The Matildas take on North Korea in the AFC 2010 Asian Cup final tonight. It’s Australia’s second major football final since our arrival in Asia in 2006.
In the previous final, also involving the Matildas in 2006, Australia lost on penalties to China. This is the first in which the Australian’s in my view are favourites. Sign of the times for our increasing numbers of female players and our improved W-League our national league maybe?
With all the Aussie sports writers across the nation focusing on the World Cup, coverage for one of the most popular female sports in the media remains sparse. Even dear old SBS seem to have neglected any major coverage of the Matildas. One wonders why?
However, ABC have done themselves proud with their TV coverage although having former Socceroos expertly analysing each game in the studio has left me puzzled. Have Matt Thompson and Ante Milicic ever watched the women’s game? And even if they have aren’t their two articulate ex-Matildas able to splutter their way through the games a la the lads? For another day perhaps.
Anyway, it’s the final tonight, an Asian Cup Final against those pesky, unsporting North Koreans. Why so unfair? Well they walked off in their last game against the Aussies in Brisbane in March, a game we won 3-2.
With a penalty awarded to Australia just before half-time the whole team walked off. Under FIFA rules no player is allowed to leave the pitch without permission. They did, for over five minutes, before being persuaded back on.
They’ve done it before as well. A yellow card or two might have helped but Referees and the AFC seem not to enforce the rules they apply to their other 45 mations.
Anyway; I think we’ll win! Our defence is getting stronger every game. We’re confident, very relaxed after qualifying for the World Cup next year as a result of the semi final win against China. Historically that was and is no mean feat.
There is no love lost between the Koreans and ourselves. So expect grit and fireworks all around the pitch; indeed the Australians will need to remain composed.
And if you don’t like cheating, diving and all round bad sportsmanship, then I suggest you don’t watch.
I expect the same team as the semi-final and these players, Sally Shipard and Heather Garriock aside, haven’t played more than two games. They should be as fresh as you ever are at the end of a tournament and the game is being played at a later, cooler time.
No pressure now we’ve qualified, so let’s hope we see an improved performance with the ball and in the attacking third.
I’d like to see Collette McCallum, Clare Polkinghorne and Sally Shipard supporting our defenders when they have the ball much much more, or else the football which has been character building rather than controlling may continue.
Hopefully we can boss this game with the ball a little more, as we did in Brisbane.
I see no reason why this can’t be our best footballing show of the tournament, and with Sam Kerr to explode in the final thirty we might just have our icing on the cake.
The new De Vanna? At 16 you wouldn’t bet against her. I’ll watch her with interest come Germany next year.
Elise Kellond-Knight at left-back has been a revelation and she can only get better. She controls the ball so well, is confident in her own ability and gets the team moving sweetly. With Elise in full flow, Heather Garriock up ahead we must have as good a left-side as any in the World. We need to use it now.
Anyhow, enjoy the game and if the North Koreans walk off I’ll be looking at the AFC final ref to hold them to the professional football standards immediately. It’s about time someone in the Asia Football Confederation held them to the rules.
Go the Matildas! Let’s bring home our first Asian title.
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What if we celebrated all of the achievements big and small, and weeded out those hell-bent on bringing down a game that is doing a hell of a lot right?
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