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The Matildas will head into Sunday morning’s Women’s World Cup quarter-final riding on a massive high after knocking off Brazil, but standing in their way are reigning world and continental champions Japan.
The clash will reignite what is fast becoming Asian football’s fiercest rivalry, with the two countries battling it out across the men’s and women’s games, at senior and youth levels.
The tactical and technical nous of Japan and the athleticism and speed of the Matildas will make for a great showdown. Where Australia need to be wary, though, is in assuming they have the momentum.
After an upset win it is so easy for a team – or individual in other sports – to play as though the ascendency will naturally continue. But it is no given that the Matildas will start the quarter-final with fluidity, this they must earn against a highly organised Japan side.
Vine videos of Japan’s faultless formation were rife following their defeat of the Netherlands midweek, and stretching this shape early on – even for brief periods – will be key for Alen Stajcic’s charges. Once Australia begin switching the point of the attack with sharpness, they can begin to look for holes, as they did when Kyah Simon ultimately bulged the back of the net against Brazil.
In short, the Matildas need to be at their counter-attacking best to bring an impressive Japan side undone. Once they have played themselves into the contest, the belief that Australia will have picked up from their group stage and round of 16 efforts may start to show.
And it will need to, with the Matildas likely carrying some doubts after drawing 2-2 with Japan in the Women’s Asian Cup last year before going down in the final 1-0 to their rivals.
In this encounter, Aya Miyama and Yuki Ogimi will need to be kept quiet, with the former doing a number on the Dutch in the round of 16. This will heap yet more defensive pressure on Caitlin Foord and Stephanie Catley for Australia.
On the Matildas’ side is an extra day of rest, which can prove crucial during world or continental cups. And, if that’s not enough time to prepare, there’s always the hope that Japan goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori will generously throw in another howler, as she did last start.
Sometimes, when the stakes are at their highest, it is a brief moment of luck which decides the outcome of a match. And such moments only add to the depth of the enmity between the two squads.
Certainly there are more political battles that could be played between Asian nations – Korea Republic versus Democratic People’s Republic of Korea springs immediately to mind – but for the football purist, there is no greater confrontation than Australia and Japan right now. In truth, that rivalry could be the catalyst that one day sees Asian football rise to the levels many have been predicting in recent years.
After surviving against two of the world’s top 10 nations in the group stage, and felling the might of Brazil in the knockout phase, there is no telling what the Matildas can do.
For the sake of the game in Australia, and the bourgeoning rivalry with continental giants Japan, let’s hope they can write another memorable chapter in women’s football this weekend.
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