Saying farewell to someone like Clare Polkinghorne is never easy, especially given her 18-year journey with the Matildas. The stalwart ensured she left on her own terms, honored with a farewell game in her hometown of Brisbane on Thursday. She was celebrated with an emotional ovation when substituted off in the 63rd minute. This send-off, however, coincided with a match against fierce rivals Brazil, who dampened the mood by scoring twice early on, leading to a physical 3-1 victory.
Polkinghorne, the most-capped player in Australian history, was commemorated with an individual entrance before her 168th game, a presentation by Queensland legend Darren Lockyer, and a video tribute watched by her family. Despite the tears from her teammates, Polkinghorne remained humble, ending her brief speech with “Thank you very much and let’s get on with it.”
The visitors seemed to take her words to heart. Just six minutes in, a long ball from Vitória Calhau was headed into space by Marília Furiel, allowing Amanda Gutierres to score. The Matildas' narrow press and advanced fullback positions left gaps, which Brazil exploited again in the 13th minute, with Gutierres scoring her second.
While Australia is riding high after hosting the Women’s World Cup, Brazil is preparing for their own in 2027, with a rejuvenated national side. This young Brazilian team rose to the challenge; Giovana Queiroz, a 21-year-old sub, scored Brazil’s third goal after a mistake by Alanna Kennedy.
This emotional send-off wasn’t part of the plan. The game, however, played out as expected between Australia and Brazil—familiar and bitter rivals. The backline of Calhau and Isa Haas frequently challenged Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso, leading to frequent stoppages. Foord was impressive despite the loss, scoring a goal in the 43rd minute.
With another game against Brazil on Sunday and two against Taiwan next week, the Matildas will seek improvements. Thursday, though, was also about saying goodbye.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
