Australia are heading to the Olympics on a high after sealing an encouraging 2-0 friendly win over China.
In the Matildas’ final pre-Games hit-out, second-half goals from Clare Wheeler and Hayley Raso earned Tony Gustavsson’s side victory on Monday in front of 76,798 at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
Crucially for Gustavsson, who is already without Sam Kerr and has concerns over striker Caitilin Foord and midfield ace Katrina Gorry, there appeared to be no pressing injury concerns.
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Gustavsson notified players earlier on Monday if they were in his 18-strong squad for Paris, which will be announced in Sydney on Tuesday.
The win also provided a fitting farewell to Matildas goalkeeping icon Lydia Williams, who has announced she will retire from international football following the Olympics.
Williams was substituted off late in the first half to a standing ovation and was able to lap up the victory from the Matildas’ bench.
But while Gustavsson’s side showed a clinical edge to achieve the result, they were clutching at half chances for much of the first half.
Alanna Kennedy fired a long-range effort over the bar and Tameka Yallop was unable to turn in a low skidding ball into the Chinese six-yard box.
Raso had two handy chances but both times China goalkeeper Xu Huan was able to deny her.
China were disciplined and well organised and it was only on one of their few forays forward that Australia had a clear run to goal.
Michelle Heyman mazed her way past two defenders after a turnover just inside the China half, and the veteran forward did well right up until her final touch when she curled it wide of the post.
Soon after that near miss, Williams was subbed for Mackenzie Arnold, who saw out the rest of the first half.
Gustavsson turned to his bench at the start of the second half and it yielded an instant impact.
Fresh on the field, Wheeler headed in a Steph Catley free-kick in the 48th minute to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
That buzz only grew when fellow substitute Cortnee Vine, playing in a more central role, sliced the Chinese defence apart with a sumptuous throughball to the feet of Raso six minutes later.
Real Madrid ace Raso was veering away from goal when she received the ball but she was able to guide it away from Xu, steering home from a tight angle.
Arnold was relatively untested at the Australian end, parrying away an effort from Chinese forward Zhang Linyan in an otherwise routine performance.
