What’s next for the Matildas after securing a place at the Paris Olympic Games?
Wednesday night’s 10-0 shellacking of Uzbekistan secured the Matildas’ passage to Paris, but a sterner test now awaits.
Almost all of the world’s best teams will assemble in France in July to contest the Olympic women’s football tournament. The Matildas are hungry for success, after narrowly missing a medal in Tokyo, and finishing fourth at last year’s World Cup.
Midfielder Katrina Gorry said the latter result has steeled the side for Paris. “We loved every minute of the World Cup, but we wanted to go home with a medal for sure, and I think that has really driven us to just keep on wanting more.”
The draw will be held on 20 March for a tournament that kicks off the day before the Games’ opening ceremony. The matches will take place at seven venues across France, but only one in Paris, the Parc des Princes.
France has qualified as the host nation, as have defending champions Canada. The Matildas can feel confident if they are grouped with either, after beating both sides in last year’s World Cup.
But the overall standard is extremely high. World champions Spain, 2016 gold medallists Germany and fourtime winners the USA are joined by Brazil, Colombia, Japan and New Zealand. Two African nations are yet to be decided.
Compared to the 32-team World
Cup, the 12-team Olympics tournament is an exclusive affair. Just reaching the tournament proved too difficult for the Matildas in both 2008 and 2012.
Such was the competition for places, Great Britain didn’t qualify even though England made the World Cup final last year. And Sweden, who beat the US in the World Cup and finished with silver in Tokyo, were another whose qualification campaign fell short.
The tournament is divided into three groups, and the two top finishers in each pool will progress to the quarter-finals, along with the best two thirdplaced teams.
Australia slipped through via the third-placed route at Tokyo after being grouped with the Americans and Swedes, largely thanks to the side’s first-up victory against New Zealand. But the Matildas found form to beat Great Britain in extra-time in the quarters, before drawing a blank against Sweden and losing 1-0 in the semifinals. A subsequent loss to the Americans denied the Matildas a first-ever medal.
The build-up to that tournament was heavily impacted by the pandemic and the side’s transition under new coach Tony Gustavsson. But the team can look forward to a less disrupted run-in this year.
Only one friendly has been confirmed so far, against Mexico in Texas in April, but another international window in June will deliver more highquality opposition. It’s likely the team will also receive at least one send-off match in Australia, partly to allow Football Australia to maximise the commercial returns from the Matildas’ popularity, but mainly to assist Gustavsson’s preparations.
“There’s limited minutes to prepare the core group of players that I know is going to go to the Olympics and they need the games,” he said on Wednesday night. “But maybe I also need to look at a few players to make decisions, so finding that sweet spot on that balance is going to be key.”
Much of the so-called “core” group is settled, including goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, central defenders Clare Hunt and Alanna Kennedy, fullbacks Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter, central midfielders Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry and Emily van Egmond, and attackers Hayley Raso, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler.
Back-up defenders Charlotte Grant, Aivi Luik and Clare Polkinghorne are well-placed to be selected as well, particularly if they keep playing for their European clubs in coming months. It leaves just a handful of available slots in the tight 18-player squad allowed at the Olympics.
Even Michelle Heyman – despite her five goals against Uzebkistan – is not guaranteed a place. Gustavsson said after the second leg her finishing was international standard, but he needs more from his forwards.
“Can she bring the pressing intensity and the game out on the field when you have less time and space? I think that’s the question mark for her,” he said. “And that’s why I’m so happy with the Mexico game and also hopefully some of the games in June to prep.”