CommBank Matildas Head Coach Joe Montemurro said that the team’s 4-0 victory over IR Iran was a positive step towards building into the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026™.
He was speaking alongside Player of the Match Alanna Kennedy after the game at Gold Coast Stadium on Thursday evening.
“From day one, it was important we grow into the tournament,” he said.
“We made sure that we're taking the steps forward in the way we want to play and in terms of being able to adapt to different structures and organisations against certain teams. So it was a positive step forward.”
The match marked the first time in 855 days that Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord all started in a match together. Montemurro said that, while Kerr and Fowler had fully physically recovered from their injuries, it would take work to reintegrate them in the best way possible into the team.
“It's about football rhythm,” he said.
“They're not being modified. It's all about making sure they do the role that's needed for the team and, more importantly, that we give them the space to be the best that they can be.
“They’re players that can create things out of nothing. That’s where these tournaments are very, very important for those sorts of certain players. You’ve got to give them the space, but you’ve also got to be smart in how you manage it - in a common sense way.”
He confirmed that Mackenzie Arnold was fit to play, but he made a tactical decision to start Chloe Lincoln instead. He also gave an update on the injury that Hayley Raso acquired during the match, explaining that she was being assessed at the time of the press conference.
Alanna Kennedy reflected on a job well done after the win.
“There are things that we definitely could improve, but… that was the job done, and now we're looking to grow and be even better next match,” she said.
Kennedy has played most of her 144-game CommBank Matildas career as a centre-back, but in recent years has been deployed in the centre of midfield. She said she was happy to play any role that was asked, including one that, during this game, involved scoring two goals.
“For me, [the mindset] was just to keep things simple, grow into the game and do the role that I've been asked - to sit and be an anchor in that six role and try and support at the back as well”, she said.
“It’s a bit of a balance. Scoring isn't something that I do often, but I was happy to get a couple of goals as well.”
Montemurro ended the press conference by explaining his expectations for the team’s final group stage game against Korea Republic on Sunday evening. They will need to secure all three points to finish top of the group.
“It's going to be an exciting game, with two teams that want to dominate the game, want to dominate possession,” he said. “It’s going to be a bit of a wrestling match from that perspective.”
“I don’t like playing the Russian Roulette of goal difference. Those calculations, they never work. To be honest, even if we got the goal scenario, I would never let this team go in and say – ‘all we need is a draw to top the group’. It doesn't work.
“We go out to play our football, to win games, to excite. We always knew that we needed to win this game. So for me, it's just business as usual.”
AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™
CommBank Matildas 1 v 0 Philippines
Date: Sunday, 1 March 2026
IR Iran 0 v CommBank Matildas 4
Date: Thursday, 5 March 2026
CommBank Matildas v Korea Republic
Date: Sunday, 8 March 2026
Venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney
Time: 8:00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
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