Was this the greatest week in Australian women’s soccer history?
The Matildas’ triumph at the Tournament of Nations certainly felt like it.
Impressive results — three wins over sides ranked in the top 10 — came from confident and bright Australian performances.
Consider the following.
A first-ever triumph over world No.1 and world champions USA.
A 4-2 demolition of regional rivals Japan.
And a rampant 6-1 defeat of Brazil, a year after the heartbreak of being knocked out of the Olympic Games by the South Americans on penalties.
In all, 11 goals — including four to Sam Kerr — to six goalscorers.
And the chance to raise a first trophy since the groundbreaking 2010 Asian Cup triumph.
The results should see Australia rise from world No.7, overtaking sixth-ranked Japan at least.
Does coach Alen Stajcic consider the Matildas to be at their highest-ever stocks?
“Possibly. But I don’t care to be honest. That’s for other people to judge,” he said.
To Stajcic, what’s most important is to focus ahead at the bigger goals — the 2018 Asian Cup and 2019 World Cup.
“We’ve got to keep level headed, keep our feet on the floor and keep thinking about what the big picture is,” he said.
“For us that’s next year and the year after.
“This lays a good platform, adds to all the things we’re doing on and off the field … all the things we’ve all bought into together as a united group.”
Veteran striker Lisa De Vanna, one of a handful of players remaining from their 2010 Asian Cup win, said it was a “very big” win.
“It’s a massive one because it’s in the US, we’re playing three top 10 nations,” she said.
“We won the tournament without relying on other results and we won comfortably.
“It’s right up there but at the same time we haven’t won a World Cup or achieved anything at an Olympics and that’s what it all comes down to.
“These are little stepping stones to show we can do it.”
Stajcic said the improved ranking was about more than vanity.
“The gap from first to fifth is maybe too big but we’ll bridge the gap; that’s important,” he said.
“We want to be seeded at the next World Cup. It’s not our main priority but we want to be in the top five so we can get seeded.”
13th Man
Guest
Lol Women's soccer is yet another sport in which Australia have become better than England at. Your men's soccer team is a joke that can't even beat Iceland, your cricket side is full of South Africans and still won't even get close to Australia in the Ashes over here this summer, your Rugby League team wouldn't even beat a NRL side and your only half decent national team which is your Rugby Union side is coached by an Australian. Enjoy the Ashes mate, Australia to win 4-1
Bfc
Guest
As the Tournament of Champions was a invitational comp, it can't rank with winning the Asian Cup. But in terms of displaying progress, this was a massive... Am no punter, but the Matildas would have been at very long odds to beat the USA...let alone thump Brazil 6-1...
northerner
Guest
Gold. Absolute gold.
hogdriller
Roar Rookie
Q. When is a football game between two nations not a friendly? A. When they are playing in a FIFA sanctioned tournament where wins lead to points gained for FIFA world rankings. Q. How does one know when a game is played "for real"? A. When one sees even thru rose tinted glasses, the pace, the attitude, the determination and crunching tackles during said game where at some stages even glimpses of MMA come to the fore. Q. How are Engerland going in the present Womens Football Euro tournament? A, They're out. No longer in it. Soundly booted out. Q. How can Engerland, the 3 Lionesses possibly be kicked out of a most prestigious tournament such as the Euros 2017? A. Easy, they fluffed it where the were fairly and squarely beaten by a better team to the tune of 3-0. Q. No!, that cant be true, the ref must have made mistakes, Engerland could not have lost to the host Nation by such a score, or any other team for that matter, cant be true.....can it? A. Well actually, that's pretty much what the Engerland Coach said, he and the players were "devastated" especially after they "could not have left anymore on the field, or off it", he said. Q. Why is this so? A. Easy, because Engerland expect everything to go their way whether its Football, Cricket, Tennis, Rugby Union or even Croquet, because they're Engerlish. They feel it is their God given right to succeed at everything and when they don't, the ref or any other officials have to be questioned about such. Q. So what can we do to fix this? A. Well, our National team coaches been caught up in bribery scandals before, not so long ago actually so we mustn't try that again.....guess we'll just have to carry on with a rather stiff upper lip and a tally-ho old chap, or we can emigrate to the colonial island down in the Southern Hemisphere where the women's National Football team actually win at something.....where even if they do get beat they don't cry foul and blame the officials, they just pick themselves up and get on with it.....mate! Q. Do you think they'll accept us as Engerlish, I mean doesn't every one else hate us? A. They do old chap.......but we can still cry foul and try some bribery, or arrive in a boat or such....at least we speak Engerlish, to some extent old chap.
Ken Spacey
Guest
The FFA, the clubs and fans should be pushing harder for Women's World Cup bid. The fact that we could well win it with the obvious value of hosting is growing. It's no just the success of the bid, its the four or five years of build up, putting Football on top of preferred sport for girls etc. It would also give govts the incentive to upgrade those boutique but just a bit small stadia like NIB, Coopers, Canberra, etc to a critical few thousand more capacity and better facilities. Go for it.
Kangajets
Guest
Well done Aussies
punter
Guest
Should worry about your men's team making out of 1st round in 2018, top PL leagues, hardly an English player.
W G Grace
Guest
I think they called it a friendly for a reason - when it's for real it will be different - England will have a gun side for the 2019 WC for instance- I predict the Convict Colonials wont even make it past the first round in 2019 FIFA WWC - England will win the Ashes too against your Convict Colonial side - 4 or 5 tests to Nil.- The 3 lions will roar
Betty B
Guest
Let's hope they do make top 5. Are the seedings for the 2019 World Cup done before or after the 2018 Asia Cup (ie. will results there help our seeding?)