that happens [me scoring] so yeah, very exciting!"
Goals to Sam Kerr in the first half and a maiden international goal to Charli Grant in the second saw Australia claim victory over the world number 4.
Charli started her footballing journey with SA's Cumberland United Women's Football Club as a junior, before being invited into the NTC program from 2014-2018. She then won the prestigious Shirley Brown Medal (Player of the Year) in the Women's National Premier League SA with Football SA NTC in season 2018.
20-year-old Charli Grant headlines the recent cohort of Young Matildas to transition into Tony Gustavsson's Australian squad over the past 18 months. Since her debut in late 2021, the defender has now established herself within the national team, starting in the backline against several top-class nations.
Grant was earmarked at a young age to star for her hometown club Adelaide United, making her A-League women's debut as a 17-year-old, helping push the previously unfancied United side into regular finals contention.
After an impressive 2020/21 campaign, the then 19-year-old was introduced into the CommBank Matildas squad. Gustavsson showed his faith in the defender immediately, with early appearances against the United States then translating into further selection for the Asian Cup in India, just three months later.
The South Australian would use this exposure to push for a dream move to Scandinavia, recently signing with Swedish giants Rosengård, linking with fellow Australian hero Teagan Micah, to form one of the league's more formidable defences.
Match Report
Not only was it the first time England had tasted defeat under head coach Sarina Wiegman, it was also the first time they had conceded two goals in a match since April 2021.
There were two changes to the starting line-up with captain Kerr starting up top and Tameka Yallop taking up position in left midfield in place of Cortnee Vine.
Three players from each team played the game without names on their shirts, to raise awareness for the Alzheimer’s Society.
The first glimpse of Australia’s high pressing gameplan was seen as Mary Fowler won the ball high up the pitch in the ninth minute, but was unable to capitalise.
Hayley Raso did the same a few moments later, taking advantage of an error from Esme Morgan. Her shot was blocked but it was the best chance of the game so far.
The defensive work of the Australians and an assured Mackenzie Arnold performance – including regularly punching the ball away from set pieces and crosses – ensured that despite all of their menace in the front third, the England shot count was low in the first half, and clear-cut opportunities lower.
The work that the CommBank Matildas did in their defensive half and in the press soon paid off. A long pass from Clare Hunt forced a mistake from England captain Leah Williamson, whose header back to her keeper did not have the required weight.
Kerr was there to pounce. Still with plenty of work to do to beat goalkeeper Mary Earps, Kerr went for a delightful chip. The ball nestled into the back of the net and the Australians found themselves with a 1-0 lead.
The introduction of the pace of Vine came late in the second half after Yallop was substituted early due to injury.
Lauren James, a first-half substitute for England after Lauren Hemp was forced off with injury, looked dangerous, firing a shot over the crossbar in first-half stoppage time.
However, the Australians went into the break the happier of the two sides, holding onto their one goal advantage.
The Lionesses flew out of the blocks in the second half. They won an early free kick after a Mary Fowler handball just outside the box, but it was cleared away. The resulting corner was also cleared by a typically solid Clare Polkinghorne.
The second half continued a similar pattern to the first. England looked dangerous, but Australia’s defence held firm. When the CommBank Matildas did have the opportunity to counter, they did so with a real threat to England’s goal.
A fantastic example was in the 50th minute, when Vine laid off a well weighted through ball to Kerr after an explosive run. Kerr’s shot went wide, but it was a reminder of the threat the visitors posed.
It was on one such counter that the Australians scored their second. This time, Kerr found herself on the break. Her cross found full back Grant making a late run at the back post.
Grant’s diving header deflected off Leah Williamson – it just wasn’t the England captain’s night – and doubled Australia’s lead.
It took some fantastic defending to deny Kerr again after a wonderful cross from Ellie Carpenter, who completed her first 90 minutes for the national team since her ACL injury.
One final free kick late in stoppage time from Georgia Stanway ended up straight in the breadbasket of Mackenzie Arnold, and the CommBank Matildas saw the result home.
England 0 - 2 CommBank Matildas (Kerr 32’, Grant 67’)
Date: Tues, 11 April 2023 (local) / Wed, 12 April (AEST)
Venue: Gtech Community Stadium, London
Kick-Off: 7:45pm (BST) / 4:45am (AEST)
Broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
Referee: Natalie Simon
rebel Player of the Match: Charlotte Grant
Australia Line Up: 18. Mackenzie ARNOLD (gk), 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE, 11. Mary FOWLER, 13. Tameka YALLOP (5. Cortnee VINE 40’ (26. Clare WHEELER 86’)), 16. Hayley RASO (27. Alex CHIDIAC 90+4’), 19. Katrina GORRY, 20. Sam KERR (c) (2. Courtney NEVIN 90+4’), 21. Ellie CARPENTER, 22. Charlotte GRANT, 23. Kyra COONEY-CROSS, 29. Clare HUNT
Subs not used: 1. Lydia WILLIAMS (gk), 3. Aivi LUIK, 24. Larissa CRUMMER, 28. Jada WHYMAN (gk), 30. Amy SAYER, 31. Matilda McNAMARA
Yellow card: Raso 89’, Arnold 90+1’
Red Card: Nil