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USWNT 0-0 Australia summary: score, goals, highlights, Tokyo Olympics 2021

Update:
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Soccer Football - Women - Group G - United States v Australia - Ibaraki Kashima Stadium, Ibaraki, Japan - July 27, 2021. Tierna Davidson of the United States and Kelley O'Hara of the United States after the match REUTERS/Henry R

USWNT 0-0 Australia: as it happened

FT

Peeep peeep peeep! Referee Anastasia Pustovoitova brings proceedings to an end in Kashima, and the USWNT are through to the quarter-finals together with group winners Sweden.

Australia finish third, and must now wait to find out whether four points will be enough to take them through as one of the two best third-placed teams.

It ought to, and judging by the way the Australians had clearly settled for a point by about the 75th-minute mark, they believe it will.

The US now face the winner of Group F in the quarters - either the Netherlands or Brazil. If they do qualify, Australia will play the winner of Group E: Great Britain or Canada.

That's all from me - thanks for reading!

91

Micah is quickly off her line to grab the ball before Lloyd can reach it in the Australia penalty box.

Cue another prolonged spell of Australia's defenders passing it to each other from side to side.

90

Heath carries it forward and shoots from range, but drags her effort well, well wide.

Four minutes of time added on.

89

Very little is happening in the way of actual football. Both teams are clearly more concerned with preserving what they have.

88

The USWNT make another substitution, replacing Lavelle with Kristie Mewis.

87

Kerr is down and in need of treatment, but is back up on her feet and looks like she'll be OK.

85

Australia bring on Emily Gielnik for Kyah Simon.

82

Australia look like they're happy enough to take their chances with third place. It is true that it'll take wins from Japan in Group E and one of China or Zambia in Group F to prevent the Matildas from going through - and China and Zambia both have far inferior goal differences (-5 and -7, respectively, to Australia's -1). So they'll need big victories to boot.

79

If we are to see a goal in the next 10 minutes or so, it seems likelier to come from the US at the moment. Australia concede a slightly cheap corner kick that is delivered towards the penalty spot, before falling to Lavelle. She tries to work a yard of space to shoot, but is crowded out.

77

Australia thump it long to Kerr, who is beaten to the header on the edge of the US box. The Matildas need a goal to be sure of qualification for the quarter-finals, but they've struggled to offer much of note going forward for the last 20 minutes or so.

74

Two more changes for the USWNT. Press and Morgan make way for Lynn Williams and Carli Lloyd.

71

Ertz heads O'Hara's corner kick back down to Horan 10 yards out, but the substitute has the ball nicked off her toes as she winds up to shoot.

Carpenter carries the ball clear, before being felled by Lavelle. Yellow card for the American.

69

Cooney-Cross is booked for a foul that gives the USWNT a chance to deliver the ball into the Australian penalty box.

Davidson it is who crosses, right onto Horan's head - but she can't turn the ball goalwards.

68

Dunn plays a long ball from the left through to Morgan's run into the penalty box, but it's overhit and the striker won't reach that.

65

In fact, that's Rapinoe's final involvement. She and Mewis come off for Lindsey Horan and Tobin Heath.

64

Rapinoe catches Carpenter late, and needs to be a little bit careful given she's already been booked.

63

Rapinoe plays a neat ball inside to Lavelle from the left, setting her up for a shot from just outside the Australia box. Micah is a yard or two off her line and Lavelle seems to be in two minds about whether to blast it or dink it... and ends up doing neither. Easy grab for Micah.

62

Australia make their first change, bringing on Kyra Cooney-Cross for Chloe Logarzo.

60

Rapinoe hits another long diagonal from left to right, this time looking for Press' run of into the box. It's just too long again, though.

57

The USWNT play a lovely free-kick routine that utterly flummoxes Australia, Rapinoe dinking the ball over the wall for O'Hara to run on to. She has three white shirts waiting in the middle... but finds none of them. Ah, and the flag goes up. Wouldn't have counted anyway.

55

After that slightly cagey start to the half, it's come alive once more. First, Press drives into the Australian box and, with Carpenter breathing down her neck, finally gets a shot away - but it's weakly hit.

Back come Australia, Simon barrelling into the US area before letting fly, only to see it blocked.

53

That's bright attacking play by Simon and Fowler. The former carries the ball towards the US box before slipping it to the latter, who tries to play the return ball. Her attempted pass is blocked, but the loose ball bounces back to Fowler, who fires wide.

52

Logarzo is brought down just inside the US half, and Catley will swing a high ball into the penalty area. Her delivery runs through to Polkinghorne on the right-hand byline, but she can't wrap her foot around it enough to prevent it from drifting behind for a goal-kick.

51

It's been a relatively action-packed game in Kashima, but we've slipped into a slight lull in the last few minutes.

47

Rapinoe lofts a ball into the box towards Morgan from the left, but it's well overhit and she won't be getting near that one.

At the other end, Kerr lays it off to the right for Simon to cross, but she also gets too much on her delivery.

Peeeep! We're back up and running Kashima.

No changes for either side.

HT

Peeep peeep peeep! That's half time at Kashima Stadium, where it remains goalless.

The USWNT thought they had the lead when Alex Morgan headed into the net on the half-hour mark, but it was ruled out for the tightest of offsides. At the other end, Australia's most notable moment came when Mary Fowler nodded a bouncing ball against the bar.

As it stands, the USWNT are heading through in second, while Australia will have to wait and see whether they make it into the last eight as one of the two best third-placers. Four points looks rather like being enough, though.

 

46

There's an excellent chance for Press to grab a goal on the stroke of half time, but when she's released into space in behind the Australia defence, her first touch takes her a little wide and she can only hit a tame shot straight at Michah.

45

Kerr flicks it on expertly to Simon, who chests it down and scampers into the US box. However, Sauerbrunn does very well to get a foot in and jab it behind for a corner.

Catley's corner-kick delivery is initially cleared, but when the ball is turned back into the box, Ertz has to be alert to prevent Kerr from getting a shot away.

One minute of time added on in Kashima.

43

That's nice play by Australia to create an opening for Yallop to shoot, but her effort is straight at Naeher. Kerr slipped the right wing-back into space on the right-hand side of the penalty box, but she couldn't get the right direction on her strike.

Sweden two to the good in Rifu

Sweden look to be cruising through as group winners. They've now doubled their lead against New Zealand, courtesy of Madelen Janogy.

38

The USWNT break very quickly, hoofing the ball up to the other end for Rapinoe to run on to - if she can win her footrace with Carpenter. She can't and is penalised for a push on the Australia defender as Micah dashed off her line. Rapinoe then boots the ball away in annoyance at the decision, and is booked.

37

Australia win yet another free-kick in swing-it-into-the-mixer territory. Catley delivers dangerously, but a green shirt can't get on the end of it and the US bring it away.

36

Dunn tries to get Mewis running in behind the Australia defence and into the box, but her high ball into the left-hand channel is too long, and Carpenter can shepherd it out.

34

Catley swings a cross in from the left for Australia, but Dunn is in position at the back post to boot it behind. The corner is overhit, and the US clear.

31

The US think they have the lead... only for the goal to be ruled out! O'Hara whips a lovely ball into the six-yard box, right onto Morgan's head. She heads past Micah and into the top corner, but the flag is up for offside. Initial replays suggest the goal will surely be given after a VAR check, but the decision stands. A matter of centimetres in it.

30

At the other end, Carpenter has to look alive when Press looks to surge into the Australian box. Moments later, Press brings a high ball down and strikes towards goal, but it's deflected behind for a corner.

28

Kerr brings it down neatly before advancing towards the US box and letting fly from 20 yards or so, but it's deflected behind for a corner.

Morgan's initial attempt to clear the corner isn't the best, but the US finally get it away.

25

Australia's long throw-ins look ever so dangerous. Again Carpenter's delivery from the right is headed on, but this time the US deal with it better, Mewis nodding it away.

22

At the other end, Dunn curls a left-wing cross into the Australia box, but it's headed away. Mewis then looks to lift it over the top for Morgan to run on to, but it's overhit.

20

Again Australia get an effort away, Yallop pinging a shot towards goal from the edge of the area. It's blocked by a wall of white shirts, however.

18

Australia hit the woodwork! When the throw-in is delivered from the right, it's chaos in the six-yard box as the ball bounces through to the back post, where Fowler directs her header against the crossbar! The closest we've come so far to the breakthrough in Kashima.

Sweden ahead against New Zealand

New Zealand have started pretty brightly against Sweden in the other match in Group G, but it's the Swedes who have taken the lead, Anna Anvergard giving the group leaders the advantage in Rifu. If it stays that way, Sweden will finish top with a maximum nine points.

15

Kennedy gets her head to a cross from the left, but it's a looping effort and is easy for USWNT goalkeeper Naeher. The US break quickly, finally working it to Rapinoe in shooting space 25 yards out from goal. She lets fly, but it's straight at Micah.

11

Yallop is brought down some 10, 15 yards inside the US half, and again Australia have the opportunity to deliver the ball into the danger area.

The cross is a dangerous one - an inswinger whipped towards the far post - but Polkinghorne can't quite connect with the ball, and the chance is lost.

8

Australia have had the bulk of the play so far, but it's the USWNT who create the clearest opening so far. It's played through to Morgan, who is suddenly scuttling in behind the defence... but she slices her left-footed shot and it's an easy take for Micah in the Matildas' goal.

6

Still Australia dominate the opening exchanges. Lavelle brings down Logarzo over on the left wing and Australia have a chance to swing it into the box.

Swing it in they do, but the Matildas are penalised for a foul on Ertz, and the US have a chance to clear.

3

It's all been played in the US half so far. Australia work it out to Yallop on the right, but her cross into the middle is fairly comfortably headed clear by Davidson.

Peeeep! The USWNT vs Australia is underway in Kashima!

Our match referee is Russia's Anastasia Pustovoitova.

What the USWNT needs to advance to the quarter-finals at Tokyo 2020

OLYMPIC GAMES

What the USWNT needs to advance to the quarter-finals at Tokyo 2020

Here's a closer look at the permutations in the final round of games in Group G. Sweden face New Zealand over in Rifu, in a game that kicks off at the same time as the USWNT vs Australia.

Group G women's Olympics

Group G: how things stand

Sweden are already into the quarter-finals and will be guaranteed to top Group G if they avoid defeat against New Zealand. The US will join the Swedes in the next round as long as they don't lose to Australia, while the Matildas must win to be sure of a knockout-stage berth.

As I mentioned in my intro, Group G is looking good to provide one of the two best third-placed finishers. New Zealand can still theoretically squeak into the quarter-finals as a third-placer, despite the fact they have lost both their games so far.

(Image: FIFA.com)

USWNT and Australia meet for 31st time

The USWNT and Australia have faced each other 30 times before today, with the Americans winning 26 of those meetings. However, the teams’ last three games, have brought a US win, a drawn and an Australian win, with all three encounters decided by two goals or fewer.

USWNT vs Australia: times, TV and how to watch online

OLYMPIC GAMES | SOCCER

USWNT vs Australia: times, TV and how to watch online

If you're wondering how you can watch today's game at Kashima Stadium, you may wish to take a look at our guide on how you can tune in.

Australia team news

Starting line-up: Micah, Carpenter, Polkinghorne, Logarzo, Kennedy, Van Egmond, Yallop, Catley, Simon, Kerr, Foord

USWNT team news

Starting line-up: Naeher, O’Hara, Sauerbrunn, Davidson, Dunn, Lavelle, Ertz, Mewis, Press, Morgan, Rapinoe

USWNT vs Australia: welcome!

Hello there, welcome to our live coverage as the United States take on Australia in a crunch final-round Group G game in which qualification for the Olympic quarter-finals is at stake.

The US have never failed to reach the knockout stages of the two major tournaments in the women's game - the Olympics and the World Cup - but, after a win and a defeat in their opening two games in Japan, they must get a result today to preserve that record.

Having bounced back from their 3-0 loss to Sweden with a 6-1 thumping of New Zealand, the US sit second in the group, ahead of Australia on goal difference. That means a win or a draw will do Vlatko Andonovski's side.

The Australians, who began with a 2-1 victory over New Zealand before going down 4-2 to group leaders Sweden, must beat the US to be sure they join the Swedes in the quarter-finals.

However, Group G is currently looking in a good position to fill one of the quarter-final spots reserved for the two best third-placed finishers - while Australia have three points, Group E's Japan and Group F's China have just the one point each - so both the US and the Matildas could well end up going through.

Kick-off in Kashima is at 5pm local time/4am EDT.