Matildas v China: Olympic football qualifying tournament – live!

Here’s a man who knows a thing or two about playing international football in Asia, and he’s not exactly overwhelmed by the display from the home side thus far.

So. Your thoughts on that opening stanza?

Are the Matildas fortunate to still boast a share of the lead, or is the draw the fair reflection?

Remember, as it stands – should it finish equal Australia will finish top of the group. This fact could force China to play a little more proactively in the second half.

And there is the whistle! A dramatic end to the half. You’d have to say that neither side deserves to be behind, but had China taken a sneak lead late on you could hardly begrudge them for the willing work and effort across that first forty-five.

45 min + 1: There’s two minutes added and in the shadow of half time we have the closest we’ve come to a goal!

Wang Shanshan lines up with a long-range effort as she looks to loop over a backpedalling Lydia Williams – but it catches the vertex of the post and crossbar!

44 min: China with an attacking freekick from a wide area, but it’s driven hard and flat into the mixer, and the Matildas’ centre back pairing scrabble it clear.

41 min: Raso looks to break onto a swift counter, but her pass can’t pick out Kerr centrally. It’s been far from fluid from the Matildas so far – but credit the lift in opposition from the opening two games for some of that.

38 min: Again the flag is up, and this time it’s the fullback Zhai caught offside. These have all been marginal calls, to the obvious chagrin of China’s head coach, Xiuquan Jia. Australia will have to be wary – they only have to get it wrong once to be punished.

35 min: And another big let off, as the Chinese striker Wang bursts through on goal one-on-one, only to be flagged for offside. Replays suggest that was perhaps not the case though. A touch of fortune for the home side.

33 min: China earn a corner down their right-hand side, and a fair contingent of fans inside the stadium raise their voices.

It’s a scrabble inside the box as the Matildas fail to clear on two or three occasions, before a fierce ricochet fires past Williams post!

That was a real scare for the Matildas – that could have just as easily bustled in the net.

30 min: A bit of niggle between Logarzo and Tang Jiali. She’s a “spirited” competitor, Chloe, and apparently not enjoying the close attention from her Chinese counterpart.

A better contribution from Logarzo, who joins the play late from midfield and gets on the end of a cross – but her headed effort flies wide!

27 min: Headed effort from Kerr! But it arcs just wide of Peng’s right-hand post. A nice ball in from Carpenter – both she and Catley will look instinctively for the skipper in the box.

Meanwhile an email from Don:

How times have changed. At my age of 64, who thought I would know more names of the Matildas players than the Socceroos.

Ha. Cheers Don – in terms of top-end talent you have to say the Matildas do boast some internationally regarded names. None less than Sam Kerr who, as you’ll recall, was voted the world’s best female player last year in the Guardian’s top 100 poll.

26 min: Some nice interplay down Australia’s right as Carpenter, Kellond-Knight and Raso link passes. A little patch of sustained pressure and some positive play from the Matildas.

24 min: Freekick to the Matildas, again in a useful central area, about 25m out. This time Kellond-Knight lines it up – and she goes top left corner, but Peng moves well to execute the save!

Best chance of the match so far – fine football from both.

21 min: Australia enjoying a lot of the early possession, but mostly at the back. As expected it’s a disciplined and organised Chinese team without the ball. Kellond-Knight and Van Egmond failing to see much of the action in central positions.

A rare chance as Carpenter whips in a cross, but it evades Foord at the far post.

18 min: Nervy moments at the back as Polkinghorne has her pocket picked by one of China’s strikers.

It’s a concern we’ve seen before at the World Cup – the new approach is comfort on the ball, but for some of the Matildas it’s not always an adaptation that can happen overnight.

15 min: Another whistle as Raso is caught late Zhai Qingwei. Watch that space – and early booking and the fullback could be in trouble over the next 75 minutes.

13 min: A break in play as we stop for a blood bin with Hayley Raso copping a trailing arm from the Chinese left back. Just me or has this been a rugged start from the Steel Roses?

It’s a terrific name, by the by – capturing the grace and the bite of this Chinese side. We’ve seen a bit more of the steel so far though, you’d warrant.

10 min: The Matildas with very little time on the ball – it’s a noticeably more high-octane first ten minutes than we’ve seen over the opening two clashes from Campbelltown, but as we know you can’t press for 90 minutes.

7 min: It is Kennedy who takes it, but it’s gathered well by Peng, despite scooping up the effort on the bounce. She might be disappointed with that, the central defender – she does fancy herself as a threat from set piece.

5 min: The whistle blows against Wang who catches Williams in goal with a trailing leg as she looked to run down an overhit pass.

Logarzo now goes down after a heavy contact with China’s skipper, Wu. Kennedy stands over a free kick from a useful area, around 25m out.

3 min: Huge cheers as Sam Kerr gets her first touch – it’s a lovely ball from Catley down the left, but the skipper is adjudged to have been offside. A tight one, replays suggest.

It’s a great combination between the vice-captain and captain, look for that play to feature prominently tonight.

A frenetic few moments as play breaks both ways, before Caitlin Foord peels off the first shot of the evening but it drifts harmlessly wide.

Kick off!

1 min: And we’re away! No rapid attack from Australia this time, as the Matildas enjoy possession in the back and middle thirds. China press and look lively without the ball.

Our players are out on the field – where there’s a nice moment as dignitaries from Australia and China exchange presents and confirm a mutual friendship between the two nations.

The anthems are observed, and there’s some decent noise from the crowd inside Parramatta Stadium. What a stadium for football. Just lovely.

You may recall China made it to the final 16 (the same stage that Australia exited the competition) at last year’s World Cup in France, going down to Italy – a team that also shocked Australia.

Some of their leading stars from that tournament won’t be here, notably, Paris St Germain’s Wang Shuang, but there’s still plenty of experience out there for the Steel Roses. Wang Shanshan boasts 130+ caps, with skipper Wu Haiyan approaching 120.

And here’s the starting XI for China:

Peng Shimeng (GK), Lin Yuping, Wu Haiyan, Luo Guiping, Zhai Qingwei; Zhang Xin, Ma Jun, Li Ying, Yao Lingwei; Wang Shanshan, Tang Jiali.

Li Ying, Tang Jiali and Wang Shanshan all boast three goals already across the past two matches, so those three will be the immediate dangers. It’s a strong, well-organised XI that’s been preparing for some years for these Olympics – so they’ll be definitely more than competitive.

An early goal – or at least not conceding – could be key for the Matildas.

So, first to team news – specifically Australia’s XI to start, where it’s a return to what you’d have to say is Ante Milicic’s strongest eleven. He’s rotated and chopped and changed across the tournament – wise given the context of three games in quick succession and given most of his outfielders the chance to impress.

But it’s seven changes from the XI that took on Thailand, spearheaded by none other than Captain Fantastic, Sam Kerr.

I’m still chasing details on China’s XI, but we’ll have those details through as soon as they emerge.

Hi all! A best of greetings to you wherever around the world of WoSo you’re following our coverage tonight.

Are you a Matildas fan stuck in a far flung corner of the globe? Or are you hotel-bound in Wuhan, climbing the walls for a lack of outdoor adventure? No doubt there will plenty of interested parties watching this one around the world – not just the scouts from Korea or Vietnam.

We’d love to hear from you whatever your circumstances might be – fire us an email or tweet to join the conversation. First topic: predictions!