Finally, the Matildas are over the hump of an Asian Cup quarter-final. The ghosts of 2022 have been exorcised – even if they took the trickier route.
A stronger performance against South Korea on Sunday could have sealed top spot in their group and set up a straightforward meeting with world No.49 Uzbekistan. Instead, that disjointed outing in Sydney relegated them to runners-up and meant a trip back to Perth for a make-or-break challenge against world No.9 North Korea.
Sam Kerr and Michelle Heyman celebrate Friday night’s quarter-final win.Credit: AP
Goals from Alanna Kennedy and Sam Kerr closed out a nervy, gritty 2-1 win at HBF Park that drives Joe Montemurro’s side to within two games of an elusive major trophy.
“Games like this, they make you believe,” Montemurro said. “I think that is what this team’s needed from day one, just to believe that they are a world-class team.”
Big scalp under pressure
North Korea had 21 shots to Australia’s four – 10 on target to two – more than 60 per cent possession, and spent twice as much time attacking in the Matildas’ goal third as they did defending their own. Unlike their gamesmanship in the China loss, Ri Song-ho’s side came out to play football against the Matildas, with a particular focus on marking “No.20” (Kerr) and “No.11″ (Mary Fowler). “But then I could see that those players were good enough to make very talented moves in front of the goal,” Ri said through an interpreter.
The other pertinent statistics were the 40-9 clearance count in favour of Australia, who also made 25 tackles to 11. Kaitlyn Torpey was an outstanding left-back replacement for the concussed Steph Catley, and Kennedy was again a reliable defensive midfield anchor – not to mention the fact that she scored again, bringing her tournament tally to five and making her outright golden boot leader.
Montemurro labelled North Korea “the best team in the tournament”. “They really are, they’re a great side,” he said. “They have their reasons for the way they play, and it’s very difficult, and it’s very unpredictable. So we just had to be methodical. Where we won the game I think were the little bits in between – as we were losing the ball, or as we were winning the ball, to keep our shape and keep our organisation. We didn’t create much. We had to resist a lot. But it’s the way you beat these teams – you have to manage the game in a certain way.”
Brazil World Cup awaits
Following the 3-3 group-stage draw with South Korea, Montemurro was deeply disappointed. This time he strolled in and said: “I’ve never been in Brazil, so I’m looking forward to it.”
He can look forward to it now, along with the rest of the team, because this win also doubled as qualification for the 2027 World Cup (yes, in Brazil). And it is an achievement not realised four years ago, when Tony Gustavsson’s Matildas were knocked out of the 2022 Asian Cup in India at the quarter-final stage. That 1-0 loss to South Korea would have meant no appearance at the 2023 World Cup – they got lucky because, as tournament co-hosts, they were automatically included.
This was different, and defeat would have spelt an unenviable sudden-death qualification playoff next week on the Gold Coast. That part of the equation is now taken care of.
“It’s the ultimate objective,” Kerr said. “The World Cup is the pinnacle of football at international level, and that was our first, I suppose, tick in this tournament. Every World Cup I’ve been to has been the most incredible experience of my life … it’s a dream come true, and hopefully I can be there. And Brazil, a footballing nation, what an amazing World Cup to go to.”
The Brick Wall is back
There is something about Mackenzie Arnold and major home tournaments. Neither club nor international football have been smooth sailing since the goalkeeper’s last quarter-final – you might remember her role in a penalty shootout against France at the 2023 World Cup. She has taken time to settle in at Portland Thorns since making the move from West Ham in 2024, and with the Matildas had been in a pre-tournament battle with Teagan Micah for the starting spot. Even after Micah’s withdrawal from the squad due to concussion, Arnold was in NWSL pre-season and dealing with a calf injury that stopped her playing the opening games against the Philippines and Iran. After a tough collective outing against South Korea, she was relieved to feel like her miserly self again.
Mackenzie Arnold was back to her best in goal.Credit: AP
“It was a long time coming for me,” Arnold said. “I probably haven’t had the best performances in international [football] leading up to this game, so I’m glad I could come in and do my job, and sort of feel like myself again after three or four months of no games and limited training.
“We knew our backs were against the wall. We knew it was do or die, and we knew we had to step up from [our] last game because it wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t our prettiest game, but we all came together and did our jobs … it was a little bit of a shitfight at times, but that’s what we needed to get done.”
Kerr improves by … 1 per cent
The skipper’s self-rating was underdone from the outside. Kerr, who is still returning to full fitness and form after her long ACL recovery, has started all four games, including playing all 90 minutes in three. This was another full shift, and a significant step towards the striker’s best. Kerr’s movement was characteristically fluid, but she also pressed and harried in a way not seen for some time. She set up Kennedy’s opener by stripping an opponent of possession, and her second-half goal was a left-footed finish under the kind of heavy marking only Kerr can shake off.
Before the tournament, Kerr said she felt at about 85 per cent capacity, with more confidence to come after 20 months on the sidelines. What percentage is she at now? “Eight-six,” she joked. “Obviously, a goal tonight gives me a lot of confidence, but I think I’m probably still around the same. I’ve played a lot of minutes in the last week that I hadn’t played over the last few months, but I’m working towards getting there, and hopefully by the final. It’s more about confidence and feeling now. I’m playing where I am, but I know there’s still moments in the game where I think I can turn, I can do more … I’ve got to find my feet again.”
China or Taiwan?
The two teams play on Saturday night in Perth, and the winner of that fraught geopolitical match-up will slot into the draw as Australia’s semi-final opponent. World No.17 China, the reigning champions now under the management of former Matildas coach Australian Ante Milicic, are the stronger side and fancied to advance past 40th-ranked Taiwan.
China are coached by former Matildas manager Ante Milicic.Credit: Getty Images
Montemurro is good friends with Milicic and his assistant, Ivan Jolic, and was seen chatting with Milicic during Thursday’s pre-match media commitments. “We’re looking forward to hopefully meeting each other in the semi-final,” Montemurro said. “We’ll see. I mean, they’ve got a tricky game too.”
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