The Matildas, Australia’s women’s football team, blitzed their way to Tournament of Nations glory last week defeating Brazil, Japan and hosts the United States to claim the inaugural four-team competition.
Upsetting the odds, the impressive performance delivered their first piece of silverware since the 2010 Asian Cup in a tournament where their opponents have made up five of the last six World Cup finalists.
Although the tournament was 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.
They started the tournament with a hard fought 1-0 win over the USA in Seattle, followed up by a 4-2 victory over Japan in San Diego and finished off with a 6-1 thrashing of Brazil in Carson.
The undoubted star was 23-year-old midfielder Sam Kerr who scored a maiden international hat-trick in the first-half against Japan and was also dominant against the US, where Australia recorded their first victory in 27 meetings.
Against Brazil, Kerr was irrepressible, winning a first-half penalty before providing two assists and sealing the match with Australia’s sixth.
Her stunning recent form points to her ability to become one of the world’s best players, according to Matildas’ coach Alen Stajcic, who added the Matildas are a side who should be feared.
“You’ve got to appreciate it for what it is – a win over a world class opponent we haven’t had too many against,” he said.
“It’s our turn to start dominating these countries, to go in as favourite, compete with and beat the best nations on earth.”
Alen Stajcic.
As for Kerr, she said that the Matilda’s world-beating performances should no longer surprise. The Perth Glory star, who also represents Sky Blue FC in New Jersey, says they should be expected, perhaps highlighted by their relatively restrained celebrations.
Japan and the USA formed the World Cup final in 2015. Kerr sees no reason why it can’t be Australia’s turn in 2019.
“We’ve been saying for a couple of years that we should be World Cup contenders,” Kerr said.
“Now we’re really starting to show people that’s true, that we’re true contenders to be world No1.”
For Kerr, three goals against Japan was a well-deserved return. She has been banging them in for fun at club level – including a 12-minute hat-trick against Kansas City – but she doesn’t have a prolific record in internationals. San Diego changed all that.
She comes from strong sporting stock, as father Roger and brother Daniel both were professional Aussie Rules players but Kerr is now making a name for herself. Stajcic said Kerr’s sensational form was an inspiration.
“She’s still a young player but in her movement on and off the ball, she’s by far the best in the world,” he said. “If we can go into the next World Cup and have six or seven players who are the best in their positions we’ll be one of the most feared teams. Sammy’s leading the way and giving the rest of the team a lot of confidence.”
The Matildas aren’t the only Australian women’s team riding high on the world stage. The Australian Women’s Sevens team captured the imagination of the country when they beat the mighty New Zealand women to win the gold in Rio, leaving the men’s team to shame.
The Australian women’s cricket team is among the best in the world, despite their recent shock loss to India in the World Cup semi-finals last month, as are the Diamonds, Australia’s netball team.
Domestically, women’s sport is getting bigger with the AFL Women’s League, football’s W-League and the Big Bash Women’s League steadily increasing revenue, ratings and wages.
It’s interesting that the big winners out of the recent ACA-Cricket Australia pay dispute were not the male but the female cricketers.
Australia has always been a great sporting nation, but it seems the latest revolution on Aussie playing fields involves the fairer sex.
NRL
The Manly Sea Eagles’ title hopes remain alive after a come-from-behind 36-18 victory over Sydney Roosters.
Having been hammered in their last two outings by the Melbourne Storm 40-6 and the Dragons 52-22, the highlyfancied
Sea Eagles’ premiership hopes were hanging by a thread as they trailed 18-4 midway through the first half – but they scored 32 points without conceding to get firmly back on track.
AFL
Adelaide delivered a brutal Showdown 43 bashing to put their premiership rivals on notice, hammering a dismal Port by 84 points at Adelaide Oval.
The match, which pitted first v fifth, was expected to be a tight contest but the Crows annihilated the Power 18.22 (130) to 7.4 (46).
Ruckman Sam Jacobs won the Showdown Medal for best on ground in what was a record Showdown-winning margin, beating the 83-point triumph the Crows had over the Power in the 2005 semi-final.
FOOTBALL
Socceroos icon Harry Kewell got off to a losing start in his latest venture, as manager of Crawley Town in England’s League Two.
The club, based 50km south of London, is Kewell’s senior managerial debut after two years with youth teams at Watford.
Kewell summed up his emotions in typical fashion after the 3-1 loss to Port Vale,: “Angry, disappointed, furious.”
Just how Liverpool fans used to feel watching him play…
