Australia v Colombia SheBelieves Cup: Matildas lose 2-1 in final match as Hayley Raso scores

The Matildas’ miserable SheBelieves Cup campaign has ended on a frustrating low note, with Ellie Carpenter injured as Australia lost 2-1 to Colombia to finish last in the invitational tournament.

The same day Football Australia celebrated a year to go until the Asian Cup on home soil, the Matildas, still without a permanent head coach, slumped to their third defeat in a week.

Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat in San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium followed a 2-1 loss to the United States and 4-0 thumping at the hands of Japan - in a tournament meant to be ideal preparation for the Asian Cup.

Carpenter, who played 90 minutes in the first two games, was substituted with an apparent quad issue late in the first half.

Tony Gustavsson’s permanent successor won’t be in charge for Australia’s next games in April, with FA chief executive James Johnson confirming interim coach Tom Sermanni will take the reins against South Korea.

Wendy Bonilla’s cracking strike in the 15th minute gave Colombia the lead before Hayley Raso’s deflected strike - Australia’s only shot on target - equalised in the 69th.

But Catalina Usme scored the winner four minutes later with a deflected long-range shot.

Sermanni fielded an experienced team and Emily van Egmond looped an opportunistic chance just wide in the third minute

Teagan Micah, selected ahead of Mackenzie Arnold, made an excellent one-handed save to deny Leicy Santos in the seventh minute.

Shortly after, a poor turnover from Katrina Gorry proved costly as Linda Caicedo nipped in, working the ball to Mayra Ramirez, who turned on a dime and launched a wonderful cross-field ball into the path of Bonilla.

The winger burst forward and rifled a wonderful strike past a diving Micah.

Michelle Heyman should have equalised in the 21st minute when van Egmond put her through on goal.

But the veteran striker dithered on the ball, allowing Colombia goalkeeper Natalia Giraldo to get a hand in.

Two minutes later, Gorry intercepted a stray pass and squared the ball for Kyra Cooney-Cross, who had one shot blocked then fired her rebound wide.

Sermanni turned to Caitlin Foord at half-time and she ripped a strike wide in the 54th minute.

The Australians struck when Charli Grant and Mary Fowler combined beautifully down the left before Raso barged through the Colombia defence to force a shot home.

But the Matildas were brought undone four minutes later by Usme.

Micah made a big save to deny Caicedo at the death.

Sermanni made several changes for the match taking Fowler and Foord out of the starting line-up, while Heyman, Katrinna Gorry and Clare Hunt returned to the starting side.

The match came two days after Triple M radio host Marty Sheargold left the network over a series of offensive and misogynistic remarks he made on Tuesday about the Matildas, whom he compared to “Year 10 girls” and women’s sport.

Prime Minster Anthony Albanese said the comments deriding female sport were “completely unacceptable” and the Matildas were “legends”.

Sermanni said on Wednesday the Matildas’ poor performances are not immune from scrutiny but “outrageous” and “out of order” comments from a disgraced radio host overstepped the mark.

Sheargold received widespread condemnation for his remarks, which earned a rebuke from Sports Minister Annika Wells, Matildas midfielder Clare Wheeler and the players’ union, Professional Footballers Australia.

Wheeler shared how the comments had made the players feel.

“Sport is for everyone and these views are for no one,“ Wheeler posted online.

While a member of the 2023 World Cup squad, Alex Chidiac, simply posted, “so sick of this shit”.

PFA chief executive Beau Busch had described the remarks as “disgusting, pathetic and deeply misogynistic”, while Football Australia lashed Sheargold’s comments in a statement.

“As sporting teams we’re used to criticism but sometimes the comments cross the line,” interim Australia coach Tom Sermanni said.

“That one certainly did cross the line; it was completely unnecessary and generally outrageous.

“It’s something that from a behavioural perspective, is really very disappointing.

“The comments just crossed the line and were basically out of order and very unnecessary.

“You don’t mind (criticism). Our team is a high-profile team and being a high-profile team you take criticism and create criticism, sometimes near to the edge and sometimes it goes over the edge and those comments did that.”

Sermanni himself has not been afraid to call out underwhelming Matildas displays during this tournament.

He described their loss to Japan as “un-Australian” but was encouraged by the improvement against the Americans.

The Scot, meanwhile, said he still had no indication as to whether he would be Australia’s coach in their next international window in April.

The Matildas take on South Korea in Sydney and Newcastle.

“Nobody has tapped me in the shoulder yet, but I keep looking over it just to see if there’s somebody behind me,” Sermanni said on Wednesday.

“At the moment, the answer is still the same as it was and nobody has told me any different.

“I’ve been trying to retire for two years. But, look, if the federation would like me to be involved in anything like I’m doing now I’d be delighted to be involved.”