Emma Burke 
Australia's head coach Joe Montemurro. Photo: Poletti/Round Ball Australia
It wasn’t pretty, but the Matildas have not only secured their place in the semi-finals of the Women’s Asian Cup, but their berth at next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil after defeating North Korea 2-1.
“Games like this make you believe,” Matildas coach Joe Montemurro said in the post game press conference.
“Now [the team believes] they can go on and be better and better.”
Australia came through with a changed line-up to their last game, with Kaitlyn Torpey making her first start of the campaign in place of Courtney Nevin in the left back position, and a formation change putting Emily van Egmond at the top of a four-four-two alongside Sam Kerr.
The opening goal came early and from none other than Alanna Kennedy, who crashed into the box to hammer the ball away for her fifth goal in four games and take the outright lead in the golden boot race for the tournament.
North Korea came into the game with a plan that they executed well, as explained by their head coach Ri Song-ho, focusing on shutting down Australia’s forward line.
“We were focusing on blocking their talented forwards, 20 (Sam Kerr) and 11 (Mary Fowler),” he said post-game.
Sam Kerr said that she didn’t take notice of North Korea’s focus on alienating her during the game, but did say such having such a target on her was something she takes as a compliment.
Kerr scored Australia’s second goal of the evening, the shot coming off her left foot while her body weight was moving in the opposite direction. The hometown hero celebrated in style, not with the beloved back flip, but by climbing on the advertising boards to rise above the crowd she had lifted.
Tensions ran high throughout the game as Australia struggled to maintain possession, ending the game with only 38% of it.
North Korea’s physical game only increased as the time passed, eventuating in substitute Clare Wheeler taking a knock to the head so hard it split her eyebrow open.
They found their way back into the game not long after Australia had taken their 2-0 lead, scoring a brilliantly worked team goal.
Hong Song-ok’s wide pass to Kim Kyong-yong lured Mackenzie Arnold to the near post, and the well-timed cross back over the face of goal that found Chae Un-Yong was then able to be pushed into the essentially open goal.
Despite the late push, North Korea were unable to find an equaliser, kept at bay by a well positioned back line and a quality performance from Mackenzie Arnold, who made nine saves over the course of the game.
Arnold later described the game as “a little bit of a shit-fight,” before acquiescing that “it was what [the team] needed.”
The Matildas now look ahead to their semi-final game, to be played in Perth on the 17th of March, where they will face China following their 2-0 victory over Chinese Taipei on Saturday.
During the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, The Dubcast, Round Ball Australia’s Women’s Football podcast, will have daily episodes discussing the days games and looking ahead to the next days matches. Listen on Spotify, Apple, or watch on YouTube.