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.”
Wombat
Roar Rookie
There is a lot at state with Rio qualification for the Matildas. Whilst the recent Women's World Cup DID draw some impressive TV audiences; qualification for the Olympics means the opportunity for primetime TV exposure to an audience that is countless times larger. The Matildas have shown they are a team that can frighten the daylights out of the very best sides in the world. In fact, they are prob ably only 1-2 players shy of potentially being one of the elite top 4-5 teams. Japan has had the advantage over the Matildas in recent years however these DO tend to be tight affairs and they have to feel they can reverse this. Vietnam have to be considered the underdogs in this competition but from there it gets tougher. South Korea made the round of 16 at the World Cup and China matched the Matildas in making the quarters (going out to the USA). AUS beat South Korea at last year's Asian Cup but it was a tight one. AUS has recently had the upper hand over CHN but this cannot be taken for granted. North Korea has tended to be the 'bogey team" for the Matlida's in the past two tournaments; sinking them both times. They were banned from participation for this last Women's World Cup but their current World Ranking is above the Matildas at no.6. This WILL be very tough; a quantum leap in difficulty above World Cup qualification. Very achievable and I really would like to see them do it but I'm not sure I'd care to wager any sum on them making it.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Speaking of Rio, news just coming through that in the U17 world cup, South Korea has defeated Brazil 1-0: "Korea Republik hat bei der FIFA U-17-WM 2015 bereits am ersten Spieltag der Gruppe B für eine große Überraschung gesorgt. Die Asiaten gewannen gegen den dreimaligen Champion Brasilien mit 1:0. "