Women's Asian Cup 2026: Frustrated Matildas exposed by South Korea, but say long road won't derail them

Caitlin Foord's frustrated lashing out at the ball after full-time just about summed it up. 

The result wasn't worth heads in hands, or distraught squats on the pitch, or any tears.

But the Matildas 3-3 draw with South Korea in their final Women's Asian Cup group game was enough to make them kick out in anger.

"We only really have ourselves to blame," Foord told ABC Sport.

"We gave the ball away too easy, didn't take our chances, myself included.

"I had a great opportunity early on and I believe if I scored that, the game goes a different direction, so I take responsibility for that. Across the board we just need to be better."

Why so much hand-wringing over a draw, when they're already guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals?

It's the travel, for one. Instead of a nice extended stay in Sydney by topping the group, they're heading back to Perth.

And it's the fact that they promised so much but underdelivered in almost every aspect.

Koreans earn psychological win

The Matildas looked good for many parts of the first half.

After conceding first, they seemed to snap back into control, with Mary Fowler winning contests, finding space, and helping dictate play.

Foord was not at her best and missed several chances, but her pass for Sam Kerr's goal was top shelf and had the Australians buoyant at the break.

They had moments where they looked good in transition and were feeding off the frenzied energy of the crowd.

But it was all too fleeting, and the cracks that were papered over in the first half, opened up in the second.

Where the Australians were wasteful with the ball and struggled with quick transitions, the Koreans were fluid on the counterattack and astute in defence.

The Australians never really recovered from Steph Catley's early exit in the game due to concussion, with Courtney Nevin exposed at crucial times at left back.

It was the first time Australia's defence had been tested at all during the tournament, and the South Koreans knew how to exploit it.

"We analysed the two centre backs [and noticed] some weakness in the speed, so we tried to make the counterattack behind them," South Korea coach Shin Sang-Woo said.

Montemurro was less bothered by the defensive shortfalls, and more concerned by the wasted possession.

"We've got to keep the ball better. It's been the thing that I've been endorsing from day one. And when we do it, we do it well," he said.

"And then we started to force things when we didn't need to, when the momentum wasn't there, and the game got scrappy, and it got to a point which I didn't like, to be honest."

The Korean substitutions at half-time were pivotal, including player of the match Kang Chae-Rim, who scored a classy goal to put them ahead.

In contrast, Australia's substitutions came late, maybe a little too late. Although it was promising to finally see Kyra Cooney-Cross for the first time in the tournament.

This was a draw on paper, but a psychological win for the Koreans, who also inflicted significant scars on the Matildas by knocking them out in the quarterfinals of the 2022 tournament.

Once they led 3-2, they were happy to sit back and defend, knowing a draw would be enough for them to clinch top spot.

The Australians had plenty of time to find the two goals they needed for the win, but lacked the composure to execute. Their equaliser only came very deep into stoppage time.

"It's those moments when you have to be in control and not rush situations," Montemurro said.

"And I think it was a pity because Korea's two goals besides the penalty were both transition moments where we lost the ball in our control.

"There are times when you just have to be smart and slow it down and stay in position and just wait a little bit.

"We rushed it, we got caught on the break twice."

Questions to ponder

Alanna Kennedy as a defensive midfielder continues to be a revelation for the Matildas.

Her player-of-the-match performance against Iran was backed up by another brace against South Korea, as she now unexpectedly has four goals from two games, and seems to have stitched up her starting spot.

While disappointed with the end result, she praised the "Matildas mentality" to fight to the death, and is unconcerned by heading back west.

"I don't think there's any more prepared team for something like that than us with the travel that we're used to so we'll be fine," she said.

The 60,279 fans at Stadium Australia set a new record for the biggest attendance in tournament history.

Though organisers will likely be a little concerned that the Matildas are now scheduled to play in the 20,000-seat Perth Rectangular Stadium, while Sydney may struggle to fill the Olympic Stadium for the non-Australian knockout games.

If Catley misses the quarterfinal, it gives Montemurro a headache. Nevin might have played herself out of a spot, potentially paving the way for Kaitlyn Torpey to get a start at left back.

Clare Hunt and Wini Heatley didn't have their best outing as a centre-back pairing, but it seems unlikely that Montemurro would tinker too much with his defensive structure at this point in the tournament.

Up front, Hayley Raso could come back, but does that mean Mary Fowler makes way to play more of an impact role off the bench? And where does Amy Sayer fit, as she's looked so dangerous in attack when given a chance.

This is not a crisis, more a "hiccup", according to the manager.

And, ever the optimist, Montemurro even pointed to the Socceroos' run in the 2015 Asian Cup, also in Australia, where they lost to South Korea in the group stage, then beat them in the final.

"We needed more goals, we didn't get them, and we're going another route. Simple as that," he said.