Matildas: Ball Control Issues Cost Against Korea

• Starting XI: Arnold; Carpenter, Heatley, Hunt, Catley (Nevin); Kennedy, Wheeler; Foord, Gorry, Fowler; Kerr.
• Head coach criticism: Australia failed to manage key moments in possession.
• Two Korea goals came in transition after turnovers.
• Katrina Gorry played as a No.10 to break lines in a congested midfield.
• Frustration with unnecessary long balls disrupting buildup play.
• Coach defends Alanna Kennedy at defensive midfield, calling her “a good 6 in my system”.
• Tournament path: North Korea then China.

Aussies Abroad Round-Up

FA Cup

• Port Vale 1–0 Sunderland
  • Joe Gauci: 5 saves in a huge upset.
  • Winner scored by New Zealand striker Ben Waine.

English Championship

• Middlesbrough 4–0 QPR
  • Riley McGree: 83 minutes as Boro strengthen promotion push.
  • Daniel Bennie: 10 minutes off the bench for QPR.
• Blackburn 1–1 Portsmouth
  • Adrian Segecic: 20 minutes off the bench.
• Derby 2–1 Sheffield Wednesday
  • Derby climb to 7th.
  • Callum Elder sidelined after knee surgery (≈6 weeks).
• Swansea 2–0 Stoke
  • Cam Burgess: 90 minutes, clean sheet, 9 defensive actions.

League One

• Cardiff lose top spot to Lincoln
  • Alex Robertson: 89 minutes.
• Plymouth 2–1 Doncaster
  • Caleb Watts: 74 minutes + assist.
• Blackpool 1–1 Wigan
  • Raphael Borges Rodrigues: assist in 57-minute outing.
• James Overy played 90 minutes for Manchester United U21s.

Scotland

Scottish Premiership

• Motherwell 1–2 Dundee
  • Ends 9-game unbeaten run.
  • Oscar Priestman: 47 minutes.

Scottish Cup

• St Mirren 2–1 Partick Thistle
  • Keanu Baccus: 64 minutes.
  • Semi-final vs Celtic.
• Dunfermline 3–0 Aberdeen
  • Nicholas Milanovic subbed at halftime.
• Falkirk 2–1 Dundee United
  • Zac Sapsford & Ashley Maynard-Brewer: 90 minutes.

Europe

Spain

• Levante 1–1 draw (94th-minute equaliser)
  • Matt Ryan: 4 saves.
  • Levante remain 4 points from safety.

Netherlands

• NAC Breda 3–3 Feyenoord
  • Max Balard & Jordy Bos: 90 minutes.
  • Bos recorded an assist.
• Heracles 0–0 Utrecht
  • Aiden Hrustic: full match.
  • Rhys Bozinovski: 78 minutes.

Eerste Divisie

• ADO Den Haag 0–1 Almere City
  • Cam Peupion: first half.
• Roda JC 0–2 Jong PSV
  • Josh Nisbet: 90 minutes.

Other European Leagues

• Parma 0–0 Fiorentina
  • Alessandro Circati: full game.
• St Pauli 0–0 Frankfurt
  • Jackson Irvine: 90 minutes.
  • Connor Metcalfe: late substitute.
• Hartberg 1–1 BW Linz
  • Jed Drew: 28 minutes.
• Grazer AK 0–2 loss
  • Jacob Italiano: 79 minutes.
• Sion 1–1 Winterthur
  • Liam Chipperfield: 60 minutes.
• Osijek 1–0 NK Istra
  • Fran Karacic: Player of the Match.
• Sparta Prague 1–3 Slavia Prague
  • Garang Kuol: 22 minutes.

MLS

• New York City 5–0 Orlando
  • Aiden O’Neill & Kai Trewin: full matches.
  • Trewin completed 100 passes at 93% accuracy.
• Inter Miami 2–1 DC United
  • Kye Rowles: full game.
• Nashville 3–1 Minnesota
  • Patrick Yazbek: 2 assists.
• Colorado 4–1 LA Galaxy
  • Lucas Herrington: full match.

Asia

• Chinese Super League:
  • Kevin Muscat’s Shanghai Port lose 2–1 in title defence opener.
• Indian Super League:
  • Jamie Maclaren scores four in Mohun Bagan’s 5–1 win.

A-League Men Round-Up

Adelaide United 1–1 Wellington Phoenix

• Ryan Kitto’s 250th match for Adelaide.
• Luka Jovanovic equalised after relentless attacking display (7 shots).
• Adelaide: 19 shots, 13 in second half.

Newcastle Jets 2–1 Western Sydney Wanderers

• Jets extend unbeaten run to 11 matches.
• Eli Adams equalised early in the second half.
• Mark Natta scored the winner.
• James Delianov saved a late header from Wanderers keeper Lawrence Thomas.

Melbourne Victory 2–2 Sydney FC (Big Blue)

• Juan Mata opened scoring with a stunning free kick.
• Charles Nduka doubled Victory’s lead.
• Sydney responded with two goals in two minutes:
  • Apostolos Stamatelopoulos
  • Ahmet Arslan

Auckland 2–2 Perth Glory

• Another high-scoring draw in the league’s entertaining weekend.

Team of the Week

• GK: Joe Gauci
• DEF: Kai Trewin, Mark Natta, Ryan Kitto
• MID: Alanna Kennedy, Patrick Yazbek, Eli Adams, Bailey Brandtman
• FWD: Jamie Maclaren, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Luka Jovanovic

Subscribe for weekly Australian football updates covering Socceroos, Matildas, Aussies Abroad, and A-League analysis.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

Follow us:

IG: @theaussiegame | FB: @theaussiegame | Threads: @theaussiegame | BlueSky: @aussiegame.bsky.social | X: @the_aussie_game