Asia’s been conquered, now watch out world, say the Matildas.
Coach Tom Sermanni believes his Australian team’s triumph in the women’s Asian Cup on Sunday will help make them genuine contenders at next year’s World Cup in Germany.
The Matildas defeated North Korea 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out in Sunday’s final in Chengdu, China after scores were tied 1-1 following extra time in a final marred by monsoonal conditions.
Australia made the quarter-finals at the last World Cup in China in 2007, in what was a breakthrough campaign.
Sermanni believes the factors behind their Asian Cup success will give his world No.14 ranked charges a great chance to better that effort in Germany.
“Obviously it’s a great achievement for the players and a great confidence booster,” Sermanni told AAP.
“It was warned coming into this competition that this team was just going to be a little bit short of experience and a little bit short in game preparation.
“So the fact that we’ve now got another year to go, I think if everybody stays fit and healthy we can go to Germany feeling very confident.
“The other significant thing about the result is we got it without two of our key and most potent players in Sarah Walsh and Lisa De Vanna … that’s like taking a Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo out of a Manchester United team.
“When you put that in its context that was a great result.”
De Vanna suffered a broken leg in the final group match loss to China while Walsh went into the Asian Cup tournament without any real preparation after knee surgery.
On Sunday, Australia took the lead when 16-year-old winger Samantha Kerr, younger sister of AFL star Daniel Kerr, scored in the 19th minute.
But world No.7 North Korea came out firing in the second half and were rewarded when midfielder Jo Yun Mi headed an 73rd minute equaliser to send the match into extra time.
The penalty shoot-out victory helped bury the memories of 2006 Asian Cup, when Australia surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose on penalties to China in the final in Adelaide.
Sermanni said the formation of the Australia W-League, which has now played two seasons, had been a key part of his team’s success.
“I think it’s helped the depth of the squad and given players an opportunity,” he said.
“It’s given us more competition and a high-level women’s competition which is quite important.
“All those little things help toward performances in these kind of comps.”
Sermanni said his team would keep a keen eye on the Socceroos at the looming men’s World Cup in South Africa.
“It’d be nice to have a double,” he said “We’ve had great support from the players and the staff from the Socceroos and we give them our complete support as well and hopefully they can do the business in South Africa.”
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