Kyah Simon and Clare Polkinghorne helped Australia earn a solid 3-1 victory over Brazil in the first match of the 2018 Tournament of Nations. Simon and Polkinghorne both earned the start for the match.
It didn’t take long for Australia to make their mark. A mere nine minutes into the match, they were up 1-0 off a defender’s deflection from a corner. They added another goal to the tally in the 38th minute from another corner, this time off the head of Australian forward Tameka Butt.
Simon and Polkinghorne contributed to a solid 2-0 lead going into the locker room at half time; Simon also received a yellow card in the 28th minute for a challenge on Brazilian striker Marta.
Five minutes into the second half, Australia added a third goal to the tally by forward and reigning NWSL Golden Boot winner Sam Kerr. Simon logged 58 minutes in the game, coming off while the Matildas were up 3-0. Polkinghorne played the full 90, coming up big on defense to keep the Japanese attack at bay.
However, Japan was able to get a goal back in the 79th minute. In the last 12 minutes plus stoppage, there was plenty of end-to-end action, but the Matildas were able to come away with the 3-1 victory to start the tournament on a high note.
Simon and Polkinghorne are back in action with Australia on Sunday, July 29, when they face the USA for match day two in the Tournament of Nations. The match will be streamed on Fox Sports 1 and kick off is schedule for 6 PM Central Time.
