The Matildas have delivered one of their finest performances in the two-year reign of head coach Tony Gustavsson, stunning world number seven Spain 3-1 after a brilliant first-half blitz.

In front of 17,333 at Commbank Stadium, the Matildas’ World Cup preparations went to another level with their sixth-straight victory, and second in the space of four days.

Though Spain was without 15 senior players who are boycotting head coach Jorge Vilda, the European heavyweights still brought a star-studded team for the Cup of Nations – and posed a stern test for Gustavsson’s Matildas.

But Australia struck twice in the space of five minutes early in the match, with winger Cortnee Vine curling the ball into the top corner from outside the area, before defender Clare Polkinghorne blasted home from close range.

It left Spain shell-shocked, before Arsenal attacker Caitlin Foord made it three late in the first half with a powerful header from a Steph Catley free-kick.

The Matildas set up more defensively in the second half and attempted to hit on the counter-attack, and were sorely tested as Spain poured on the pressure.

Spain finally breached the Australian defence in the 74th minute when Olga Carmona fired a stunning long-range shot into the bottom corner, before giving the Aussies a late scare when Alba Redondo struck a thunderous close-range volley in the third minute of stoppage time.

But the Matildas – who have struggled defensively under Gustavsson, including an understrength side losing 7-0 to Spain in June 2022 – were resolute in their defence and managed to see out a sensational victory.

Hayley Raso told Channel 10: “I think it is a statement. We’ve treated this camp and these games as a practice for the World Cup, and we’ve won two from two.”

MATCH CENTRE: Stats, line-ups, and more

The Matildas started perfectly as 24-year-old winger Cortnee Vine opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a sensational long-range strike.

Hayley Raso darted into the box from the right wing before feeding a brilliant square pass to Vine, who hit a searing first-time shot from outside the area into the top corner.

It was the pacy Sydney FC star’s third goal for the Matildas in just 13 appearances.

Vine said afterwards: “I definitely had that feeling (it was going in) when it hit my boot…I was really happy with my goal and obviously what a great performance from the girls.”

“It was weighted perfectly, what a perfect ball from Hayley… I just thought ‘why not?’.”

Five minutes later Clare Polkinghorne, who became Australia’s record appearance-maker with her 152nd cap in Thursday’s win over Czechia, scored her second goal in as many games to double the advantage.

Raso played provider again, whipping in a dangerous cross that found Kerr on the penalty spot. Kerr’s header was deflected straight into the air, and it fell to Polkinghorne at the back post after a defender missed a clearance.

Polkinghorne turned and blasted the shot into the net, her third goal in the last six matches and 16th in 153 appearances total.

While Spain dominated possession, Australia continued to create golden opportunities to score. And captain Sam Kerr nearly trebled the lead in the 37th minute when she leaped into the air to meet a Kyra Cooney-Cross ball and headed powerfully into the back of the net – only to be called for an extremely marginal offside. VAR is not in use for the Cup of Nations.

But the returning Caitlin Foord made up for that when Steph Catley curled in a pinpoint free-kick, with Foord unmarked from close range and thundering the header home. It was her sixth goal in her last six games for the Matildas – having had a lean run of just two strikes in the 24 matches before that.

Kerr nearly finally got on the scoresheet in the 44th minute when she raced into the box to get on the end of a long ball, but her first-time shot was dragged just wide of the post.

Spain carved a number of solid opportunities of their own in the first stanza, taking as many shots as the Matildas – nine – but frequently failing to find the target.

There was some concern prior to the interval when Raso suffered a hand injury and required lengthy treatment on-field and at the sideline, but the dangerous attacker was able to continue despite suffering clear discomfort.

“Stunning. Amazing. Totally bloody awesome,” Andy Harper said on Channel 10 of the Matildas’ first-half performance

“We’ve destroyed them, completely destroyed the World Cup favourites,” he added.

Spain responded by making a pair of changes at the break, with 18-year-old Valencia forward Fiamma Benitez and Atletico Madrid right back Sheila Garcia coming off the bench.

The visitors threatened early in the second period, with Jenni Hermoso firing into Mackenzie Arnold’s chest, before Cooney-Cross had a long-range strike blocked.

The injured Raso was substituted to thunderous applause in the 58th minute for Larissa Crummer as Spain’s attacking pressure continued to build.

Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold also needed treatment on a calf/leg injury at the hour mark, but managed to continue – and just 90 seconds later, made a stunning save to deny

A long pass forward split Australia’s defence, with their wingers combining with a neat squaring pass. But the West Ham keeper stood her ground and got a leg to the shot, deflecting it out for a corner.

Courtney Nevin and Emily van Egmond entered the fray in the final 20 minutes in a defensive-minded move, with Cooney-Cross and Vine substituted. That saw a shift to a five-player defensive line as the Australians sought to stave off wave after wave of Spanish attacks.

But in the 74th minute, Spain’s barrage finally paid off, with left wing-back Olga Carmona firing a stunning volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the 18-yard box.

The Matildas nearly hit back immediately when Charli Grant floated a ball to Foord at the back post, but she screwed her first-time shot wide.

Substitute Salma Paralluelo – a former sprinter – raced into the area and turned the defenders, giving herself a gilt-edge chance to reduce te deficit further only to blaze her shot over the bar.

Arnold continued to rack up high-quality saves, while Australia came close to adding to their tally on a number of counter-attacks.

But it was Spain who found the scoresheet with virtually the final kick of the game, with Redondo getting on the edge of a low cross from Marta Cardona at the front post and whipping in a vicious volley.

GAME ONE: Matildas’ worrying early signs before thrashing European rival

TEAM NEWS

Australia has made just two changes from Thursday’s match, with devender Aivi Luik replaced by Clare Hunt, the breakout 23-year-old centre-back who enjoyed a brilliant debut off the bench against Czechia. Arsenal attacker Caitlin Foord replaces Mary Fowler.

Matildas XI: Mackenzie Arnold; Charli Grant, Clare Pokinghorne, Clare Hunt, Steph Catley; Katrina Gorry, Kyra Cooney-Cross; Cortnee Vine, Sam Kerr (C), Caitlin Foord.

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