Key events
14 min: Germany have a quick move once again and Gwinn tries to cross in but it’s deflected out for a throw. They manoeuvre it around the box and frustratingly Brand finds Schuller but she passes back when a shot really should have been taken. But the Germans do have a corner.
13 min: Australia do look dangerous when they have the ball but Germany look more of a complete team at the moment.
11 min: Catley takes the set piece this time and the delivery is pin point but Berger plucks it out of the air and spots space, she finds Brand who weaves into the box. It looks sure to be a goal but she fires it over the bar, a big opportunity missed.
9 min: Cooney-Cross takes the corner and the delivery is good but it’s headed clear by Germany and they immediately go on the counter. They run it to the edge of the box but Brand is crowded off the ball. Australia hit back themselves and win yet another corner.
8 min: Carpenter tries to find Raso but Linder does enough protect the ball and then see it out for a throw in. Australia eventually win it back and eventually Catley wins a corner – a really good spell from the Matildas.
6 min: Despite looking a little shaky in the early stages, Germany are rapidly growing into this and they are the first to throw a punch. Brand gets in a good position but her shot is directly at Arnold.
Joe Pearson has got in touch and said:
I’ve been out running errands (groceries, etc) and just got back home to have a little lunch and settle in for the afternoon matches. Of course, being a Midwesterner, I’m much more interested in the USWNT’s opener later. But I’m right here with you. Should be a good one!
Hi Joe, thanks for joining. Yes the US’ game should also be a good one but this one may be the closer game.
4 min: Australia are bang up for this with a high press but Germany do enough, for now, to keep possession. A really great ball from Berger sees Germany try and launch an attack but Buhl is judged offside.
2 min: There’s an early foul on Foord as she nabs the ball in the midfield, Australia take the free kick quickly but a long ball from Kennedy goes straight out of play.
Kick-off! Germany 0-0 Australia
So here we go then. Can Australia keep their major tournament form going? Or will Germany get themselves back on track? All to come.
Kieran Pender
Minutes from kick-off and the Marseille Stadium is surprisingly empty for such a blockbuster Olympic clash. The 67,000-capacity venue is the second largest stadium in France – and its vastness is showing, with only the lower-levels of the ground occupied, and even then with large patches of white seats. It is a disappointing turn-out for an encounter between two highly-ranked teams, and will be quite the change for the Matildas – they have played their last 14 home matches in front of capacity crowds.
The players are out on the pitch, the anthems are in flow and kick-off will shortly follow. It is hard to even call a favourite in this one so we know it’s going to be a great one.
The last time the two teams met at an Olympic games in the women’s football event was in 2016. That day the result was a 2-2 tie.
The Olympic opening ceremony is tomorrow and it usually has a few famous faces involved. Have a read of this to see who is rumoured to show:
I’d love to hear from you and where you are watching from. Have you had a nap and got up just to watch? Or are you reading the blog on the way home from work? You can email me (sarah.rendell.casual@theguardian.co.uk) or message me on X (@rendellx).
Germany are returning to the Olympics for the first time in women’s football since 2016. They failed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games.
There has been some controversy at the Olympics, particularly surrounding New Zealand’s match against Canada. Canada have apologised for sending a drone over New Zealand’s training. They are currently playing one another with the score 1-1. Read more about the story:
There had been some question marks over the fitness of Australia’s captain Steph Catley but she confirmed she was okay in a press conference yesterday and she is starting the match.
And she added on the prospective of winning a medal at the Olympics: “It would be incredible. This team has gone through a lot, been together for many, many years, we’ve come close to having some pretty amazing results. It’s definitely something that we want to achieve.
“But so does every single team in this tournament. Every single team in this tournament is incredible – the Olympics is really, really tough. Not to be clichéd but it really is one game at a time for us. We dream big always – every tournament we go into, we go into to win, to achieve the absolute most we can. But it’s risky to start to think like that, we just need to focus on Germany and how we can beat them.”
The team news is in. Germany has named a glittering starting XI, including captain Alexandra Popp who scored in every game she played in Euro 2022.
Germany: Berger, Linder, Hendrich, Hegering, Minge, Schuller, Nusken, Popp, Gwinn, Brand, Buhl
Australia, meanwhile, have their own star-studded starting line-up. The team includes Caitlin Foord, who had been an injury doubt in the build-up until the final training sessison.
Australia: Arnold, Vine, Gorry, Catley, Cooney-Cross, Foord, Fowler, Carpenter, Kennedy, Hunt, Raso
Preamble
Hello and welcome to Germany v Australia on day one of the women’s football Olympic event.
This is the first major international tournament the two teams have participated in since last year’s World Cup. The 2023 event was a resounding success for Australia with the Matildas becoming household names as well as reaching the semi-finals. For Germany, however, it was a failure after not getting out of the group for the first time ever.
But this is a new tournament and anything could happen. The stars of Germany will be looking to prove a point, while Australia will want to continue their good form.
Both teams have been hit with injuries. The Matildas are without talismanic captain Sam Kerr after she ruptured her ACL back in January and Tameka Yallop has withdrawn from game one with injury. Germany, meanwhile, are without star defender Lena Oberdorf because of a knee injury.
So who are in the matchday line-ups? The team news will drop shortly so stay tuned ahead of kick-off in an hour.