Poletti 
The Matildas celebrate following Kyra Cooney-Cross's first international goal. Photo: Sofieke van Bilsen/Football Australia
It was a night of first international goals all around as the Matildas defeated Germany 2-1 on Tuesday morning (AEDT) in Germany, with Kyra Cooney-Cross and Clare Hunt scoring for the Tillies, while Selina Cerci scored the only goal for the home side.
The match also saw the ‘A’ international debut of Winonah Heatley, earning cap 230 for the Matildas, following her participation in the ‘B’ international against Canada prior to the Olympics, as ‘B’ internationals do not count towards official statistics.
The result was the first time since 2005 that the Aussies had emerged winners over Germany, and the coach on that occasion was none other than current interim coach Tom Sermanni, who praised the efforts of the squad in the win.
“It was an extremely tough and competitive 90 minutes, but I’m absolutely delighted by the effort of the players, the discipline of the players, the work rate of the players, and the attitude for 90 minutes,” Sermanni said.
“I thought the team did an absolutely fantastic job tonight.”
The match marked the retirement of long-time German striker Alexandra Popp, who was substituted in the 15th minute to a standing ovation from the home crowd, who along with Merle Frohms and Marina Hegering were honoured in a pre-match ceremony.
It looked like it was going to be a very long game for the Matildas, with some very early scares in the opening 10 minutes as the side set-up in a back five formation.
It would take Germany less than five minutes to score the opener as the Matildas failed to deal with the early pressure from the home side, and Selina Cerci would score her first international goal following a cross from Vivien Endemann.
Two more quality chances presented themselves for the home side before the game was even 10 minutes old, but they were denied by the woodwork and Mackenzie Arnold.
The Matildas would finally manage to stem the pressure from Germany and develop some good chances, but it was the 50-cap veteran in Cooney-Cross who equalised for the visitors, scoring her first international goal in the 39th minute.
Cooney-Cross received the ball off a turnover in the Matildas attacking half, and while initially looking like she was going to play it through for Michelle Heyman, decided to shoot herself.
With Germany’s keeper Stina Johannes off her line, Cooney-Cross shot the ball from near the halfway line, with it floating over Johannes to cross the line, who was diving backwards to no avail, giving the midfielder her first goal in Matildas colours, which Sermanni described as a class goal.
“That just shows how much quality and ability she has, and vision,” he said.
“It’s a real class goal because she got herself in a position where she could have taken it forward, but she spotted the goalkeeper off her line and finished perfectly.
“It was a very difficult finish, and that just shows some of the class that Kyra has. [It was] one of the great goals.”
Cooney-Cross became the second fastest player to 50 caps for the Matildas at three years, 140 days, after having made her debut against Denmark on June 10, 2021, falling short of Caitlin Munoz, who achieved the feat in three years and 120 days.
Hunt would also find her way onto the scoresheet for her first international goal, heading home a corner in the 77th minute.
The final minutes resembled the opening, with Germany piling on the pressure down 2-1, but the Matildas were able to hang on, seeing them defeat Germany for the first time since 2005.
Kaitlin Torpey was substituted off in the 37th minute for Heyman, who herself was substituted in the 67th minute, which Sermanni said was because of a lack of match fitness, having only just started pre-season with Canberra United.
He also said Torpey’s injury was a hamstring injury, but that the severity of it is not yet known.