The Matildas have blitzed their way to Tournament of Nations glory by defeating Brazil 6-1 to claim the inaugural four-team competition in stunning style.
Doubles from record-breaker Lisa De Vanna and Caitlin Foord helped Australia overturn an early deficit in Carson, with Katrina Gorry also adding her name to the scoresheet.
Sam Kerr was irrepressible, winning a first-half penalty to earn an equaliser before providing two assists and icing the match with Australia’s sixth goal.
The comprehensive win was the Matildas’ third in a week and delivered their first piece of silverware since the 2010 Asian Cup.
While this tournament is only a friendly series, a first-ever win over world champions USA and victories over highly-ranked Japan and Brazil make it arguably the Matildas’ greatest success.
The triumph over Brazil came despite an early setback.
Skipper Elise Kellond-Knight conceded a free kick in the opening minute, which Tamires rolled across the box for Camila to score from.
The replay made for excruciating viewing, as the ball trickled home within the reach of three defenders and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold.
Five minutes later, Kerr helped Alen Stajcic’s team get back on level terms.
The in-form striker was hauled down in the box by Bia Zaneratto, allowing De Vanna to equalise from close range after her initial spot kick was saved.
Arnold’s fine save and quick release allowed Australia to take the lead, with Foord finishing an end-to-end move just after the half hour.
Having provided Foord’s assist from the right, minutes later Kerr played in De Vanna from the left and the veteran made no mistake to make the score 3-1.
De Vanna’s brace moved her ahead of Kate Gill as the Matildas’ all-time leading goalscorer, with 42.
Australia maintained the rage, with star midfielder Gorry beating two defenders and striking a sweet individual goal.
After the break, Foord made it five by latching onto substitute Tameka Butt’s fine through ball and rounding the keeper.
With 10 minutes remaining, Kerr then bustled her way through a bruised Brazilian defence, poking home past Dani Neuhaus.
The only negative for Australia was an ankle injury to Chloe Logarzo, who was taken off in agony in the first half.
punter
Guest
WOW!!!!
Nemesis
Guest
Middy, there are strong rumours from reliable sources that Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been given an offer by MelbCity. Apparently: City Group is willing to invest massive dollars to make Zlatan the face of MelbCity and to elevate the club in Australia. Interesting times.
Kangajets
Guest
Great work Australia
Midfielder
Guest
Lowy sadly is not the person to lead Football.... I say sadly as we need a leader who can set the debate and lead the conversation and Lowy is not this person ...
northerner
Guest
Oh yeah, ground breaking. The AFLW is playing its players semi pro money for 7or 8 games. That's been pretty much the standard of other codes for payment over a whole season. When did the salaries for any women's teams in any sports here get past the part-time, semi pro level? Right after the WBBL and AFLW showed there was a market that could generate TV revenue and spectators in the stands. And right after the women won the Olympic Rugby 7s gold. That's the point. Now, Netball first, and Cricket second have realised there's a market, an interest, and a certain issue of equity, and they've upped the payments to the women pros. However good the W League and the Matildas have been, and they've been very good, they haven't enjoyed the financial support the FFA has put into the Socceroos. Here's hoping their success puts them on a road to full pro status here. It's all part of a bigger picture, Punter - not one sport, but a lot of sports, starting to recognize that women want to play at the pro level, that there's a market for it, and with good advertising and sales pitches, that market will generate revenue. Sure, the AFL has more money than the FFA to make it happen, but that's not the point. The point is, they were prepared to throw quite a lot of it at the women's version of the sport. Late, but better late than never. I doubt anyone thinks the AFL or the NRL is in the forefront of women's sports. But then, neither is football. The real leader in women's sports isn't any of the football codes - it's basketball. Been around longer as a separate sport, been professional a lot longer than football of any version here or anywhere else. So, I repeat my earlier point: I hope the successes of the Matildas will deliver the kinds of rewards to women's football players that they should enjoy, and that it will all be part of a growing recognition of womens' sport in general.
punter
Guest
As you say prerogative, I didn't see Paul belittling anything, but putting into perspective, here we have a national team competing & winning against some of the world's best & yet getting decent but still limited attention, while the AFL created a women's competition, great, more women in sport the better, but we already have netball, basketball, cricket football having a professional(semi) women competition, so nothing ground breaking, OK AFL has much more money then those other organisation & hence able to pay players much better, yes that is ground breaking, but that mainly power of money. They didn't create anything new. I certainly didn't think it deserved the attention especially in the southern states as it got. I certainly can see where Paul was coming from.
Nemesis
Guest
Middy, Waz, Punter, jb & all the football community on this forum a very important Media Statement released today by the FFA Chairman. It's a long read, but worthwhile http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/article/football-federation-australia-chairman-steven-lowys-message-to-australian-football-community/syna4bktrga31rkxn33unl3kw
northerner
Guest
punter - as I recall, I didn't have a go at you for not being enthralled by the AFLW - that's entirely your prerogative. If you don't like AFL much, why would you like AFLW? And that's fair enough. I am not into League, so I'm not going to be enamored by the women's game either. What I objected to was what I took, perhaps wrongly, to be your ignoring some extremely misogynist comments about the women who played those games by others on this tab.That's a different issue entirely. If I misread you, I apologize. But my point remains: it's been much harder for women's professional sports, especially team sports, to offer a living wage, and if the AFLW or the WBBL raised the profile of all women's sports by splashing publicity everywhere, if Netball and Cricket are starting to pay decent salaries, then that's a good thing. The Matilda's recent success is one more in a line of high-profile successes in a number of sports, which, to my mind, help all womens' sports. I just consider that people like Paul, belittling the achievements of other codes who've played important roles in raising the profile and the interest in women's sports as a whole, is small-minded and petty.
Bondy
Guest
I have to say I've been out to junior football today, Gee I noticed a lot of girls playing the sport ,its great they appeared to love it too ..
punter
Guest
He has a point Northerner, I think you even had a go at me, when I did not share your excitement about the AFLW & even accused me of rubbishing women sport. It was just a game, it created a bit of excitement south of the border because most AFL fans hadn't anything to cheer for since the GF, 4 months earlier. Yet, the W-League has been going for many years poorly funded, but yet they were able to muster a team that can challenge & beat the best in the world, this I think is a far greater achievement then a bunch of girls pulled from other sports for a game of AFL, yet the media down south triumphed as some great ground breaking stance in women sport, just because the AFL has more money then FFA & can pay the players a lot more for a PR stunt.
Nemesis
Guest
I'm ranked No.1 in the world for the sport called: Nemesis Fußball. Does this make me equivalent to the Netball & Rugby gold medal winners?
chris
Guest
No more comparisons with the men! Its really comparing apples with oranges.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
It's precisely that team ethos which stands out with the current crop of Matildas.
punter
Guest
The point being other football codes a drain on talent pool for Soccoeroos. Yes women don't have the issues with other football codes, but the netball, Basketball & cricket (Elleyse Perry) are a drain on the talent pool to the Matildas. Not hard to follow Rick.
punter
Guest
Oh dear guys, we all know that if Football was the no 1 code in Australia our talent pool would be greater, but to think that with this greater talent pool , we would be in the top 10 of the world, winning world cups, that is a complete fallacy. That was my point. Instead of lying in the 40s, we may get to high 30s. Lovely achievement by the Aussie girls, but don't get caught up, the pool is much smaller then the men's side.
13th Man
Guest
Nemesis why do you just hate people that like AFL? This is an article about congratulating an Aussie team for winning a tournament and just because people who are usually on the AFL thread come over and comment a congratulatory comment, you attack them over liking AFL. AFL and Cricket are my favourite sports but that doesn't mean we can't appreciate others.
Steve
Guest
Well done Ladies, you make the lads look like underachievers. All aboard the bandwagon bus Roarers!!!
platypusFC
Roar Rookie
True, but doesn't Al-Shaza's point still stand Nemesis? Australia is ranked number one in netball and current gold medal holders of Rugby Sevens at the Olympic games.
chris
Guest
lol...i thought it was a perfect segway :)
Nemesis
Guest
"Opals are number one ranked team in netball." Opals are the Australian Women's Basketball team. I'm certain the Opals are not the #1 Basketball team, nor the #1 Netball team.