The CommBank Matildas have ended their 2025 SheBelieves Cup campaign with a third-consecutive defeat, falling 2-1 to Colombia in San Diego on Thursday morning (AEDT).
The Matildas came into Thursday’s SheBelieves Cup fixture off the back of losses to Japan and host nation United States.
They trailed Colombia 1-0 at half-time of their third game of the tournament after Wendy Bonilla’s strike in the 15th minute, before Hayley Raso equalised for Australia in the second half.
But an unfortunate deflection off Colombia captain Catalina Usme’s strike led to the South American nation reclaiming the lead just four minutes after Australia’s leveller.
Colombia held their 2-1 lead to full-time to confirm a third defeat for Australia at the tournament. The Matildas will now turn their attention to two friendlies against South Korea on home soil in early April.
Melbourne Victory youngster Alana Murphy made her second Matildas appearance of the tournament against Colombia, following her international debut against the US; A-Leagues stars Michelle Heyman (Canberra United) and Tameka Yallop (Brisbane Roar) played from the start in the slender defeat, while Newcastle Jets defender Natasha Prior joined Murphy in coming off the bench.
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The Matildas took just seven shots on goal in their first two games of the SheBelieves Cup, but got to half-time against Colombia with five shots on the board in a much-improved attacking effort from Tom Sermanni’s side.
But none of Australia’s five first-half shots led to an opening goal as Colombia took a one-goal lead to the breakthrough Wendy Bonilla’s 15th-minute goal.
Bonilla’s opener came at the end of a rapid Colombia counter attack. Played in on goal by striker Mayra Ramirez, Bonilla took one touch to control before she buried a low shot past Teagan Micah to give Colombia a 1-0 lead.
The first goal of the game came just minutes after Matildas veteran Emily van Egmond shot just wide of the top-left corner down the other end; Kyra Cooney-Cross and Canberra United striker Michelle Heyman both had opportunities of their own to score for Australia but couldn’t find the back of the net as the first half ended with Colombia on top.
On the cusp of half-time, Australia suffered an injury scare when defensive star Ellie Carpenter signalled to the bench for a substitution with an apparent left quad injury. The 24-year-old was replaced by Kaitlyn Torpey, who received a rousing reception as she came off the bench at Snapdragon Stadium – home of her club side, San Diego Wave.
Matildas interim head coach Sermanni made two more changes at half-time, bringing Heyman and Steph Catley off for Newcastle Jets defender Natasha Prior and Caitlin Foord; 10 minutes into the second half, Foord had her first chance of the game when she lashed a venomous strike from range just past the top-left corner.
Sermanni then brought Mary Fowler off his bench as the Matildas pushed for an equaliser and, three minutes later, Charlotte Grant and Raso combined to get Australia back into the contest. Grant’s ball off the left wing was excellently controlled in the box by Raso who forced her way through two defenders and fired a deflected shot into the back of the net.
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But the Matildas’ parity lasted less than 10 minutes as Colombia reclaimed the lead through captain Usme.
The midfielder was left in far too much space on the edge of the penalty area to control and shoot – Prior attempted to block the shot but, unfortunately for the Matildas, the defender’s intervention sent the ball looping over Micah and over the line.
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