The Matildas defeated South Korea 2-0 in front of 28,019 people in Newcastle to complete the April international window.
Mary Fowler opened the scoring on the cusp of half-time after Courtney Nevin found Emily van Egmond just beyond the top of the box, and the hometown hero played through a sublime ball for Fowler to run onto and finish sweetly.
In a much different looking game to their meeting on Friday in Sydney, South Korea pressed the Matildas early and had chances with Charlotte Grant intervening on two occasions.
The new-look combination of Holly McNamara and Fowler up top showed glimpses of brilliance with some chances of their own.
At the break, Caitlin Foord replaced for McNamara and showed once again why she is one of the best players to ever don the green-and-gold. As Australia put their foot down, Foord had three chances to finish off a Fowler cross before Kaitlyn Torpey's effort was helped into the back of the net by Lim Seon-Joo.
South Korea had a late goal ruled out for offside ensuring the Matildas completed the window with two wins and two clean sheets.
An Asian Cup preview? Probably not
These two friendlies were always important for the Matildas. First and foremost, after the horror show that was the SheBelieves Cup, the team needed to string together some wins.
Secondly, they provided a test against the nation who knocked the Matildas out of the Asian Cup in 2022 and who will likely be an obstacle at some point of Australia's 2026 Asian Cup journey.
Regarding the first point, these two wins were a good morale boost. The fact that they were clean sheets makes them even better. With a slew of injuries creating opportunities for fringe players who mostly acquitted themselves, this window was a good first step in building some confidence for players and fans alike.
But looking at these wins through the lens of the Asian Cup, they don't offer as much. There is no revenge to be gained from two friendly wins after a demoralising major tournament exit three years ago. And considering where these two teams are in their respective lifecycles, these two matches didn't offer much of a preview of any potential clash in 2026 either.
"It's early days, the tournament's a few months away and I think teams are probably building and just trying to figure out what works so these are the games to try and do it," Foord said when asked about the opposition in the context of the Asian Cup on the broadcast.
"I think come the tournament, you're not gonna get the South Korea that we got today and you're not going to get an Australia that you're seeing today as well."
One step closer to answer to the Fowler question
When the new coach arrives, maximising Fowler's talent will be one of their top priorities. However, they'll be able to take a lot out of this game in Newcastle, with Fowler playing a pivotal role in both Australian goals.
Interim head coach Tom Sermanni told media this game was the most involved he had seen Fowler during this stint and was driven by her move out to the wing, a move which came about after conversations between coach and player.
"We've talked about where we think and where she thinks she's best fitted and obviously she's playing predominantly for Manchester City on either the left side or the right side and at the moment she feels more comfortable there," Sermanni said post-game.
"I think it gives her more space to work in. You can create a little bit more from there and if we are playing well that she gets on the ball a lot more."
Fowler echoed Sermanni's comments, citing the space she gets to work in and the familiarity from playing there for her club.
"I enjoyed being there tonight. And I think on a personal level, I want to try to be a bit more consistent with my performance at national team. So I think being out in that position made it a bit easier for me to be in a role that I've played quite a bit this season," she said.
Her move out wide also benefited from McNamara's presence as well as Foord's ability to play a more central role in a forward line.
One last time for Sermanni?
Sermanni has coached the Matildas 149 times across his three stints in charge. And there is a decent chance that he will reach the 150-game milestone during the May/June international window when the Matildas will face Argentina in friendly matches in Melbourne and Canberra.
The Matildas search for a new coach, which is in its ninth month after Tony Gustavsson departed post-Olympics, has seen one name pop up more consistently than any other: Lyon boss Joe Montemurro.
The Australian coach appears to be the frontrunner for the job, but his current post could be the reason Sermanni is in charge for another window. The timing of the Argentina friendlies clashes with the UEFA Women's Champions League final, a match that Montemurro and Lyon will be aiming to play in; they face Arsenal in the semifinals later this month.
If Montemurro is indeed Football Australia's man and they have, out of respect for his current club and contract, been willing to wait as long as they have for him, they will be hoping desperately that he is worth the wait.