Steph Catley’s second-half penalty gave World Cup co-hosts Australia a 1-0 victory over debutants the Republic of Ireland in Sydney.
Australia lost captain and star forward Sam Kerr to a calf injury on the eve of the tournament but stand-in skipper Catley converted the winner in the 52nd minute.
The Republic of Ireland frustrated the Matildas in the first half but their good work was undone when Marissa Sheva pushed Hayley Raso and Brazilian referee Edina Alves point to the spot.
Kerr, who is also set to miss Australia’s second game with Nigeria, celebrated on the bench with her team-mates but was restrained as she nursed the injury which kept her out of her team’s opener.
The Republic came close to an equaliser when captain Katie McCabe’s corner almost went straight in, and Denise O’Sullivan fired over from inside the area.
More to follow.
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Australia
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Squad number18Player nameArnold
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Squad number21Player nameCarpenter
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Squad number15Player nameHunt
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Squad number14Player nameKennedy
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Squad number7Player nameCatley
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Squad number16Player nameRaso
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Squad number19Player nameGorry
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Squad number23Player nameCooney-Cross
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Squad number5Player nameVine
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Squad number9Player nameFoord
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Squad number11Player nameFowler
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Squad number4Player namePolkinghorne
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Squad number10Player namevan Egmond
Republic of Ireland
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Squad number1Player nameBrosnan
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Squad number5Player nameFahey
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Squad number4Player nameQuinn
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Squad number6Player nameConnolly
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Squad number14Player namePayne
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Squad number10Player nameO’Sullivan
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Squad number8Player nameLittlejohn
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Squad number11Player nameMcCabe
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Squad number17Player nameFarrelly
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Squad number18Player nameCarusa
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Squad number20Player nameSheva
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Squad number15Player nameQuinn
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Squad number19Player nameLarkin
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Squad number22Player nameAtkinson
Line-ups
Australia
Formation 4-4-2
- 18Arnold
- 21Carpenter
- 15Hunt
- 14Kennedy
- 7Catley
- 16Raso
- 19Gorry
- 23Cooney-Cross
- 5VineSubstituted forvan Egmondat 75′minutes
- 9Foord
- 11FowlerSubstituted forPolkinghorneat 85′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Williams
- 2Nevin
- 3Luik
- 4Polkinghorne
- 6Wheeler
- 8Chidiac
- 10van Egmond
- 12Micah
- 13Yallop
- 17Simon
- 20Kerr
- 22Grant
Ireland
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Brosnan
- 5Fahey
- 4Quinn
- 6Connolly
- 14Payne
- 10O’SullivanBooked at 41mins
- 8Littlejohn
- 11McCabe
- 17FarrellySubstituted forLarkinat 63′minutes
- 18CarusaSubstituted forAtkinsonat 87′minutes
- 20ShevaSubstituted forQuinnat 63′minutes
Substitutes
- 2O’Riordan
- 3Mustaki
- 7Caldwell
- 9Barrett
- 12Agg
- 13O’Gorman
- 15Quinn
- 16Moloney
- 19Larkin
- 21Grant
- 22Atkinson
- 23Walsh
- Referee:
- Edina Alves Batista
- Attendance:
- 75,784
Live Text
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Match ends, Australia 1, Republic of Ireland Women 0.
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Second Half ends, Australia 1, Republic of Ireland Women 0.
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Attempt missed. Louise Quinn (Republic of Ireland Women) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Katie McCabe with a cross.
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Attempt saved. Katie McCabe (Republic of Ireland Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Abbie Larkin.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Steph Catley (Australia).
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Attempt missed. Abbie Larkin (Republic of Ireland Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high following a set piece situation.
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Foul by Katrina Gorry (Australia).
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Katie McCabe (Republic of Ireland Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Corner, Republic of Ireland Women. Conceded by Mackenzie Arnold.
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Corner, Republic of Ireland Women. Conceded by Clare Polkinghorne.
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Attempt blocked. Megan Connolly (Republic of Ireland Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Clare Hunt (Australia).
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Lucy Quinn (Republic of Ireland Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution, Republic of Ireland Women. Izzy Atkinson replaces Kyra Carusa.
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Hayley Raso (Australia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Ruesha Littlejohn (Republic of Ireland Women).
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Substitution, Australia. Clare Polkinghorne replaces Mary Fowler.
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Corner, Republic of Ireland Women. Conceded by Alanna Kennedy.
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Attempt blocked. Kyra Cooney-Cross (Australia) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Emily van Egmond.
