The Matildas have advanced to the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals after a 2-0 victory over Denmark in front of 75,784 spectators at Stadium Australia.
Well-taken goals from Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso saw Australia through to the final eight, equalling their best-ever World Cup result.
They will have the chance to go one better against either France or Morocco at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday evening for a place in the semi-finals as the Matildas march on towards the ultimate prize.
Sam Kerr, perhaps unsurprisingly, was not named in the starting 11 as the calf injury the star forward sustained the day before the Matildas’ opening match continues to trouble her, but managed ten minutes off the bench.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
“The players managed to play the game in front of us,” an emotional Gustavsson told Optus Sport post-game.
“We were under a lot of pressure in that first half. They came out with a new shape, 4-4-2, pressed us high, (we) got dispossessed a couple of times…we didn’t get rattled. The team is very mature in playing tournament football and find a way to win.
“We saw in the last game the left side was very impressive. (Foord) looked sharp in training so we said, let’s make sure we activate the left side as much as possible today.
“We wanted to start the attack on the right side and then play a diagonal to activate one-on-ones and two-on-ones.”
On Sam Kerr’s recovery, he added: “Relief is not the right word, but I’m very happy for her and the team. The other thing I have to say, I brought my team together here afterwards, my sports medicine and technical team.
“What they’ve done over the last month and the way they’ve stayed focused, their communication skills, individual plans for each player – hats off and credit to them. They are amazing.”
Foord was ecstatic.
“It was awesome,” she said.
“I’m so proud of everyone tonight. We just ran our arse off and gave it everything, and we knew if we defended well chances would come and we’d score, so that’s what we did tonight.
“I didn’t really think too much (about her goal). I was just happy to get it on target and see it go in.
“Maybe not the Nigeria game but every other game’s been awesome, and we want to keep doing it, we want to experience it more and more and keep our dream alive. The crowd’s massive. They’ve been our 12th man all tournament, and they’re going to continue to be that. It helps you push through when it gets tough.”
(Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images )
Gustavsson made no changes to the side that blew Canada away on Thursday. With Kerr still not fit to start, Emily van Egmond and Mary Fowler were deployed as strikers in the old-school 4-4-2 set-up.
There was an early scare for the Matildas as Rikke Madsen stretched at a dangerous ball across Mackenzie Arnold’s goal but couldn’t get her boot on it.
Australia had so far managed to neutralise the threat of captain Pernille Harder, who partnered Amalie Vangsgaard up top for the Danes, though she did product a mazy run which ended in a tame effort that Arnold was glad to see roll straight to her.
But despite the Danes’ dominance, it was the Matildas who would open the scoring through Foord.
Released down the left by Fowler’s perfectly weighted through-ball, Foord cooly took one touch on her right then slotted a classy left-foot strike through Lene Christensen’s legs.
The nervy start from Gustavsson’s side had been weathered and Australia now had a lead to play with, forcing Denmark to open up.
The Matildas seemed happy to sit back and absorb some pressure. The directive from the bench was clearly to play more conservatively with the ball, and Australia seemed to favour their left side as Raso was struggling to make an impact after her double-scoring heroics in Melbourne, and Ellie Carpenter looked shaky in possession at times.
Gradually the Matildas took control and soon made their advantage count with Raso notching her third goal of the tournament.
Controlling a pass from Kyra Cooney-Cross in the area, Fowler dinked a delightful pass to van Egmond, turning and laying off to Raso who made no mistake from close range.
Gustavsson would then call upon two substitutes, with a huge roar from the Stadium Australia gallery signalling the arrival of Kerr for her first minutes of the tournament in place of goalscorer Raso.
Kerr’s every touch was cheered to the rafters. Though she did send her first touch out for a throw and looked to grimace as she landed awkwardly in the penalty box – 75,000 hearts in mouths – the Matildas superstar will surely be better for the run.
The biggest cheer was reserved for when the full-time whistle rang out. A date with the winner of France versus Morocco looms in Brisbane on Saturday.
Waz
Roar Rookie
I think the ones on the halfway lines are blocked off because of the team dig outs blocking the view. One of the tickets I got was 2nd tier next to the corporate boxes - ex corporate tickets not taken up. Glad to have made this one
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
that's good. Very annoying to see those rows of seats on half-way not filled, obviously reserved for FIFA guests, and seats in any corporate boxes not booked should also be released, though I guess that'll be rare for this match.
Waz
Roar Rookie
In better news: FIFA released a final batch of tickets today and I got 7 :stoked:
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Of course you answered the qn why the host gets the best draw but doesnt answer the qn why its likely next opponents get lousy lopsided draws - the 2 Groups with most Perth games eg Denmark having to fly across the country 3 times in 17 days. Nigeria getting in front of Matildas biggest opponents in the Group Canada/Ireland because, I say, their Perth and back trip in the middle of 3 games in 11 days. No club team has to do that in local comps of any code and confirmed by the ex football players before the Denmark game. Most soccer fans I know acknowledge that the draw favoured the Matildas after I give them these facts but just say the hosts always get all the advantages except here the 8 hr return trip across country is an extra negative. Interesting to see if this happened in other big distance countries Russia, USA when they hosted the Cup
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Grief The AFL has managed to get Optus, Adelaide Oval Giants oval built, Gabba redeveloped, Marvel paid out, BTW Football pundits blamed AFL for getting 1 vote for mens WC (after govt gave them $45m) but now we discover FIFA doesnt allow non rectangular grounds (ie all AFL grounds)
Simoc
Roar Rookie
Funny reading this as Man C coach Pep Guardiola recently said how the formation eg 4-3-3 was talk for the journos and fans but not relevant to his team. They are professional footballers in a dynamic situation and will respond in whatever way is best as they see it. The formation thing is to try and convince others you know what you are talking about. So read every expert comment with that in mind.
Punter
Roar Rookie
I misread your first comment, yes football is a major sport in this country. While A-League doesn't match AFL or NRL, not even close, but football overall is a major sport, when you include everything else, like this WC currently.
AlpineBazza
Roar Rookie
Nothing to do with EJ’s heritage or anyone else’s for that matter. As an Australian I want a professional, thoughtful and insightful coach leading my national team. Eddie is intelligent, he’s also thin skinned, belligerent and has little time for answering difficult questions. Our previous national rugby coach was more astute and also more willing to answer difficult questions. More than happy to support the Wallabies and the Matilda’s, obviously I’m not going to support EJ
Grem
Roar Rookie
“Similar to previous draws for FIFA Women’s World Cups like Germany in 2011, teams are seeded … and allocated into specific groups for ticketing and promotion reasons,” the FIFA spokesperson replied. “Whilst the interest in the FIFA Women’s World Cup has grown significantly over the last years, the success and great interest from the public in the tournament in Germany in 2011 can’t be compared to the Brazil [men’s] World Cup. Filling the stadia is a FIFA and host association key objective. The allocation of teams to venues, the ticketing and promotion plan and the ticket price strategy are among the key factors for the overall success of the event.” They want as many fans as possible at the events. That’s their measure of success.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
Yes, individual sport is always good.
Grem
Roar Rookie
The standard in female cricket has grown a lot over the last few years. Female tennis, swimming and athletics is usually just as interesting and sometimes more so than the male versions - in my opinion.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
TBH, and with no disrespect to other female team sports, but I think football is the best spectacle there is for female team sports. Probably rate cricket next.
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
.Welcome to FFA rep to the discussion - Ihavent seen your reply but I support all Aussie teams but look for all codes "fixing" the draw usually for TV reasons or to get one side up for the finals (eg who plays the heavy repped teams before and after SOO in NRL, who gets to play teams the week after they have travelled to Perth in AFL, Super Rugby, W League A league etc, The Aussie cricketers playing 6 tests in UK in 8 weeks with just 16 players while England can call on as many fast bowlers as they like etc etc... but can you explain why the Matildas and Group D - Matildas likely opponents have the most Perth games and why didnt Nigeria play in Perth instead of one of Matildas likely threats Canada/Ireland. Why didnt Canada and Ireland start in Perth and then play on the east coast - that would have been fairer. I assume by your reply you agree that playing/flying to Perth is a detriment to teams in tight schedule. You have failed to explain this...-
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Pacman, sorry for my poor articulation mate. The Final, the decider, I am praying we make it to the final. What that will do for Australian football could not be calculated in a million years.
sheek
Roar Guru
mrl - Wallabies are in freefall, unfortunately.....
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
The way things are going, there's no doubt that the Matildas have a great opportunity to go all the way to the final, every game from hereon in is 50/50, at a minimum, with Australia at home. It's clearly doable. Both Canada and Denmark had quality, and were beaten comprehensively by our girls - but there is on very, very important proviso: in both those games, Australia was comfortable letting the opposition have the ball for long periods, and were perfectly set up to exploit the gaps that will always be there when any team takes the ball past the halfway line. What happens if the next opposition tries to do the same in return, pretty much as Nigeria did, so that's something to watch out for. Otherwise, the front three of Foord, Fowler and Raso are going to test any opposition if they leave an opening. Which brings us to the controversial part, those front three are so settled, so balanced, working so well together, that it makes sense that Kerr plays off the bench for the rest of the tournament, and becomes an impact player. What a good problem to have!
Grem
Roar Rookie
You sound like a patriotic Aussie, Bernie, but you are persistent. As explained to you before, Bernie - why would you play the Matildas at a 15000 stadium in Perth or Adelaide? You play them at the biggest stadiums so more people get to see them and more money is made. It would actually have been better (financially) to have them play 3 games at the Olympic Stadium, but they’ve been shared around the east coast. Perth and Adelaide, which have stadiums that hold less than 20000 get the “smaller” games - if there are any in a genuine World Cup. Think about it Bernie.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Ha Ha … I’ll find out where you live :stoked:
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Gusto had just won so an unfair comparision and all the media show you are Jones getting back at dumb questions- why dont you compare class of Scandanavians and Aussies of Japanese descent!
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
After the "lucky Matilda" match schedule in the early rounds, I I note that Group D where Matildas last 16 opponent came from had the most Perth games and in fact opponent Denmark started in Perth , then played in Sydney, then back to Perth and then back to Sydney in 17 days . Before the game last night ex W league player and ex English player /commentator were talking about how taxing the Perth flight and recovery is. Actually the other potential Group D finalist , China, would have gone Perth, Adelaide, Adelaide , Sydney if they made the last 16 which is much easier. England the standout in Group D had a B, S, A, B (no Perth) but they would obviously would draw the bigger crowds so Adelaide the only outlier there.