Agyemang injury worry, Lionesses return to form, Matildas outclassed

DERBY, England -- England cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over Australia, compounding the Matildas' pain from their 2023 World Cup semifinal defeat. Yet the victory was overshadowed when Euro 2025 hero Michelle Agyemang was stretchered off in the second half after collapsing and clutching her knee.

Up until that point, it had been a near-perfect night in Derby for the Lionesses. Australian defender Alanna Kennedy was shown a red card in the 19th minute for a juvenile challenge, with Aggie Beever-Jones finding the back the net in response. Lucy Bronze, England's player of the year, added a second in the first half, before Georgia Stanway sealed the result from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time. The performance was an emphatic response to England's 2-1 defeat to South American champions Brazil on Saturday. Manager Sarina Wiegman had described the Australia clash as a chance to "right the wrongs" from that loss and her side delivered convincingly.

For Australia, however, the defeat laid bare a number of familiar frailties that new head coach Joe Montemurro must urgently address. A passive, toothless attack failed to trouble the European champions, highlighting just how far the Matildas remain from their peak form. -- Emily Keogh

Perfect night for England marred by injury

Just when we thought this was going to be a near-perfect evening for the Lionesses -- a night when Wiegman's five changes paid off, and all was well again for the Euro 2025 champions -- the 73rd minute ticked around, and the party atmosphere fell into hushed quiet as Agyemang fell to the ground. The concern of her teammates around her was palpable, Agyemang in obvious agony and distress. A few minutes later, Beever-Jones left the pitch injured, making it 10 vs. 10. Suddenly the changes, the goals and the return to winning ways were overshadowed.

For the first 73 minutes of this one-sided match, this was as Wiegman would have hoped, her testing England's depth. Having said all along Maya Le Tissier was a right back, she started her at center back. Debuts were handed to Lucia Kendall and Taylor Hinds. Beever-Jones is usually a striker at Chelsea but was on the left wing Tuesday night, and Hannah Hampton returned in goal. All the changes worked, and all looked to be well again after the Brazil defeat on Saturday.

The reminders of Euro 2025 are still everywhere: the montage of the triumph, injured duo Lauren Hemp and Grace Clinton bringing out the trophy prematch. But the decision to start Le Tissier at center back and hand Hinds and Kendall debuts was Wiegman taking England into the next cycle, the focus solely on the 2027 World Cup, rather than on what's already come before.

While England lacked fluidity and a cutting edge against Brazil, they looked far more urgent in front of goal this time around. But this comes with a caveat -- the 19th-minute red card to Australia's Kennedy changed everything. After Kennedy's lapse of judgement, Australia's game plan was scattered into the cold Derby sky, and their threat minimal.

It allowed Kendall time on the ball in midfield -- a great option at No. 8 for Wiegman and someone to throw into the mix alongside Clinton as competition for Stanway. Hinds did well at left back -- one notable contribution was tracking back in the first half to prevent Ellie Carpenter carving out space to find Sam Kerr. Beever-Jones grabbed England's first with a powerful strike from the edge of the box, but also was wonderfully elusive in the box. She frequently lost her marker at the far post and found space, only for her finishing to be a touch off. Hampton was assured in goal, but Le Tissier fans would've been delighted to see her back at her usual home at center back.

The noise over England's positioning of Le Tissier has been a curious subplot to these pair of internationals -- her club side Manchester United reacting to Wiegman's assertion that she sees her as a right back by posting her club stats, reading 103 games at center back out of 104 appearances. She looked far more at home in the middle of defense alongside Esme Morgan -- frequently an outlet at the back to restart play and reshape the focus of England's attack. Bronze -- on her 142nd cap and birthday -- got England's second with a well-struck effort.

Two goals to the good at halftime, England rang the changes and Australia offered a minimal threat in front of the sold-out crowd. Wiegman had further chances to test new-look combinations and it was all going so well. Agyemang was given her chance in the 62nd minute -- her name receiving one of the loudest cheers of the night, the savior of England's Euro 2025 championship. She played with her usual boundless energy until the 73rd minute struck. Minutes later Beever-Jones was walked off, unable to finish the match.

Now comes the nervous wait on their prognoses. Stanway slotted a late penalty, but still thoughts were with Agyemang. England had re-found their winning touch, but potentially at some cost. -- Tom Hamilton

Fierce rivalry trending downward for Australia

England broke Matildas fans' hearts once again, following up their 2023 World Cup semifinal triumph with another victory -- this time made easier by Australia's own struggles. The Lionesses' 3-1 win in Sydney ended the Matildas' dream of reaching a World Cup final on home soil, and when the two sides met again, emotions were running high. The Australians were desperate to avenge that heartbreak and prove themselves against the reigning European champions, but the night ended in familiar disappointment.

A red card for Kennedy and an ineffective, at times invisible, attack led to the Matildas' second straight defeat to England. It was a dismal showing from Australia, who managed only three attempts on goal, and just one on target.

Even the return of prolific striker Kerr, who made her comeback to international football after 725 days away in a 2-1 win over Wales on Saturday, couldn't spark the side. Kerr and the wingers were left isolated as the Matildas completed just 40 successful passes into the final third and recorded only 14 touches inside England's box. They were called in for defensive help, leaving their counterattack non existent. By contrast, England dominated with 250 passes and 47 touches in Australia's area.

Once Australia did get the ball, they were incompetent at keeping it, outplayed and outclassed by England's suffocating press. They did not learn enough after the first half to correct their frailties in the second half. Their halftime preparation, firing shots at goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, proved their focus was simply to limit the drubbing -- which it did -- and not expose themselves pushing for a goal and worsening the scoreline. This passive approach is unusual, but hopefully more time under the Australian coach will create a more proactive game plan.

Montemurro, appointed in June after a season with Lyon, has now overseen six matches with a mixed record of two wins, one draw and two losses. While it's still early days, the weaknesses on display -- particularly in creativity and composure under pressure -- will need urgent attention ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the Asian Cup on home soil at the start of that year.

Moreover, while the match was officially labelled a friendly, any clash between England and Australia is anything but. The rivalry remains fiery and full of emotion, and after this latest defeat, the scars from last year's World Cup heartbreak will sting even deeper for the Matildas. -- Keogh