The Matildas have won the Cup of Nations. They have beaten Jamaica. They have been victorious in seven consecutive matches and scored 23 goals. It is unclear what it means for their World Cup chances. All of these statements are true.
To what should we compare this 3-0 win? The most recent previous tie between these sides? The last time Sam Kerr played Jamaica she scored four goals at the foot of the French Alps to break all kinds of records and secure Australia’s progression to the knockout stage of the 2019 World Cup. This time, on the outskirts of Newcastle, she did not score and Australia did not advance – the former because Kerr spent much of this match doing selfless things and the latter a mathematical impossibility in a four-team friendly tournament.
