They’ve still got to get through some punishing qualifiers, but Matildas defender Alanna Kennedy is quietly confident the team have a solid shot of breaking their 12-year Olympics drought.
Australia’s World Cup heroes depart for China next week for what will be the squad’s final opportunity to play together before February’s crucial qualifying tournament in Osaka.
In Japan they’ll come up against Japan, North Korea, China, South Korea and Vietnam, with only two teams booking a ticket to Rio.
Kennedy said there are no illusions about the enormity of the task, especially given Australia hasn’t made an Olympic appearance since the Athens 2004 Games.
But she said their inspiring run to the World Cup quarter-finals in Canada, where she played in all five games, demonstrated just how much coach Alen Stajcic’s current group are capable of.
“We proved at the World Cup that we’re a competitive team amongst the top teams in the world, so we are quietly confident,” Kennedy told AAP.
“But also that has to come together once we are at the qualifiers.
“I have a lot of confidence in the team that we can push on and you’ll see us in Rio.”
With last month’s pay-related boycott of their US tour now firmly behind them, Kennedy said the focus is well and truly on the field.
The 20-year-old was back in camp last week at the Australian Institute of Sport to prepare for the 10-day tour during which they will play matches against China and England and possibly a third opponent.
“It’ll be good for us not only to play together again, but for Staj to have a look at the squad and for us to have some international games under our belt,” Kennedy said at Sydney Children’s Hospital, where she and Sydney FC teammates Amy Harrison and Sunny Franco were visiting sick kids.
“For fitness levels the W-League will help with preparation, but the international games are the ones that really are the big test so it’s very important.”
The Matildas had been scheduled to tour the US last month but were involved in a pay dispute with Football Federation Australia and cancelled the trip.
They have since accepted an interim deal and committed to the China tour.
Stajcic has retained the bulk of his World Cup squad, making only a few changes including the inclusion of Harrison, who has one prior cap earlier this year against New Zealand.
“It’s a bit surreal,” she said.
“I thought I did fairly well at camp and was just hoping. But when I saw my name I got a bit of a rush and I’m so excited.”
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
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?
The Matildas have been dealt a horrible hand as they strive to win their first Olympic medal. The draw for the women's and men's…
The ruthless Matildas have thrashed Uzbekistan 10-0 to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games in style, with Michelle Heyman scoring four goals to put…
In a few hours, the Matildas will round off a successful pair of matches against Uzbekistan with a convincing win and be qualified for…
Michelle Heyman has delighted in scoring her first international goal in almost eight years to inspire a 3-0 victory over Uzbekistan and drag the…
Australia's captain and star striker Sam Kerr has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during Chelsea's warm weather training camp in Morocco, the…
