The Matildas have retained the Cup of Nations trophy with a 3-0 victory over Jamaica, completing their dress rehearsal for the 2023 Women's World Cup and handing Tony Gustavsson his first piece of silverware since taking over as head coach in 2021.
Katrina Gorry got the first-half breakthrough in Newcastle before goals to Alex Chidiac and Caitlin Foord assured them of a seventh straight victory: just one away from their all-time record of eight consecutive wins.
Gustavsson wanted to use this friendly tournament as a dry-run for the intensity of successive World Cup games later this year and, on results alone, his side passed with flying colours.
Three wins and 10 goals across this tournament suggest as much, but Australia were sluggish to start on Wednesday in front of 9,093 fans at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Sunday's 3-2 win over Spain clearly took its toll on a squad that had been afforded little rotation.
The Swede stuck with the 4-4-2 formation that has led to the upturn in form for his side in recent games, but made two changes to his starting XI with Courtney Nevin at right-back for Charlotte Grant while the injured Hayley Raso was replaced by Larissa Crummer.
But in the opening half, Australia struggled to dictate the tempo, control possession, and press Jamaica when they found themselves under pressure.
Indeed, they can count themselves fortunate not to have gone a goal down due to some enterprising play from Jamaica's Kayla McKenna and speedy winger Jody Brown, both of whom had a handful of chances in the first 45 minutes.
Katrina Gorry's long-range strike in the 27th minute did settle the nerves somewhat, however, with the midfielder receiving the ball from Foord before unleashing from 25 metres out past the powerless Becky Spencer.
There were more promising signs for the Australians with Kyra Cooney-Cross and Foord threatening to extend the lead just before half-time.
But the real cattle prod came after the break with the introduction of attacking midfielder Chidiac at the expense of Crummer, who offered little going forward.
The Racing Louisville player has only seen game time at this tournament from the bench, but was a menace to the Jamaican defence when she came on and has surely cemented her spot as a "game changing" player for the Matildas come July's tournament.
Chidiac got her reward just over 10 minutes after her arrival, weaving her way around the 6-yard box before making it 2-0.
The Matildas were on a roll after that cushion of a goal, and their third came when Foord and Sam Kerr showed some neat link-up play before the Arsenal striker rocketed the ball in from the edge of the box to give Australia a clean sweep of this friendly series and ensure they retained the Cup of Nations trophy.
Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold was named Player of the Tournament for a series of stand-out saves across all three games, while Spanish striker Esther Gonzalez won the series' Golden Boot (3 goals).
AAP/ABC
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Live updates
Australia retains the 2023 Cup of Nations!
By Samantha Lewis
Mackenzie Arnold wins Player of the Tournament!!!!
By Samantha Lewis
What a moment for the Matildas' goalkeeper after such a rollercoaster run over the past two years.
She absolutely deserves it, but it does say something about the Matildas over these three games that their shot-stopper - who was almost single-handedly the reason they won against all three opponents - was selected as the tournament's best player.
Meanwhile, Spanish forward Esther Gonzalez wins the Golden Boot with three goals across the tournament, but she's not here to collect her trophy because Spain are currently on their way to the airport. No rest for the wicked!
Update
Audience comment
I was wrong. The world makes no sense...but... YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!! 😃
- Natty
Update
Audience comment
Well done Matildas! Much much better 2nd half. Next huge challenge will be against the Lionesses in May...bring on the World Cup..can't wait
- Vic in Vic
Final thoughts
By Samantha Lewis
Anyone else experiencing deja vu?
That was an oddly similar vibe to the Matildas' opening game against Czechia where, after a slow, creaky 45 minutes, the team settled on the ball, increased their tempo, and finally found their groove.
Here, too, it was the game-changing substitutes - Alex Chidiac and Charli Grant - who added the energy and spark that the team needed, with three stunning goals to the stand-out Katrina Gorry, Chidiac, and Caitlin Foord in the second half allowing Australia to extend their winning streak to seven games in a row: just one win away from their all-time record.
Another clean-sheet is crucial, too, with 23-year-old Clare Hunt showing her potential Women's World Cup credentials, as did the hard-working Cortnee Vine and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
This tournament was meant to mirror the group stage of July's tournament, and this difficult game - where bodies were tired, starting players were unavailable, and the opponent tricker than expected - forced the Matildas to solve some problems that, historically, they've struggled to do.
Overall, this Cup of Nations tournament has achieved its purpose: clarifying the kinds of players who are key to this Matildas team, giving them exposure to three very different styles of football, and acclimating them all to the tight turn-around football they'll be playing in less than six months' time.
Australia's next opponent comes in the form of reigning European champions England over in Europe in April, with one more friendly being organised in Melbourne at the start of July before the tournament proper begins.
And you can bet I'll be here to help take you through it all, because I am a woso nuff, and I love my little blog family.
In the meantime, keep an eye on the A-League Women competition where a number of Tillies will be returning to play from this weekend!
Until we meet again, take care, and if you want to keep listening to me yelling on the internet, you can find me over on Twitter @battledinosaur.
Full-time: Australia 3 - 0 Jamaica
By Samantha Lewis
Update
By Samantha Lewis
Wow what great commentary! How do you write and watch at the same time?
- Cindy
89' Australia substitution
By Samantha Lewis
Tameka Yallop makes her first appearance of the tournament, coming on to replace Sam Kerr.
Kerr hands the captain's arm-band to Steph Catley and gets a huge round of applause from the crowd.
Update
By Samantha Lewis
Hmm......smothering defence by Swaby?
- Mike
Ha! Indeed!
86' Chance Jamaica!
By Samantha Lewis
And that was some speed from Jody Brown, holy heck.
Matthews slots a lovely ball through Wheeler and Catley, but Brown just breezes past them all and lets off a ripping strike just inside the box.
Arnold, though, dives superbly to her left and parries it away for a corner, which comes to nothing.
Aaaaand breathe.
85' Australia substitution
By Samantha Lewis
Steph Catley has just sat down on the turf after getting a little knock to her standing leg while clearing the ball.
Cheyna Matthews picks up a yellow for that challenge.
Meanwhile, Mary Fowler comes on for Caitlin Foord, while Newcastle fave Clare Wheeler replaces Katrina Gorry.
84' Triple substitution for Jamaica
By Samantha Lewis
Atlanta Primus, Tiffany Cameron, and Vyan Sampson are out.
Tiernny Wiltshire, Havana Solaun, and Peyton McNamara are on.
81' Chance Australia!!!
By Samantha Lewis
And that's a baffling moment.
Some nice one-two passing from Vine and Kerr down the left sees the ball fizz towards the penalty spot, but Jamaica captain Allyson Swaby throws her body over the top of it!?
Vine nicks it out and passes to Foord, whose shot spins wide before she immediately turns to the referee and asks what the hell just happened.
Just like the rest of the country who saw the reverse-angle of the camera which showed the ball hitting the arm of the Jamaican defender as she rolled her body across it.
Bizarre.
Update
Audience comment
Go You Incredible Matildas
- B PAYNTER
76' Sam Kerr with a shot
By Samantha Lewis
And one of her only shots of the game, really.
A gorgeous cross-field pass by Clare Hunt falls right into Kerr's path. The striker kills it dead and strikes through the rubber, but it's right into Spencer's gloves.
Not quite the game she had against the Reggae Girlz four years ago.
74' Charli Grant is hectic
By Samantha Lewis
The Jamaican substitute Washington accelerates away in transition, with Courtney Nevin - who's quick herself - slowly left in the dust.
But sweeping across from the other side of the field is Grant, who thumps the ball away for a throw-in to rapturous applause.
She really has grown so much over the past six months.
72' Australia substitution
By Samantha Lewis
Newcastle gal Emily Van Egmond comes on to replace Kyra Cooney-Cross, who put in another stellar shift tonight.
