Kieran Pender was at a chilly GIO Stadium as the Matildas gave interim coach Tom Sermanni a heartwarming farewell. Kieran’s report is in …

90 mins: There will be three minutes of added time and the way this is going you wouldn’t put it past the Matildas finding another.

86 mins: There is little let up for Argentina as the Matildas look hungry for another.

81 mins: The sting has gone out of the contest since Van Egmond extended the Matildas’ lead but Foord is still one player still running as hard as ever and McNamara looks desperate to score – or at least make a good impression on future boss Joe Montemurro.

78 mins: 25,125 fans at GIO Stadium have made this the largest crowd at a women’s sporting event in Canberra.

75 mins: Triple substitution for Australia. Isabel Gomez makes her Matildas debut as international cap 238 after a superb season with A-League Women champions Central Coast Mariners. Jamilla Rankin and Kaitlyn Torpey also run onto the turf at GIO Stadium, while Grant, Van Egmond and Nevin are done for the day.

69 mins: Australia are far from content with their narrow advantage while Argentina are hanging on to stay in the game. A rare forward thrust in the second half is cut off by a strong clearance from Nevin.

67 mins: Cooney-Cross is at it again in close quarters and this time finds Heyman inside the box. A first shot is blocked by a diving defender before the Matildas forward is quickest to respond and get off a shot on target that is only kept out by the keeper.

65 mins: Foord is through on goal again as Cooney-Cross runs at the last line but in perhaps just her second error this evening the Matildas attacker mis-times her run and is well offside before receiving the disguised pass.

63 mins: Changes for the Matildas as interim coach Tom Sermanni chases a win in his final game in charge. Local favourite Michelle Heyman and experience defender Alanna Kennedy enter the fray with Sayer and Prior both taking a seat on the bench.

62 mins: Caitlin Foord misses when it was easier to score than knock a cross into the left post as Amy Sayer impresses on one last play. Foord charges into the box to meet a pinpoint pass but her side-foot shot is only blocked by the woodwork.

60 mins: Wheeler picks out McNamara with a scything pass that would have had the forward through on goal. But a brief hesitation from the Matildas midfielder saw McNamara drift narrowly offside. Can’t help but sense an opportunity could be coming her way though.

57 mins: Holly McNamara comfortably chests down a cross, swivels to her right and swiftly gets a shot away but keeper Pereyra is awake to the danger. The wait for a first Matildas goal continues for the otherwise prolific scorer.

54 mins: Amy Sayer’s eyes light up with a hat-trick there for the taking after Emily Van Egmond releases her down the right. But the attacker is caught in two minds as a half chip, half shot pops over the top of the keeper and crossbar.

51 mins: Another wasted set piece from the Matildas releases the pressure on the Argentina defence. That has been one of the real weaknesses for Australia tonight and an obvious area for incoming coach Joe Montemurro to focus on improving.

48 mins: One change for Argentina with Catalina Roggerone on for Romina Nũnez who was on a yellow card. The visitors are stuck in their own half and left absorbing plenty of pressure without the Matildas quite creating any chances.

46 mins: No change at the break for the Matildas as they kick off the second half and are immediately on the front foot with some high energy play.

Australia have had more of the ball with 58-42 possession but both teams have had their chance with the hosts leading 6-5 for shots. Argentina have had an extra attempt on target.

45 mins: Holly McNamara has been buzzing around since coming on and almost finds enough space to launch an attack. But the final pass is narrowly offline and the danger passes. Two minutes of added time to come.

43 mins: Maria Florencia Bonsegundo tests Teagan Micah after outmuscling Charli Grant then firing a cross into the six-yard box. The keeper has to get low to gather just before the Argentina attackers arrive.

41 mins: Foord continues to cause Argentina all sorts of problems as the Champions League winner finds space along the goalline but has her low cross saved by the keeper. Romina Nũnez soon accepts the first caution of the game when resorting to a tackle on Foord to slow down another pacey run.

38 mins: Hearts leap into mouths as the ball strikes Natasha Prior’s arm inside the box but there was little warning of what was to come and the referee quite reasonably waves away the Argentina protests.

34 mins: Kishi Nũnez almost creates something out of nothing after a Micah clearance falls short. A high and wide shot spares the Australian keeper’s blushes. Holly McNamara replaces Kahli Johnson.

32 mins: Kahli Johnson has made a blazing start to her Matildas career with a goal on debut and an assist for Amy Sayer tonight. But she is forced from the field with what looks like a quad injury and is unlikely to take any further part in this game.

30 mins: Steph Catley charges down the left and earns a foul alongside the penalty box. A lengthy build up leads to an anti-climax as the free kick fails to clear the Argentina defenders in the box. The Matildas have wasted all of their similar opportunities so far.

27 mins: The Matildas look unsettled after Argentina found a goal out of relatively nothing. Neither side is able to hold onto the ball as it bounces between the two midfields.

22 mins: The Matildas work their way forward slowly without taking too many risks. A clever corner formation almost opens up an opportunity but Catley’s cross inside the box is blocked and cleared.

20 mins: A pair of robust Argentina challenges catch the eye of the referee before the visitors enjoy their first extended period of time on the ball since before the opener. They go searching for a gap around the top of the box but Clare Wheeler intervenes and earns a timely foul.

17 mins: All the momentum is with the Matildas after Sayer’s opener as the hosts continue to play with attacking intent that is testing the Argentina defence.

12 mins: Nevin plays an early cross in search of Van Egmond charging into the box. Argentina keeper Solana Pereyra – who returns after missing the first friendly due to a previous red card – comes to collect. Caitlin Foord and Aldana Cometti come together and the Argentina captain is left on the turf.

10 mins: Courtney Nevin is getting into good areas deep in the attacking half. The defender picks out Amy Sayer in the box but the blur of fast feet aren’t enough to find a way through.

8 mins: Kahli Johnson makes a darting run through the centre of the pitch until dispossessed as Argentina quickly find space down the right. A dangerous cross is cleared by Charli Grant who has made a strong start in front of her future national team boss.

5 mins: Argentina drive forward for the first time but the Matildas’ high line holds firm to eliminate the danger with a clear offside call.

3 mins: The Matildas attack down the left side again and almost find an opener as an Argentina clearance falls to Charli Grant at the top of the penalty box. The right-back’s hurried shot sails over the cross bar.

1 min: The Matildas win the ball back immediately from the kick off and Clare Wheeler makes a scything run toward the corner flag. The midfielder is brought to ground and goes searching for a free kick but referee Supiree Testhomya points for a goal kick.

The national anthems are complete, team photos have been taken and Argentina are about to kick off Matildas interim coach Tom Sermanni’s last match in charge.

The next Matildas coach Joe Montemurro is at GIO Stadium in Canberra to watch his new side take on Argentina.

Kieran Pender is braving the elements in an outdoor press box at GIO Stadium and all set to report on the historic game between the Matildas and Argentina. Thanks for taking one for the team, Kieran!

The crowd is building at Canberra Stadium for what will be a record-breaking encounter between the Matildas and Argentina – the best-attended women’s sporting event in Canberra history, after tickets were sold out. The crowd will have to battle frigid Canberra conditions; Canberra Stadium is a notoriously cold venue, and the temperature is already in the single digits – dropping fast.

Joe Montemurro comes with the strongest of pedigrees in women’s football and might have been in charge of the Matildas much sooner if not for mis-steps and hesitation by Football Australia. Joey Lynch looks at why it took FA so long to turn to a decorated Australian candidate who “had a big come and get me banner effectively floating over the top of his head”.

FA seems to have hit on the right outcome by appointing Montemurro. But unfortunately, the process that landed them here was anything but well executed – with potential flow-on effects for his tenure.

By the time their new coach takes up his position, the Matildas will have logged five camps under Sermanni and played 13 games – crucial contact hours Montemurro won’t get. The interim coach has done his best to blood new talent and prepare for the Asian Cup during this time, but the nature of his stop-gap role placed limitations on what he could do.

Ten months of uncertainty ended when the worst kept secret was finally revealed and Football Australia unveiled Joe Montemurro as the next Matildas coach.

The former Lyon boss will have only 10 months to prepare the Matildas for a Women’s Asian Cup on home soil but the short runway is something he isn’t going to shy away from.

“You’re not going to see it straight away, you’ll see little dribs and drabs coming through, but the most important thing is to have it ready and understanding for the big tournaments,” the new Matildas coach said during the announcement in Sydney today.