Argentina edge out Australia

Australia’s women’s football team faces a must-win clash against Venezuela on Thursday, after a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Argentina in their second match of the Pan America Games on Wednesday afternoon.

The Green and Gold would have fancied their chances of getting at least a draw when they went to the half-time break tied at 0-0. But the cagey match opened up in the second-half, and Argentina made the most of the space at their disposal.

Despite the setback, Australia’s dream of making the semi-finals is well and truly alive – but it will come down to a make-or-break clash on Thursday, before a match against the highly fancied United States outfit.

Although the Aussies did not start this clash with the same gusto as on Monday, the girls enjoyed a decent share of the match’s possession, territory and chances.

Genia Avram looked the most likely for the Australians; she caused the Argentine goalkeeper a heart flutter inside the first ten minutes with a sharp shot across the face of goal, before hitting the crossbar with a long-range free-kick shortly after. Indeed, Australia looked most dangerous from Genia’s set pieces throughout the match.

The side reaped the reward for scouting Argentina’s previous match, a win over Venezuela. Naomi Mossenson was given the job of man-marking Argentina’s No.9. Far from making friends with her opponent, she handled the vital job so well that Argentina’s coaches had to pull off their best player early in the second-half.