It is always a pleasure to blog international football and write on the Matildas’ performances.
That was certainly the case on Sunday night when the national team produced another polished display to put the dangerous Korea Republic to the sword at Suncorp Stadium.
The Aussies are currently ranked sixth in the world, an amazing achievement for a nation of Australia’s size, especially considering the entrenched sports and activities that saw football take an eternity to significantly impact the national sporting radar.
While the previous few months have been far from desirable in terms of preparing for the World Cup in France this June, the turmoil now appears to have been jettisoned.
The Matildas opened their Cup of Nations campaign with two professional performances, a pair of wins and now appear likely winners of an event that has brought New Zealand, Argentina and the Koreans to our shores.
The mere fact that Australia is hosting a tournament with four World Cup qualified teams shows just how far the game and our team have come over the last quarter of a century.
Frankly, it is no wonder. Watching the Matildas is such a pleasant and easy experience. I’m sure a component of that pleasure stems from the team’s success. The steady rise through the rankings over the last decade has been the result of good, old-fashioned hard work, a successful W-League that attracts top-notch international players, and quality coaching and instruction that has led to an attractive style of play.
Sadly, that coaching has been the centre of attention recently. Yet however things ultimately pan out for the previous coach and those who seemed keen to remove him from his post without a clear explanation as to the reason, the body of work done to mould and shape the current crop of players was there for all to see on Sunday night.
Alen Stajcic
In short, the Matildas entertained relentlessly and the Koreans had few answers. The visitors did manage a goal and Ellie Carpenter will be disappointed with her foul that led to the set piece, however the overall flow of the match was a steamroller-like performance by the Australians.
The Matildas won the lion’s share of possession (67 per cent) yet watching the game it felt nearer to 80 per cent. From the early minutes when Tameka Butt and Carpenter began making inroads down the right flank, the visitors looked in all sorts of trouble and most pleasing for new coach Ante Milicic will be the fact that the threat was sustained and the foot rarely taken from the pedal.
Lisa De Vanna was back on the score sheet after a frustrating 12-game stretch without a successful strike. Emily Gielnik produced a stunning right-foot effort from the left side of the box to score Australia’s final goal of the night and either side of De Vanna’s goal, superstar Sam Kerr scored twice; the first from a penalty and the second after a lovely through ball just prior to the halftime break.
The substitutions made were numerous but each time another woman took to the pitch, she slotted into the structure and added even more impetus and purpose to the cause.
Caitlin Foord enters up top and Kerr takes a break. The run of Butt is replaced by the exciting Princess Ibini, and the dangerous Hayley Raso leaves the pitch only for Gielnik to make an immediate impact.
All the while, our women play the game in such an expressive, confident and creative way. Sure Kerr is a genius, we all get that, however the bubbling enthusiasm and obvious appreciation of the opportunity they have been given in wearing the national strip is clear.
The Matildas never look jaded, bored or spoiled, and that demeanour and aesthetic comes through television screens in spades. There may be an element of frustration at times, such as last Thursday when the pesky Kiwis sat deep and built a defensive block that was tough to break down.
Yet the positivity remains in the Aussies’ mindset, and the willingness to play out and approach the game in an attacking manner is ever present.
It makes them so easy to watch and enjoy. Personally, it always makes me emotional. The idea of a young girl, desperately wanting to play competitive sport and finding under-developed or non-existent pathways to it, is thankfully, a thing of the past.
Knowing that I was around to see the birth of the professional women’s game in Australia is to have a privileged awareness of history. Moreover, the knowledge that the Matildas will head off to a World Cup with a chance at victory is somewhat mind blowing, considering the years of angst that the battling Socceroos have given me.
There may indeed come a day when the Matildas are a stodgy under-performing team; bored and tired with international travel commitments and offensively impressive bank balances.
However, for now, they are quite simply a wonderfully entertaining and refreshing football team to watch.
The Argentinians will have the best view in house on Wednesday night in Melbourne, when the Aussies scythe through their defence and raise the Cup of Nations trophy.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Maybe a little bit off this season but van Egmond is back from injury and missed a few games end of W-Leagie season. She did get caught out in midfield against Korea Republic and had a few stray passes (and missed a goal she would normally score) so maybe getting back into it. A slight concern and will be interesting to see if Milicic tries a different combo with Kellond-Knight against Argentina.
Pedro
Guest
This comment has been removed for breaching The Roar's comments policy.
Bfc
Guest
I think Stajic and the FFA tried hard to secure Fowler, but her family is wavering as they consider opportunities for Ireland (1-of-3 siblings, all yet to commit...?)? Ellie Carpenter debuted before she had turned 16...! What a stunning return to football by Raso after her serious back injury, and many defenders will struggle to stay with her pace (she must have thought that she was playing league at times vs Korea...a pity our Roar didn't utilise her well enough in the W-league semi...). I agree with LH about van Egmond...she has been off colour
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
The only player who's disappointed me lately has been van Egmond. She just hasn't been her usual self, even in the W League.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Be careful answering that one Stuart, as with your title... with certain groups watching.... lol
JImmyJax
Guest
Technique for one......
stu
Guest
Stuart, I watched the game against South Korea. Can you give me your thought on what makes the ladies game attractive. I want to make sure I am not getting on the flavour of the month women's sport thing. What specific technical ability am I watching that will help me watch more ladies soccer. I'm not after superlatives.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Cup of Nations are important games, with the W-League finished, and NWSL pre-season just started for those playing in North American teams. Important too for Milicic to see who can perform and take up his system quickly. I think it was telling that there was little work done on analysing Korea Republic. Potentially a couple of injury returns yet (K.Simon and Logarzo), and decisions on who to include (Alleyway, de Vanna, G.Simon, ...) given Gielnik and Raso are now making strong cases. Matildas as a team in the two games so far do look like a team getting use to a new coach and system. I think what is good is the attack and midfield have enough to be able to overcome this learning curve quickly. Defence looks like some tweaking is going on but isn't as big a headache as it is for the men's national team.
Griffo
Roar Guru
This (point 1) and Lionheart's comment: I think there was risk that youth were not finding their way into the squad which Stajcic was looking like trying to plan a little for the future and 2023. Fowler was an obvious choice to lock down. Tom Sermanni did a lot of this, bringing Kerr, K. Simon, van Egmond, Foord through when mid-teens who now in their mid-twenties have 50-70 caps of experience leading into a World Cup in their prime. Ellie Carpenter is probably the only current Matilda who debuted and stayed from a similar age (17 iirc). Gielnik looks to be benefiting from concentrating on football; Raso looks faster, fitter, and more dangerous after rehab from a broken back than before; de Vanna is getting some intensity back in the legs but is still fast and dangerous as a sub. Still have K.Simon in rehab who was our dangerous striker which Kerr has now taken the mantel. Stajcic best contribution for me was steadying a worrying backline that Sermanni somehow couldn't correct (or refuse to, or didn't have depth and played others out of position). This occasionally resurfaced under Staj. Milicic is a good signing and the players appear to recognise that and just want to get on with prep for the World Cup. I think Milicic is more attack focussed (and a good assistant with Ange) but I think he'll also be looking to have a strong defence to offset our aggressive attack - now a Matildas hallmark.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
It is a powerful squad when all fit. De Vanna is looking more and more like a brilliant sub at the 55th to 60th minute mark. She still has the explosive speed. A real weapon. Best game I have seen Alleway play and I thought Butt was superb.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
You are correct, I was being a little playful and having a little dig after some of the rough treatment the girls copped from a particular defender.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
You need to look at the teams Stajcic fielded. He built depth by giving a large group a go. In the games in Europe which I think you refer to, and some other games last year, the Matildas fielded second strength teams. Staj rested Kerr, Gielnik and 4 or 5 others in the France and England games, giving youngsters like Ibini, Fowler and others a go. The teams that we have seen in this tournament have been our strongest, no doubt about it. So no, you just can't compare the way you have. When staj played his strongest team, which he did in the US and V Brazil last year, they played well.
Neil
Roar Rookie
Went to the game, enjoyed it immensely, great to see the slow but sure growth of woman's football.
Eden
Guest
Insisted that they turn on the Matildas game at the pub I was at (on one of the many screens), and by the end of the game most people were watching with smiles on their faces. They're play both an attacking and selfless game - hopefully the World Cup will be a chance for more Australians to appreciate that brand of football. I was pleasantly surprised by how well our squad performed with the chopping and changing and the new coach. This depth will serve us well in the World Cup! One small quibble with the article: Kerr's second goal came from a slightly errant Korean back pass - an accidental through ball thanks to Kerr's pace.
AGO74
Guest
Nice read Stuart. A couple of comments: 1. The players have seemingly responded very well to Milicic. Two games is a small sample size and I’m certainly not downplaying the (seemingly) keystone cops way Stajcic was dismissed but what is forgotten is that the teams performances and results in September/October over about 5 or 6 games had dropped off a bit. Had Stajcic perhaps ran his course? I guess we will never know. 2. In general I do get a sense of higher enjoyment with the Matilda’s - their is a natural enthusiasm which shines through more so than perhaps the men’s team. I think that is perhaps a part of the gap in financial terms and that yes whilst these girls are professional the majority are getting by on a pittance so this is very much a labour of love. This is improving and is fully deserved but it will be interesting to see if in (hopefully only ) a few years time when the type money made by Sam Kerr is the norm rather than the exception as to whether or not that same enthusiasm exists or perhaps they become a bit more distant as our men’s team has been on occasion.