Before they book their tickets for France the Matildas need to rubber stamp their qualification. That will occur on Wednesday night in Melbourne when the second-leg of this playoff takes place.
I’ll be back on deck for that, please feel free to stop by and keep me company. Until then, goodnight.
While all the focus will be on Heyman and Australia’s striking stocks, credit is due to the supporting cast, most of whom were superb tonight. The core of Kennedy, Hunt, Cooney-Cross and Gorry bossed the middle of the park, Carpenter and Raso were a permanent speedy menace down the right, Fowler wasn’t sighted often but everything she did oozed class, and Catley’s delivery remains world class. This is a side that can head to Paris confident of competing for a medal.
Hopefully Heyman’s impact will force Tony Gustavsson to consider his plans. Without Sam Kerr for the Olympics Australia need a solution in attack and it was clear how much better the Matildas were with a recognised No 9 on the field. Not just the way Heyman straightened up attacks and provided movement in the box, but how she created space for Fowler and Foord around her. The contrast with players asked to play out of position in the first half was stark.
Australia dominated from the first whistle to the last against limited opposition and eventually ran out comfortable victors. For an hour there was plenty of toil with little to show for it but the introduction of Michelle Heyman provided some much needed cutting edge. After she nodded home the opener the dam burst and the Matildas could have left the first leg with more than three goals.
Full-time: Uzbekistan 0-3 Australia
The Matildas take a giant step towards qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics with a comprehensive victory in Tashkent.
90 mins: “Well if anything typifies the ‘it’s like a bus’ joke then this is it,” emails HarryofOz. “No goals for ages - then three at once :) Go the Matildas.” To continue the analogy, it just needed the bus company to roster on an extra driver to get things moving.
89 mins: Gorry almost makes it four but her shot from the edge of the box isn’t clean and ends up safely in the goalkeeper’s arms.
GOAL! Uzbekistan 0-3 Australia (Foord, 86)
The Matildas are filling their boots! Time and space on the left for Catley to pick her target in the box, and that target is the forehaed of Arsenal teammate Foord. The substitute had ghosted into space near the penalty spot and diverts her header comfortably into the corner of the net. Uzbekistan look out on their feet.
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85 mins: The scoreline is now finally a fairer reflection of Australia’s dominance. Wednesday night should now be a celebration.
82' Two more changes
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 24, 2024
⬇ @AlannaKennedy & @HayleyRaso
⬆ Aivi Luik & @Tameka_Yallop
🇺🇿 0-1 🇦🇺#UZBvAUS#Matildas #TilitsDone #AllezAUS #Paris2024
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GOAL! Uzbekistan 0-2 Australia (Fowler, 84)
Tired of setting up opportunities for teammates, Fowler does it all by herself, gliding through midfield then clipping a low drive that skids off the turf and out of reach of the goalkeeper. Wonderful individual goal.
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83 mins: Now Carpenter should score! Another floated ball in from the left from Fowler finds Carpenter steaming in at the far post but the header isn’t kept down and on target.
81 mins: It should be two! The floating ball in from the left looks destined for Foord’s forehead but the unmarked striker doesn’t connect and the cross bounces agonisingly wide of the far post.
79 mins: Another Catley corner, another Hunt header, but this one doesn’t lead to anything. Australia could fill their boots in these closing stages.
77 mins: Uzbekistan look weary now, struggling to force their bodies upfield after booting the ball clear. Carpenter is still full of running though and she works a one-two with Gorry but the resulting cutback doesn’t find a target. Foord joins the fray, and she earns another corner.
76 mins: Kennedy again has an opportunity with her head from a corner but she can’t direct her effort on target.
75 mins: Another threat from a corner with Hunt and Kennedy causing problems in the air. Australia have the bit between their teeth now.
74 mins: It’s almost as though a team is more likely to score a goal when it plays with a striker.
GOAL! Uzbekistan 0-1 Australia (Heyman, 73)
Catley’s corner is flicked onto the bar at the near post by Hunt. Heyman is first to react, rising from the pack and nodding over the line for a priceless goal. That’s what a striker’s instinct looks like.
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72 mins: Australia keep probing and Foord has a snapshot deflected behind for a corner.
70 mins: Raso has to do better with the final ball after excellent work from Heyman through the middle. Foord was free at the far post but the cross was too close to the goalkeeper.
68 mins: Gorry lets fly from distance but it’s always slicing away from the target.
67 mins: Heyman then wins the header from the corner, flicking on at the near post, but she has to watch it skim just over the bar.
66 mins: Australia already look more dangerous. Fowler runs at the Uzbekistan midfield before slipping in Foord on the left. Heyman feints to go near post then peels to the back as the cross is glanced behind for a corner.
65 mins: Not before time, Michelle Heyman is finally on the field. Van Egmond makes way after a frustrating 65 minutes.
64 mins: Foord goes on her first mazy run of the night, and it ends with a diagonal ball into the box that is deflected into the path of van Egmond, but her cutback cannot find a teammate.
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63 mins: Repeat free-kicks and throw-ins have disrupted the flow of the game. It’s all got a bit scrappy and niggly.
62 mins: Mackenzie Arnold into action! For the first time tonight the Australian goalkeeper has to rush off her line and gather at the feet of Kurdatova after good work from Khabibullaeava following a throw-in.
60 mins: Fowler has time in midfield and picks out van Egmond between the lines, but the No 10’s control lets her down and a promising opportunity ebbs away.
59 mins: A lovely ball into the channel finds the onrushing Raso. Her ball across the top of the box finds Fowler cutting in from the left, but after a lovely first touch the ball doesn’t settle and the snapshot squirts high and wide.
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57 mins: After that bright start to the half the tempo has slowed a little. It suits Uzbekistan who can catch their breath and restructure defensively.
55 mins: Stick a couple of scruffy goals on this scoreline and it’s a routine night for the Matildas. As it is, it’s hard not to question the judgement of a coach who refuses to select a recognised striker for a side that struggles to score goals.
53 mins: How are the Matildas not in front? Fowler gets on the ball finally on the left and her wand of a left boot curls over an inch perfect cross that van Egmond side-foots over the bar from point-blank range.
51 mins: Australia are camped inside Uzbekistan’s territory again with the hosts all at sea when they try to clear their lines. But the Matildas need broken play to exploit their pace and look stagnant when the game slows to a walking pace. eventually Hunt larrups a throughball-cum-shot from 40m that is gathered by the keeper. Mary Fowler is isolated and under utilised on the left.
50 mins: Carpenter and Raso again slice through Uzbekistan on the right. This time it’s Raso with the cross and this time it finds a forward eager to shoot, but Foord, just on, shanks her effort over the bar. The Matildas have started this half well.
48 mins: Raso and the excellent Carpenter link well down the right but the latter’s cross isn’t attacked in the box. Cooney-Cross picks up the pieces from miles out and lets fly, forcing the keeper to tip over the bar awkwardly. Catley’s corner is dangerous but Uzbekistan do enough to clear. The second ball in is even more threatening but van Egmond shows a creator’s instinct as the ball lands at her feet six yards out when something more direct was required.
46 mins: We’re back underway in chilly Tashkent. Can Australia break the deadlock?
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It looks like a change at the break for the Matildas, and an obvious one, with Caitlin Foord coming on for debutant Kaitlyn Torpey.
“Matildas lacking creativity and ideas… seems to be a common theme. Is it Tony G?” asks James Paraksevas, “or do we not have the players”. I don’t think we will ever know if we have the players or not James, if Gustavsson doesn’t pick them.
76% possession for one shot on target is doing little to dissuade my burgeoning feelings that Tony Gustavsson and Jürgen Klinsmann are strikingly similar coaches. #UZBvAUS
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) February 24, 2024
Gustavsson has led a charmed life in terms of scrutiny compared to Klinsmann.
Lots to like from the Matildas in that half – apart from one glaring issue. Out of possession they look composed, structurally they are well drilled, and they are all trying to play neat sophisticated football. But without a striker it’s all hat no cattle. Kaitlyn Torpey has looked uncomfortable in her attacking role on debut, and Emily van Egmond simply doesn’t offer the required cutting edge.
Half-time: Uzbekistan 0-0 Australia
Goalless at the break. Australia dominant but toothless.
45+5 mins: Australia continue to push and Catley gets in behind on the left from a throw-in. She picks out van Egmond with her cross but the resulting header glances well wide.
45+4 mins: The ball spends a rare couple of minutes in Australia’s half with Uzbekistan winning repeat throw-ins down their attacking left. Nothing threatening comes of it and Australia seize the opportunity to play on the counter through Fowler, but with two teammates in the box she fails to beat the first defender.
45+2 mins: Lovely feet from Kennedy, allowing the ball to run across her body and invite danger before striding out of trouble. She releases Raso down the right and Australia should have a corner but inexplicably the set-piece goes Uzbekistan’s way.
45 mins: Australia get a free-kick from deep. Catley lofts it in, it comes off an Uzbekistan head and Jonimqulova makes a simple save. The hosts can’t play their way out of defence again though but Torpey cannot capitalise.
43 mins: Australia have gone off the boil in possession in the past ten or so minutes, but there’s nothing wrong with their workrate winning the ball back. Carpenter and Gorry in particular have been busy and physical.
41 mins: An indication of the problem facing Gustavsson is when Fowler takes possession off Hunt on the left wing near the halfway line, looks up, and sees only a gaping hole where a recognised striker should be. Either Fowler needs to be further up the field or a forward not named Kerr needs to be trusted with that role.
39 mins: Fowler then gets on the ball in attack and curls over a delightful low cross that arcs between the goalkeeper and back four, inviting Torpey to challenge at the back post and force a corner. Nothing comes of it.
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38 mins: Uzbekistan string two passes together around halfway and Kurdatova has space to run into. But not for long with Fowler soon on the scene to cover. That’s as good as it’s been for half-an-hour for the hosts.
35 mins: Meanwhile, Kennedy is very fortunate not to be booked for lunging after a loose ball and catching Nabikulova high on the shin.
34 mins: I hope Mackenzie Arnold is wearing thermals because she’s had nothing to do in the freezing cold.
33 mins: Uzbekistan are all over the place. They cannot retain possession and continually give the ball away cheaply trying to play out from the back.
31 mins: Now van Egmond should score! Another cross from the right causes panic in the Uzbekistan defence. Jonimqulova can’t deal with the threat under pressure from Raso, but from eight yards out van Egmond slices a volley over the bar with the goal at her mercy.
30 mins: Chance! Best of the night so far perhaps and the outcome of another demonstration of Australia’s preferred pattern of play. The build up is precise down the right, with a ball into the channel freeing the wide runner, Torpey. She pulls the ball back for Raso, but on the burst she scuffs her shot across the face of goal. That’s the move we’ve seen so often from the Matildas in recent seasons.
29 mins: Uzbekistan make a meal of playing out from the back but, not for the first time tonight, Torpey looks uncertain what to do with the ball at her feet. She is clearly playing in an unfamiliar role.
27 mins: I know we’re only 27 minutes in, but I’d already sub on Michelle Heyman. Uzbekistan have fashioned absolutely nothing. The tie is there for Australia to win tonight and turn Wednesday into an exhibition.
24 mins: Gustavsson’s repeated reluctance to replace Kerr with another genuine striker is frustrating. Surely Australia cannot head to Paris without having a serious look at an alternative No 9, not just a rotating cast of No 10s.
Shoot farken. #UZBvAUS
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) February 24, 2024
22 mins: Somebody shoot! The Matildas carve their way through Uzbekistan with Carpenter underlapping superbly, but after feeding in van Egmond on the shoulder of the last defender the auxiliary striker eschews the shot and the extra pass is cleared.
20 mins: And Torpey should score on debut! The play began wide on the right, as expected, and Raso whipped in a perfect cross that van Egmond could have attacked first near the penalty spot, but she leaves it for Torpey at the far post. Instead of shooting, the San Diego signing tries to square the ball back across goal but missed her target. She will regret not going for goal.
19 mins: Torpey was down for a while after suffering a knock, but she’s good to go.
17 mins: Hunt and Gorry demonstrate that relationship to execute a precise move out of defence that breaks the initial press. The shift to the right then frees Australia down the flank but from the wide attacking area the ball cannot make its way into a shooting opportunity in the box. That looks to be the pattern of the match. The Matildas just lacking that attacking threat, as you might expect without either Kerr or Foord in the line-up.
15 mins: Australia’s core five of Arnold, Kennedy, Hunt, Gorry, and Cooney-Cross are so assured now as a unit. There is great understanding, they know how to trust each other without the ball and how to find each other in possession. It provides such surety to side to have that portion of the pitch locked down.
13 mins: There is Mary Fowler! For the first time tonight the Manchester City schemer got on the ball and drifted gracefully into the finally third, stepping inside onto her right foot and rifling a low shot that Jonimqulova does well to save low to her right. She suffered a bump to her lower back in the process but she’s fine to continue. Fowler showing her obvious class there. Australia need to get her on the ball as often as possible.
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11 mins: Raso again uses her pace to find some space – on the right this time – but she loses control and the ball runs free.
11 months ago, the Young Socceroos played at this same stadium against Uzbekistan U20 in front of 34k raucous fans. While a near-empty stadium for #UZBvAUS means no intimidating atmosphere for the Matildas, this maybe should have been a much better spectacle!
— Teo Pellizzeri (@teopellizzeri) February 24, 2024
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10 mins: Australia’s speed is all out wide. On the right Carpenter is eager to overlap, while on the left Raso is darting around linking up well with Catley. Fowler hasn’t seen much of the ball yet though, and she will be the vital link between those wide sorties and a goal threat.
8 mins: Uzbekistan are set up in a 4-2-3-1 without the ball, holding their shape nicely, unafraid of conceding space to van Egmond, not the paciest lone striker going around.
6 mins: Catley gets away with an awful pass out of defence, straight to Khabibullaeva. Bodies get around the ball and the eventual shot from range is deflected behind for a corner, that is dealt with easily.
5 mins: All Australia in these early stages, keeping the ball moving in defence and midfield, not allowing Uzbekistan to settle into a low block.
3 mins: Australia are looking bright early on and switch the ball from back to front quickly through Catley and Raso – now buzzing over on the left. The move ends when Gorry can’t pick out a target in the box from deep.
2 mins: Catley’s inswinger is dangerous and earns another corner. The second set-piece is menacing too but Kennedy can’t divert her header on target and Uzbekistan deal with the second effort.
1 min: As expected, Torpey does start wide on the left, but it’s the Australian right side that begins proceedings brightly. Raso and van Egmond dovetail nicely and as the latter darts into the box the ball is smuggled behind for a corner.
Kick-off!
Paris 2024 is just 180 minutes away…
Out come the two sides into the freezing conditions. Uzbekistan are top to toe in royal blue. Australia are in their change uniform of teal. The match ball manufacturer is… Molten.
The TV camera pans out to reveal around 1,000 or so fans in the stands, wrapped up warm.
A clutch of intrepid Matildas fans have made the journey to Tashkent. There don’t appear to many locals around to drown out their chants.
I have a feeling we are going to outnumber the locals #UZBvAUS pic.twitter.com/MOy32gqRcm
— Mark Bowman (@ProfMarkBowman) February 24, 2024
The Matildas will be playing in their teal change strip tonight.
A moment to remember forever, we welcome a debutant into the family, cap #227 Kaitlyn Torpey!
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 24, 2024
Congrats, Kaitlyn! 👏#Matildas #TilitsDone #AllezAUS #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/VXdfoA9aep
Tony Gustavsson has had a few words with Channel 10, most of them were not worth reporting, but he did drop an interesting nugget about Australia’s style of play tonight, and especially the importance of Alanna Kennedy. “Extremely good on the ball,” Gustavsson said. “She knows when to hold off and when to invite pressure, when to penetrate, through and around and over, almost like a quarterback. She is very important for us.”
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The Matildas have spent the past week in a training camp in sunny Dubai. They landed in frigid Tashkent yesterday where temperatures are hovering around zero. They are currently “warming up” as light snow drifts onto the turf.
At the beautiful Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent ahead of @TheMatildas Olympic qualifier against Uzbekistan. Currently 0°C and snowing - perfect football conditions, right? #UZBvAUS pic.twitter.com/f2eiXCB3Os
— Grace Gill (@gracegill9) February 24, 2024
Paris 2024 qualification is almost complete. Seven of the 12 teams are already known:
France (hosts)
USA & Canada (CONCACAF)
Brazil & Colombia (CONMEBOL)
New Zealand (OFC)
Spain (UEFA)
By the middle of next week they will be joined by:
Australia or Uzbekistan (AFC)
North Korea or Japan (AFC)
Netherlands or Germany (UEFA)
And finally, sometime in April, two sides from CAF will complete the line-up.
Torpey’s selection continues a meteoric ascent. The 23-year-old, Melbourne City’s players’ player of the year, has just joined San Diego Wave in the NWSL for a record transfer fee understood to be $75,000.
Australia XI
Not only is Sam Kerr missing tonight, but strike partner Caitlin Foord is also absent from the starting XI. The Arsenal striker has been rested to manage her load. Filling the void is debutant Kaitlyn Torpey, normally a defender, and Gustavsson’s teamsheet suggests Australia will begin with a back five, although I’d expect Torpey to end up operating wide on the left to cause minimum disruption to an otherwise settled XI. Something like:
Arnold
Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley (c)
Cooney-Cross, Gorry
Van Egmond
Raso, Fowler, Torpey
STARTING XI 🗒
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 24, 2024
Here's how we line up against Uzbekistan in our #Paris2024 play-off first leg, with Kaitlyn Torpey making her senior debut!
📺💻📱: @10FootballAU #Matildas #TilitsDone #AllezAUS pic.twitter.com/65jh228vkr
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Uzbekistan XI
There is not a lot of information out there about the Uzbekistan line-up, but one player to keep an eye on is Diyorakhon Khabibullaeva, who averages better than a goal per game at international level and is the top goalscorer in AFC qualifying so far, finding the back of the net nine times.
Kaitlyn Torpey earns a start in her Matildas debut in Australia's first Olympic qualifier against Uzbekistan. Caitlin Foord starts on the bench 🇦🇺🦘 pic.twitter.com/4lWIxlEYdg
— Isobel Cootes (@isobelcootes) February 24, 2024
With a return leg to come on Wednesday in Melbourne, it makes sense for Australia to adopt a risk-free approach in Tashkent. It might not make for the most thrilling contest, but that’s qualification football.
“Sometimes those sort of games can be a little frustrating. But we’ve got a few tools now to use to break down the opposition,” explained veteran defender Clare Polkinghorne.’ It’s key for us to remain positive and remain calm and stick to our processes and our gameplan.”
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Uzbekistan v Australia from Tashkent. Kick off is 2pm local time (8pm AEST).
This is the first of two legs comprising the third and final round of the 2024 AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Or to put it another way, the start of a two-legged playoff to decide who makes it to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The return match is in Melbourne on Wednesday.
The Matildas, ranked 12th in the world, are strong favourites to progress against the 47th ranked Uzbeks. Tonight’s hosts have never qualified for the Olympics or World Cup before and haven’t appeared at the Asian Cup since 2003. They have lost six of their last nine matches and endured a series of heavy defeats at the Asian Games late last year.
Australia don’t have much form of their own to shout about either, having lost back-to-back matches against Canada in December, but they made light work of the second round of qualification shortly beforehand.
Tonight’s match is the first opportunity to see how Australia coach Tony Gustavsson plans to cope long-term without captain and star striker Sam Kerr, who suffered a serious knee injury in January. When Kerr was absent during the World Cup Mary Fowler moved into a more advanced role as Gustavsson retained faith in his small core group of players. However, the recall of veteran Michelle Heyman after six years out of contention indicates a change of strategy.
“With Sam unavailable, Kyah [Simon] coming back from injury … we were looking at who’s the best next No 9,” Gustavsson said when he announced his squad. “The way Michelle has played, she deserves to be selected – it’s purely performance.”
As well as Kerr, regular squad members Cortnee Vine and Lydia Williams are also missing, but there is a welcome return to the group for Chloe Logarzo, who has endured a horror run of injuries over the past two years.
I’ll leave it there for now, but if you’d like to get in touch while I’m on, please fire all communication to jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
The numerals are locked 🔢🔒
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 24, 2024
As per the Olympic Qualifiers rules only 22 players (numbered 1-22) can be registered for the Round 3 matches.
🇺🇿 v 🇦🇺 24.02.24 - 8pm AEDT
📺💻📱: @10FootballAU#Matildas #TilitsDone #AllezAUS #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/WcU5aZ9kDJ
