The Matildas defeated Argentina in front of 43,020 fans in Melbourne to celebrate interim coach Tom Sermanni's 150th game in charge.
Kahli Johnson opened the scoring in the 38th minute to cap off a dream debut. Charlotte Grant's pinpoint cross was met by the head of a marginally offside Johnson but with no VAR, the goal stood.
Australia looked the more settled of the two sides but rarely threatened in the first half outside the goal. After the break, the Matildas looked stronger and the team was eventually able to double their advantage.
In one of the more comical goals scored in international football, Kaitlyn Torpey thought she had completely misfired a cross, sinking to her knees with her head in her hands. However, she struck it in such a way that it bested Abigaíl Chaves in net and settled into the far post.
Teagan Micah was rarely tested in goal for the Matildas, while Amy Sayer marked her return to the national team following an ACL injury with 23 minutes off the bench.
The two sides will meet again on Monday in Canberra to round out the international window.
Kahli Johnson goes bang
Kahli Johnson has had the kind of week you dream of as a kid. In national team camp for the first time, the 21-year-old's name was in the starting lineup in her debut game for her country.
She found out she was playing the night before the game, saying "it's probably a good thing that I had no idea because it really didn't give me much time to start to panic".
If she was nervous or panicky, she certainly didn't show it, acquitting herself with aplomb. Finding the back of the net was the icing on top of the cake.
While both Sermanni and his Argentine counterpart German Portanova noted the goal was offside, with varying degrees of authority, Johnson had a much more philosophical response when asked about it.
"The flag doesn't go up, but I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" she joked postgame.
Sitting beside her, Sermanni quipped "ask Izzy Gomez" referencing her offside goal which steered her Central Coast Mariners to the A-League Women Grand Final where they defeated Melbourne Victory.
But Johnson's fairytale start to life in green-and-gold was a positive sign for the national team as a whole as the Matildas continue their search for the next crop of goalscorers.
She recently moved from Western United to Calgary Wild in Canada's new Northern Super League and has taken her goalscoring form with her. When asked about her debut, Sermanni was full of praise: "She just kind of fulfilled what I saw of her as a player prior to her coming in."
Sermanni's special milestone
Tom Sermanni's third stint in charge of the Matildas was never meant to last this long. Called upon in the nation's time of need following Tony Gustavsson's departure after the disappointing Olympic campaign in 2024, there was an expectation that Sermanni would be in the top job temporarily.
But one window became two. And two became three. And now in his fifth window in charge, Sermanni has been able to notch up an impressive milestone.
This win against Argentina was his 150th 'A' international in charge of the Matildas. These games have come across three different stints that have spanned four decades and included the 2010 Women's Asian Cup victory.
He has been instrumental in helping women's football in Australia grow from something small and neglected to the booming, bright behemoth it is today, and overseen generation after generation of Matildas make their mark on the pitch.
Giving players their debut and, thanks to his longevity in the game, being able to watch their careers progress has been a highlight for the Scottish-born coach, citing Champions League-winning duo Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord, who he gave debuts to in 2012 and 2011 respectively, as two prime examples.
It is so obvious that Sermanni cares about women's football in this country deeply and is uniquely qualified to speak on it. His strong comments earlier in the week about the state of the A-League Women garnered plenty of attention but he once again spoke of his desire to see Australia not just keep up with the wider women's football landscape but succeed.
"I always want more for women's football. It's my job and it's always been my job," he said.
"It's been my job since I first walked into women's football in 1994. And it will continue to be my job, and while I've got a position where I can influence things then it's important that I do that."
While the length of this interim stint has caused more than its fair share of stress and angst, Sermanni has done what he has always done; fought for the women's game, blooded the next generation of players, and cracked a few jokes while doing it. The women's football community in Australia is lucky to have him.
Champions League afterglow
It was hard to escape the fanfare surrounding Arsenal's stunning win in the Champions League final. National teams across the globe welcomed their winners to camp warmly with Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, and Kyra Cooney-Cross no exception. Naturally the Gunners celebrations meant the trio was late coming into camp. By extension, none of the three players took to the pitch on Friday with a less experienced lineup able to get the job done.
Luckily for fans who sit in the overlap of Arsenal and Matildas, Sermanni indicated they would be involved in Monday's match: "They should be fit and ready to go."