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Upon arrival at the ground, the rain began to drizzle down over the girls warm up session and heavy dark clouds gathered on the horizon as the temperature rose to 32C and the humidity peaked at 84%. Talk about sticky!
On the way to the stadium, I was bemused by our taxi driver for two reasons. Firstly he had the neatest and cleanest taxi in Manila (a rare sight) and secondly on the dashboard was a statue of an ‘Angry Bird’ (like the famous mobile app) that moved in sync with the motions of the vehicle. Immediately I envisaged this as an omen that the Aussies would come out angry and flap their own wings against Myanmar. Sure enough, they did just that mauling the Myanmar minnow that now positions them with an unassailable lead in Group C.
Linton opted to make only two changes to the starting lineup for the second game of the series with Aiona Schram replacing Chloe O’Brien in defence and Kally Lewis (better known as Wally) filling in for Caitlin Cantrill up front. The Australian structure remained unchanged but was confronted by a 5 4 1 from Myanmar – ten players crammed in the back half of the pitch designed to shut down the open attacking game displayed in Game 1 against Thailand .
After the usual salutations and National Anthems, both teams got down to business with the Australians quickly gaining control across the defensive line and with minimal marking by Myanmar, the Australian midfielders were in for a feast of the leather. In fact, at the end of the first 10 minutes Jessica Waterhouse had bruising on both feet from kicking the ball so many times without a contest.
Pushing forward, Jess Waterhouse slotted a lovely pass to Kally (Wally) Lewis who made a dashing run up the wing crossing the ball back to the box only to see it result in a corner for Australia – one of many to follow in the half. At the 11 minute mark, another bomb from Jess Waterhouse found the elusive Tia Gavin who turned and propelled the kick a little too high and over the net.
The crowding of the defensive line by Myanmar was causing the Australians some frustration with their game plan and it forced the Aussies to continue to switch play across the pitch probing for that opening up front where the forwards could get some space and allow them to turn and shoot. Patience is a virtue (the Aussie bench know that) and with good possession play, Australia continued to probe and push for openings to bring forwards into play.
After several more attempts from Lewis and Dalton and a free kick by Jessica Waterhouse that missed to the left of the net, Australia had still not registered on the scoreboard but were dominating possession. It was not until the 34th minute mark with the sun now blazing across the pitch that Isobel Dalton had enough of current proceedings and personally took it uponherself to put Australia on the scoreboard. A well weighted kick from outside the box that sailed over the keepers head and crashed into the net. 1 nil to Australia.
The game was now squarely being played in one half of the pitch with the Australian defensive line pushing up and becoming unmarked midfielders generating offensive plays and working the ball around looking for an opening. Waterhouse was getting tired of the ball being passed to her so at the 40 minute mark she decided to stream through the middle cutting a path to the top of the box where she unleashed a left foot shot that was truly amazing – she buried the kick in the top left hand corner faster than a speeding bullet. The Myanmar keeper did not move but the Aussies did move - to a 2 nil lead.
Myanmar’s defensive tactic was not working and the midfielders, who were now taking pot shots at every opportunity, were dominating possession.Both defensive wingers Potter and Schram were driving the ball into the forward line repeatedly and at the 45th minute, Kally Lewis ran onto a pass which was deep in the right hand side of the box and with a superb athletic effort, managed to cross the ball back to the top of the box where Sunny Franco waswaiting to head the ball squarely into the top left hand corner of the net. Yes – it was 3 nil and the whistle sounded to end a very successful half for the Australians.
After the half time briefing from Linton, the unchanged Australian line up came back onto the field with a renewed sense of purpose to attack Myanmar and physically impose themselves on the match putting it beyond doubt. And to lead proceedings we had Kally (Wally) Lewis from Newcastle at 47 minutes, tackle strongly from which we saw the first of many Myanmar players face down in the turf and subsequently stretchered off the pitch. Again I reiterate – a fair tackle and certainly not intentional by Lewis. Play was halted for some time, which allowed the Australians a chance to hydrate, and Linton to communicate intentions to her players.
Straight away Linton made the first substitute of the game bringing Tulia Palozzi onto the pitch for the first time to replace Tia Gavin who had been strangled by the crowded Myanmar defensive line. With the clock ticking past the 50th minute, Beattie Goad was substituted into the game for her first run replacing Emily Hendersen up forward and the two new additions had immediate impact for Australia. Palozzi with fresh legs darted around the forward line like a bumble bee stinging the Myanmar defenders while Goad was leading the defense a merry dance up the left wing on her svelt left foot. Crosses from Goad and Lewis provided Palozzi and Franco with several opportunities only to be thwarted by the cross bar and the Myanmar keeper.
Again, a Myanmar player was fairly tackled by Kally (Wally) Lewis but falls to the ground writhing in pain and has to be escorted off the ground for a substitute by the Myanmar coach. At the 64th minute mark, a strong attack on goal by Palozzi sees the Myanmar keeper in the way and once again play is held up as she is attended to by medical trainers and stretchered off the ground. And yet again, another player is confronted by Lewis and isface down in the turf. This is now looking more like a scene from Mash on the Myanmar bench as Lewis and Palozzi are single handedly replacing the entireteam – with strong and fair tackles on the ball I reiterate.
After the many breaks in play, Australia make another substitute at the 80th minute by bringing Ayesha Kirby into the midfield for Isobel Dalton. The Myanmar midfield chip a ball to a running forward who has the best chance of the game to score only to see Tilley Potter come to the rescue and spoil any ideas Myanmar may have had. Black clouds now reside overhead and the lights are switched on. A great run up the left wing by Goad sees her cross the ball back to the top of the box where Palozzi again tackles strongly only to see her shot repelled by the reserve keeper. The physical strength of the Australians is obvious as they continue to drive forward and make it hard for Myanmar to gain any possession at all.
Again, Goad made her presence felt with a deft piece of work up the left wing and a cross back to Ayesha Kirby who crashes the cross bar with her kick and the ball rebounds off the Myanmar keeper and back into the Australian goal. 4 nil now.
Lewis and Goad are now peppering the top of the box with some solid crosses and sure enough, it was not long before Franco pops up on the end of a Lewis cross that hits the back of the net and Australia cruise now to a 5 nil lead. The whistle sounds after a 6 minute extension for lost time from the many casualties during the half.
Australia now have Saturday to recover in time to face off against host nation Philippines on November the 9th who are yet to register a win under lights at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Stay tuned to Stocky Scribbles for Game 3 on Sunday the11th November to finish the tournament.
Read all of Stocky's Scribbles here.