Key events
90 + 5 min: Australia win another corner as they look to get a consolation goal, goal difference could be important in terms of progression out of the group. Fowler takes the corner and a head gets to it but Berger saves.
90 + 3 min: The corner delivery from Cooney-Cross is good but Berger, who is having a good game, comes out and collects.
90 + 1 min: Six minutes have been added as Australia win a corner.
89 min: Germany are completely controlling these last few minutes, they run it through the team and back again as the clock ticks towards full time. Brand crosses but it is a whisker away from hitting the back of the net. It comes flashing across goal again but Schuller can’t quite convert.
87 min: Germany almost score again as a clearance kick from Kennedy finds Schuller but it is out for a goal kick. They come again through Buhl but Kennedy blocks. Germany are being absolutely relentless.
85 min: Heyman initially loses possession but she battles back, crosses in but it evades any teammate – she has been bright since coming on. Germany counter and a shot comes in, Arnold punches away and one of her defenders has to mop it up.
83 min: Australia get back on the attack and Hunt turns to shoot but Berger saves. The keeper performing well, having taken the shirt off of Frohms for this match.
81 min: Australia win a free kick with Torpey shoved to the floor, it is in a good position. Cooney-Cross takes it, it’s headed into the box but Linder does really well to clear it.
80 min: Catley is off for Torpey, Carpenter is now captain.
78 min: Catley takes the set piece but Berger comes out and punches away, Australia recover it well and Cooney-Cross gets it to Foord but her cross is blocked. Australia make changes with Foord and Raso off for Heyman and Van Egmond on.
76 min: What is the cheese called with all of the holes in it? That was my first thought when trying to think of a visualisation for Australia’s defence. In comparison, Germany’s defence is a brick wall, all of the tackles at the back are precise, the latest one from Linder giving away a corner.
74 min: Germany win a corner and it is Gwinn who crosses in, Arnold punches away but the goal gets popped back in. Buhl thinks she has it in the back of the net but the touch judge has her offside flag up. While it has been ruled out, Australia’s defence is looking shaky.
72 min: Berger is okay to continue, it looked like a calf problem but she is remaining on the pitch.
70 min: A long kick from Berger, saw a header in the midfield to find Schuller who squared it to Brand and her effort smacked the back of the net. Absolutely beautiful football. Berger is down injured so there is a break in play, we hope she is okay.
GOAL! Germany 3-0 Australia (Brand, 69)
My word, that was football poetry.
68 min: Australia try and hit back immediately, after they did following the first goal, and Catley goes on a run but Hegering perfectly times her challenge in the box and clears.
66 min: It was an in-swinger from Gwinn again to set it up, Schuller was unmarked and headed home. A bit too easy.
GOAL! Germany 2-0 Australia (Schuller, 64′)
Another corner and another header.
64 min: Australia having a long time with the ball but it isn’t coming to anything, a lot of play in the midfield. When they give it away to Germany they are straight into the box, the pace on the attack of these two teams the difference right now. Germany win a corner as a shot is deflected out.
62 min: Fowler takes two touches and gets in some space but it’s straight at Berger. That effort is one of Australia’s first to be on target. The Manchester City star is in again and she looks to cross but it’s mishit and straight out of play.
60 min: Australia make changes with Vine off for Freier and Gorry is off for Wheeler. Can some changes spark something for their attack? Australia need something and an equaliser would be a blow for the Germans who have been the better side so far.
59 min: Brand turns and gets the ball into the box but Australia read it well to clear.
57 min: Kennedy with a phenomenal save, Brand squares it to Schuller who pops off a shot but Kennedy blocks, the ball goes out for a corner. The set piece is taken well but Australia clear. How Germany have not doubled there lead is beyond me.
56 min: Carpenter makes a good run and finds Fowler, who has largely been taken out of the game by Germany’s defence, but she plays a pass into space which Germany sweep up. Hegering is down a few moments later after a collision with Foord but she is quickly back to her feet – it was an accidental hit to the face.
54 min: Brand wants a goal today, doesn’t she! Wow, she takes the ball on her left boot and rifles off a shot but is just over the bar. She has been electric today.
52 min: Australia are retaining the ball a lot more than they were in the first half and they look brighter but the final touch and shot just aren’t coming together.
50 min: Oh my word, if that went in it would have been an absolute screamer. Brand takes a few touches outside of the box and she wallops it towards goal, going marginally wide.
49 min: Catley does really well on the left to make a run and pass to Cooney-Cross, she has a shot but it’s blocked by Hegering. Australia come again though, they are full of energy, and a good pass comes into the box but it rolls to Berger who clears.
47 min: Germany continue with their high press which has slowed Australia down in the early stages of the second half.
Back underway! Germany 1-0 Australia
So can Germany hold onto this lead? Or will Australia come out firing in the second half? All to come. Germany have made a change with Lohmann on for Nusken.
Two matches in the women’s football event have taken place today. World champions Spain beat Japan 2-1 and Canada beat New Zealand by the same scoreline.
Hegering had a lot of fans doubting her before the match but she has proven them wrong with that header. The goal is her first for Germany since December.
Half-time: Germany 1-0 Australia
So far it is Hegering’s header that separates the sides. Germany have been the better team in this encounter but Australia have shown moments where they can get back into this one.
45 + 3 min: Catley takes the free kick but Berger reads it well who collects and saves.
45 + 2 min: Raso was on a run and she is tripped on the edge of the box, Minge gets a yellow card and Australia have a free kick.
45 + 1 min: Popp took an effort from really far out, after a sitter wasn’t taken by Nusken as Catley blocks in the box, but it’s over the bar. There will be three minutes added.
44 min: Foord wanted a foul there but I think she tripped on the ball as it popped up from the pitch, the referee thought so too as play goes on. Germany get it into the box but the Matildas clear.
42 min: Brand’s shirt is pulled and so Germany have another free kick, the set piece is too long though and Arnold can collect easily.
40 min: The free kick is rocketed in but Australia deal with it. Germany keep coming but they give it away, Foord makes a storming run up the right but, with no support in the middle, she took a long range effort which smacks the side netting.
38 min: A lot of back and forth with both putting in some sloppy passes and it ends with Buhl being tripped by Carpenter and so Germany have a free kick.
36 min: Fowler thought she had got the better of Linder but the referee blows for a foul and Germany are able to clear again. Australia have all the right tools for the job but aren’t quite using the right spanners at the moment – hopefully that analogy makes as much sense to you as it does to me.
