Key events
Half-time: Germany 1-0 Australia
So far it is Hegering’s header that separates the sides. Germany have been the better team in this encounter but Australia have shown moments where they can get back into this one.
45 + 3 min: Catley takes the free kick but Berger reads it well who collects and saves.
45 + 2 min: Raso was on a run and she is tripped on the edge of the box, Minge gets a yellow card and Australia have a free kick.
45 + 1 min: Popp took an effort from really far out, after a sitter wasn’t taken by Nusken as Catley blocks in the box, but it’s over the bar. There will be three minutes added.
44 min: Foord wanted a foul there but I think she tripped on the ball as it popped up from the pitch, the referee thought so too as play goes on. Germany get it into the box but the Matildas clear.
42 min: Brand’s shirt is pulled and so Germany have another free kick, the set piece is too long though and Arnold can collect easily.
40 min: The free kick is rocketed in but Australia deal with it. Germany keep coming but they give it away, Foord makes a storming run up the right but, with no support in the middle, she took a long range effort which smacks the side netting.
38 min: A lot of back and forth with both putting in some sloppy passes and it ends with Buhl being tripped by Carpenter and so Germany have a free kick.
36 min: Fowler thought she had got the better of Linder but the referee blows for a foul and Germany are able to clear again. Australia have all the right tools for the job but aren’t quite using the right spanners at the moment – hopefully that analogy makes as much sense to you as it does to me.
34 min: Raso makes a great run to spark some life into Australia’s attack but her cross is deep and Berger collects.
32 min: Germany win it back and they, once more, are quick to get to the box. They pass it back and forth but it comes to Buhl on the edge but her shot is over the bar. Had Germany had their shooting boots on in certain moments this could easily be 3-0.
30 min: Germany are moving with pace again and Australia are just unable to keep up at the moment. Brand makes a good run to the edge of the box and is engaged by multiple defenders but she keeps the ball. A few passes later Austalia win it back.
28 min: My word Australia almost hit back immediately. The best attacking set from the Matildas as Germany’s defence looked in disarray, all the team were lacking was a finish from Fowler.
26 min: Germany won the corner off the back of the free kick from the Hendrich foul. It came in and Hegering made a huge leap and header to beat Arnold. Germany lead and they did so while a player down with Hendrich injured. I think she has now re-entered the pitch.
GOAL! Germany 1-0 Australia (Hegering, 24′)
A bullet header off the back of a corner.
24 min: Foord gets a yellow card for a challenge on Hendrich, who is now getting treatment. The foul saw Foord’s boot hit Hendrich’s ankle, so much force it ripped her sock. She is limping on the sidelines at the moment but there is no confirmation on if she is returning.
22 min: Germany live dangerously as they play out the back and a wayward pass almost sees Vine pounce but they get away with it. Australia start to put some good play together and Carpenter crosses in but it has too much on it and Berger clears.
20 min: Germany are absolutely rapid so far, they are on the attack once again but a loose pass to Buhl sees Arnold able to clear. All Germany don’t have in their performance is a goal at the moment.
18 min: The two teammates came together defending Gwinn’s shot. Catley has gone to the sideline after receiving treatment but she is okay to continue and receives a cheer from the fans as she runs back onto the pitch.
16 min: Buhl takes the corner but Australia manage to clear, it’s popped back in and Germany have another corner. The set piece is taken short this time and Popp flicks it to Gwinn but there’s a collision between Catley and Hunt sees the Aussie captain needing some attention.
14 min: Germany have a quick move once again and Gwinn tries to cross in but it’s deflected out for a throw. They manoeuvre it around the box and frustratingly Brand finds Schuller but she passes back when a shot really should have been taken. But the Germans do have a corner.
13 min: Australia do look dangerous when they have the ball but Germany look more of a complete team at the moment.
11 min: Catley takes the set piece this time and the delivery is pin point but Berger plucks it out of the air and spots space, she finds Brand who weaves into the box. It looks sure to be a goal but she fires it over the bar, a big opportunity missed.
9 min: Cooney-Cross takes the corner and the delivery is good but it’s headed clear by Germany and they immediately go on the counter. They run it to the edge of the box but Brand is crowded off the ball. Australia hit back themselves and win yet another corner.
8 min: Carpenter tries to find Raso but Linder does enough protect the ball and then see it out for a throw in. Australia eventually win it back and eventually Catley wins a corner – a really good spell from the Matildas.
6 min: Despite looking a little shaky in the early stages, Germany are rapidly growing into this and they are the first to throw a punch. Brand gets in a good position but her shot is directly at Arnold.
Joe Pearson has got in touch and said:
I’ve been out running errands (groceries, etc) and just got back home to have a little lunch and settle in for the afternoon matches. Of course, being a Midwesterner, I’m much more interested in the USWNT’s opener later. But I’m right here with you. Should be a good one!
Hi Joe, thanks for joining. Yes the US’ game should also be a good one but this one may be the closer game.
4 min: Australia are bang up for this with a high press but Germany do enough, for now, to keep possession. A really great ball from Berger sees Germany try and launch an attack but Buhl is judged offside.
2 min: There’s an early foul on Foord as she nabs the ball in the midfield, Australia take the free kick quickly but a long ball from Kennedy goes straight out of play.
Kick-off! Germany 0-0 Australia
So here we go then. Can Australia keep their major tournament form going? Or will Germany get themselves back on track? All to come.
Kieran Pender
Minutes from kick-off and the Marseille Stadium is surprisingly empty for such a blockbuster Olympic clash. The 67,000-capacity venue is the second largest stadium in France – and its vastness is showing, with only the lower-levels of the ground occupied, and even then with large patches of white seats. It is a disappointing turn-out for an encounter between two highly-ranked teams, and will be quite the change for the Matildas – they have played their last 14 home matches in front of capacity crowds.
The players are out on the pitch, the anthems are in flow and kick-off will shortly follow. It is hard to even call a favourite in this one so we know it’s going to be a great one.
The last time the two teams met at an Olympic games in the women’s football event was in 2016. That day the result was a 2-2 tie.
The Olympic opening ceremony is tomorrow and it usually has a few famous faces involved. Have a read of this to see who is rumoured to show:
I’d love to hear from you and where you are watching from. Have you had a nap and got up just to watch? Or are you reading the blog on the way home from work? You can email me (sarah.rendell.casual@theguardian.co.uk) or message me on X (@rendellx).
Germany are returning to the Olympics for the first time in women’s football since 2016. They failed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games.
There has been some controversy at the Olympics, particularly surrounding New Zealand’s match against Canada. Canada have apologised for sending a drone over New Zealand’s training. They are currently playing one another with the score 1-1. Read more about the story:
There had been some question marks over the fitness of Australia’s captain Steph Catley but she confirmed she was okay in a press conference yesterday and she is starting the match.
And she added on the prospective of winning a medal at the Olympics: “It would be incredible. This team has gone through a lot, been together for many, many years, we’ve come close to having some pretty amazing results. It’s definitely something that we want to achieve.
“But so does every single team in this tournament. Every single team in this tournament is incredible – the Olympics is really, really tough. Not to be clichéd but it really is one game at a time for us. We dream big always – every tournament we go into, we go into to win, to achieve the absolute most we can. But it’s risky to start to think like that, we just need to focus on Germany and how we can beat them.”
The team news is in. Germany has named a glittering starting XI, including captain Alexandra Popp who scored in every game she played in Euro 2022.
Germany: Berger, Linder, Hendrich, Hegering, Minge, Schuller, Nusken, Popp, Gwinn, Brand, Buhl
Australia, meanwhile, have their own star-studded starting line-up. The team includes Caitlin Foord, who had been an injury doubt in the build-up until the final training sessison.
Australia: Arnold, Vine, Gorry, Catley, Cooney-Cross, Foord, Fowler, Carpenter, Kennedy, Hunt, Raso
Preamble
Hello and welcome to Germany v Australia on day one of the women’s football Olympic event.
This is the first major international tournament the two teams have participated in since last year’s World Cup. The 2023 event was a resounding success for Australia with the Matildas becoming household names as well as reaching the semi-finals. For Germany, however, it was a failure after not getting out of the group for the first time ever.
But this is a new tournament and anything could happen. The stars of Germany will be looking to prove a point, while Australia will want to continue their good form.
Both teams have been hit with injuries. The Matildas are without talismanic captain Sam Kerr after she ruptured her ACL back in January and Tameka Yallop has withdrawn from game one with injury. Germany, meanwhile, are without star defender Lena Oberdorf because of a knee injury.
So who are in the matchday line-ups? The team news will drop shortly so stay tuned ahead of kick-off in an hour.
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