Matildas v South Korea LIVE updates: Injury-hit Aussies take on Korea Republic in Sydney We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later. 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Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size 7.24pmTeam news: Fowler, Heyman and Hunt benched Hide key posts Go to latest Pinned post from 7.25pm Poll: Where do you stand on the coach stuff? Latest posts Latest posts Players fear Matildas are ‘wasting time’ as coach search drags on and on Caitlin Foord is tired of waiting. Most of her Matildas teammates feel the same way. It has been eight long months since Tony Gustavsson’s contract ended, leaving them in a state of suspended animation when they would rather be laying down the building blocks for next year’s Asian Cup campaign on home soil. Whatever they do under caretaker coach Tom Sermanni – appointed in September with a simple mandate to keep the vibes high – is, to some extent, pointless. Caitlin Foord.Credit: Getty Images “Everyone is in the same mindset,” Foord said. “You operate and work one way with a coach – which ultimately, realistically, we all know that’s not going to be for the future. It does, I guess, kind of feel like somewhat wasted time, because you kind of start again when someone comes in. So the sooner you can do that, the better.” If nobody is appointed until the end of the European season, more time will have elapsed since Gustavsson’s exit than will be available to his successor to prepare for the home Asian Cup. Players have no choice but to put their trust in those above them and assume there is method to FA’s apparent madness. Until there is white smoke billowing from the federation’s Moore Park offices, all they can do is their best. That’s the plan for Friday night’s friendly against South Korea, anyway. Read the rest of the story here. Kerr sighting! For those of you wondering about the ‘brand damage’ caused to the Matildas… the first appearance of Sam Kerr on the big screen here in Sydney tonight was greeted by a big cheer from the fans who are filing their way into Allianz Stadium. I went to Tuesday’s open training session - Kerr’s first in well over a year - and it was a total love-in. Read about that here if you want. Sam Kerr.Credit: Wolter Peeters Weather: It’s a beautiful night in Sydney ...but it may rain. Maybe. Advertisement Poll: Where do you stand on the coach stuff? Team news: Fowler, Heyman and Hunt benched Here are tonight’s starting XIs, noting that as you probably have read, the Matildas are missing Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso and Mackenzie Arnold... oh, and Sam Kerr. The big news for Australia? Mary Fowler is on the bench! We have to assume that’s a load-management thing because obviously she’s starting otherwise. Michelle Heyman is also there too, which means starts for Holly McNamara and Jamilla Rankin in attack - the latter making her starting debut. There’s also no Clare Hunt. Teagan Micah gets the gloves in Arnold’s absence, Charli Grant slots in for Carpenter at right-back, and Winonah Heatley will join Alanna Kennedy in the centre of defence. What does this all mean for the future? Hard to say, given interim coach Tom Sermanni won’t be there much longer, and the next coach might have very different ideas. A perfect night for the Matildas looks like a win, a clean sheet and a couple of eye-catching performances from fringe players. G’day Tillies fans Hello and welcome to our live coverage of tonight’s friendly between the Matildas and South Korea - the first of two matches they’ll play in this international window. I’m Vince Rugari, and I’m here to take you through all the action at Allianz Stadium, where a crowd of around 35,000 is expected. Team news is coming up for you very soon. Bad news: some of your favourite Matildas players are not involved due to injury. One of your other absolute favourites is on the bench. And no, they still don’t have a coach. G’day all.Credit: Getty Images Most Viewed in Sport Advertisement Back to top The Sydney Morning Herald Brisbane Times The Australian Financial Review Classifieds Place your ad Commercial Real Estate Contact & support Advertise with us Newsletters Accessibility guide Photo sales Purchase front pages Content licensing Work with us Terms of use Privacy policy Press Council Charter of Editorial Independence AI Editorial Guidelines Products & Services Subscription packages Subscriber FAQs Delivery status Today’s Paper Good Food Guide Daily Puzzles Copyright © 2025