LIVE: The Matildas have sparked into life in the second half of their opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with a penalty seeing Australia take the lead against Republic of Ireland in Sydney.

The Matildas are without talismanic striker Sam Kerr, who will miss the first two group stage matches with a calf injury sustained in training on Tuesday.

In a hard-fought encounter, Australia dominated possession in the first half but struggled to create meaningful chances in front of a record crowd of 75,784.

Then, almost exactly 50 minutes in, Australian winger Hayley Raso was shoved in the back by Ireland defender Marissa Sheva as a long ball from Kyra Cooney-Cross floated towards the Irish area.

Raso went to ground and a penalty was immediately awarded, with stand-in captain Steph Catley stepping up to thunder the ball into the top corner.

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In Kerr’s absence, 20-year-old rising star Mary Fowler – widely tipped to be one of the breakout stars of the tournament – started in an attacking midfield position with Arsenal forward Caitlin Foord as lone striker.

The first half was a tense and physical affair, the Matildas enjoying more possession and territory but struggling to break down a deep-lying and disciplined Ireland defence.

Only twice in the entire half did a Matildas player receive a pass behind the Ireland defensive line, with the visitors desperate to stop Australia’s pacy forward line from running onto through balls over the top.

Nevertheless, the Matildas earned five corners in the opening half and won four fouls, but couldn’t carve out strong chances despite often getting into the final third. The Matildas took five shots to Ireland’s sole off-target attempt, and despite completing more than twice as many passes as the visitors, but struggled with their final ball into the area.

World number 22 Ireland, the underdogs making their maiden World Cup appearance, defended stoutly and attempted to hit on the counter, and their threat was on full display inside 20 minutes with a rapid break down the left-flank

But the through ball to their centre-forward was overhit and Katrina Gorry tracked back at full sprint to clear the danger.

The corner count quickly mounted for Australia, with centre-back Clare Hunt heading wayward in the 18th minute before Hayley Raso came whiskers away from the upright with a back-post header ten minutes later.

The match – fought in uncomprising manner between two physical sides – began to open up as both sides looked to transition quickly, with Ireland beginning to threaten Australia’s penalty area.

But chances remained at a premium in a tense first half, with Foord hitting the side-netting from a tight angle after a Vine cut-back. Foord had an attempt from outside the area blocked, before Katrina Gorry’s speculative 30-yard attempt in extra time was struck straight at the Ireland keeper Courtney Brosnan.

But less than four minutes after the restart, Australia’s attack nearly roared into life when Cortnee Vine danced her way into the box, though she was outmuscled by a scrambling Ireland defence.

A couple of minutes later and it was her opposite winger, Raso, who was outmuscled by the defence. But the Matildas flyer had been shoved in the back and the referee had little choice but to award a penalty, which Catley duly converted.

Follow all the live action in our blog below!

MATCH CENTRE: Teams, live stats, and more

CONFIRMED AUSSIE XI

Mackenzie Arnold; Steph Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Clare Hunt, Ellie Carpenter; Katrina Gorry, Kyra Cooney-Cross; Mary Fowler, Hayley Raso, Cortnee Vine, Caitlin Foord.

CONFIRMED IRELAND XI

Courtney Brosnan; Louise Quinn, Niamh Fahey, Megan Connolly, Ruesha Littlejohn, Denise O’Sullivan, Katie McCabe, Heather PAyne, Sinead Farrelly, Kyra Carusa, Marissa Sheva

LIVE BLOG

KERR RULED OUT FOR TWO CLASHES INJURY

Kerr’s injury is a devastating blow to the Matildas, with Kerr Australia’s highest scorer of all-time in men’s or women’s international football (63 goals) and one of the finest strikers in world football.

Kerr wrote on social media: “Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training. I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve.

“Of course I would have loved to have been out there tonight but I can’t wait to be a part of this amazing journey which starts now.”

The Matildas announced: “Sam will be unavailable for the next two matches with the Matildas Medical Team to re-assess her following our second group stage match.”

Australia has been forced into a single change from their line-up that beat France in a warm-up game on Friday, with youngster Mary Fowler – who scored the winner against France – replacing Kerr. Veteran fullback Steph Catley takes the captain’s armband for Australia.

It is the second match of the tournament, after co-hosts New Zealand earned their first ever win at a World Cup with a 1-0 boilover of Norway in Auckland.

MORE WOMEN’S WORLD CUP NEWS

Who’s in the Matildas squad and when do they play their Women’s World Cup games?

All 64 World Cup fixtures and full Matildas schedule

What time do the Matildas play their first World Cup game?

PREVIEW

Almost 80,000 fans are set to flood into Stadium Australia, breaking the record for a stand-alone women’s football match in Australia, set just last week when 50,629 Melburnians witnessed the Matildas beat world no. 5 France in their final warm-up match.

That was a ninth win in the last 10 matches for Australia, who are carrying the hopes of a nation as they look to progress beyond the quarter-finals for the first time in history – and perhaps even go all the way.

FULL PREVIEW: The blood, sweat and tears the Matildas shed to become World Cup contenders

World no. 10 Australia kick off their campaign against the world’s 22nd-ranked side.

Ireland, ‘The Girls in Green’, are one of a bunch of teams competing in their first World Cup this tournament, after beating Scotland in a playoff.

They may arrive with lower expectations than the Australians, but with a number of players regularly impressing at top clubs – particularly captain Katie McCabe of Arsenal – they are confident of an upset victory.

However, Ireland has struggled for form since qualifying for the World Cup, winning just twice in their last six matches.

The two teams have been placed in Group B, along with Nigeria and Tokyo Olympics gold medallists Canada, both of which the Australians will also face in the group stage this fortnight. The top two teams progress to the knockouts.