The Matildas coach, Tony Gustavsson, is a maths teacher by training. It shows. Even on the biggest night yet in the history of Australian women’s football, when his team had just demolished the Olympic champions, Canada to progress to the round of 16 at a home World Cup, Gustavsson finds comfort in numbers. Which is how he found himself in the bowels of the stadium after the match, reciting statistics.
“Since we played Canada last time, we have won 11 out of 13 games, including five against top-ranked opposition,” Gustavsson said. “We scored 33 goals and conceded eight.” He proceeded to list some of the notable results in that streak – with instant recall. These were instructive numbers. They tell us much about the Matildas’ recent form, which had left them considered among the teams to beat at this tournament.
But they don’t tell us how the Matildas managed, in the space of four days, to turn a shock-loss to Nigeria into such a polished victory over Canada. From being on the edge of a calamitous early exit from the tournament, to one of the most electrifying national team performances in years – explain that. To do so, Gustavsson reached not for statistics but for the great intangible in Australian football – the Matildas’ “never-say-die attitude”.
“We have something else that no-one can take away from this team,” he mused, “that’s their identity, the DNA and the belief.” His centre-back, Alanna Kennedy, was singing from the same song-sheet. “We thrive under pressure,” she said. “It’s the Aussie mentality.” It might sound cliched, hackneyed even. But on Monday, it seemed the only plausible explanation. In just 96 hours, from a shock loss to an equally shocking triumph, the Matildas transformed themselves with belief.
Take Ellie Carpenter. Against Ireland and Nigeria, the wing-back’s marauding runs forward failed to amount to much, and she was constantly found out in defence. On Monday, the Lyon star was everywhere – creating opportunities on the counterattack and making perfectly-timed defensive interceptions. Or Kyra Cooney-Cross. The 21-year-old has abundant talent in the midfield, but that did not translate in the opening two matches. Suddenly, on Monday, she was a linchpin in the middle of the park.
But perhaps the most belief was shown by the two forwards carrying the weight of expectations in the absence of superstar striker Sam Kerr. Before kick-off the crowd was watching Kerr’s every movement with bated breath. She wore boots on to the pitch but did not warm up (Gustavsson later said she was available for limited minutes, if needed). The Chelsea forward has been the major storyline for the past two weeks, ever since she injured her calf on the eve of the tournament.
Into the void stepped Caitlin Foord and Mary Fowler. Foord had been forced to lead the line against Ireland and Nigeria, without great effect. Fowler had struggled to exert herself against Ireland, and then missed the Nigeria loss due to concussion. But both were electrifying on Monday; Foord empowered to stay wide and combine with club team-mate Steph Catley to lethal effect, Fowler floating around the attacking third, invisible one moment, in exactly the right place the next. By the end of the match against Canada, it was almost a matter of Sam who?
In a week, the Matildas will go again. On Monday, they made history: the first time Australia has ever topped a group at a World Cup (men’s or women’s). Next Monday, they will have the opportunity to repeat history: the Matildas have only once won a knock-out match in the Women’s World Cup, in 2015. They will be buoyed with confidence – plus the probable return of Kerr and possible availability of fellow striker Kyah Simon. “If we play like that, we can beat anyone,” offered Carpenter.
One win does not make a tournament. But minutes before Gustavsson was busy citing statistics his Canadian counterpart, Bev Priestman, observed that moments like these can define a team. This was a defining victory. Against Canada, without their best player, the Matildas showed composure, maturity, attacking potency and defensive class. But most of all they showed belief.
“Can you win the World Cup?” Foord was asked post-match. Without a moment’s hesitation she had an answer. “That’s what we’re here to do,” said the Arsenal star. Three wins lie between the Matildas and the final. Another stands between them and that hallowed trophy. It would be premature to say they can win the tournament – barely 24 hours ago, the collective national consciousness was too busy obsessing over Kerr’s calf and wondering whether Gustavsson was the right man for the job.
But Monday was a special moment for the Matildas, imbued with belief. If they can comprehensively beat the Olympic champions in a do-or-die clash of such magnitude, the Matildas can do anything. That’s not to say they will win the World Cup – but they certainly believe they can. And sometimes, whatever the maths, that’s the most important thing.
