Matildas: Champions of Asia

Australia defeated DPR Korea in the final of the AFC 2010 Asia Cup. With the scores locked at 1-1 after the Aussies had led early, extra-time saw no further goals and the Aussies won the final on penalties.

And remarkably in the worst sodden penalty spot perhaps ever seen for a Continental final all five Aussie penalty takers scored. Sally Shipard, Kylie Ledbrook, Kate Gill, Heather Garriock, and Kyah Simon all scored to win the Asian Cup for Australia. DPR Korea missing just one penalty as Australia held their nerve.

The Matildas played wonderfully well in the first half. Perhaps the most enterprising of the tournament and after taking the lead early looked pretty comfortable until late in the second half.

Korea DPR an excellent side showed they have plenty of technique as they pressed early but the Australian team has a wonderful defence with Servet Unzular and Kim Carroll looking very composed in the centre of defence.

Australia were able to play much more football than in previous games, with Kate Gill providing some wonderful link play with her tight ball control.

Indeed it was her ball which enabled the ever willing Clare Polkinghorne to play in Sam Kerr. The sixteen yard kept her cool and ran in on goal and coolly finished.

There's clearly more to come from this young Australian, and she nearly won the game for the Aussies in the second half when Polkinghorne released her again, but her rising cross just went over Kate Gill's head, the game at 2-0 surely would have been Australia's.

But DPR Korea hit back and after a quick couple of chances took the game to extra-time with a headed cross finding the net.

The rain poured down in Chengdu and the pitch already struggling after so many games, turned into a quagmire.

But both sides dug in and slugged it out. End to end, tackle for tackle. But no-one could break the deadlock, not for the want of trying. And so to penalties.

A great tournament and a great win for the Australian's with the new defence well tested and well prepared for Germany. They can only get better.

Kim Carroll and Servet Unzular superb throughout, Ellise Kellond-Knight composed adds so much style to the Aussie backline and playing style.

Clare Polkinhorne is a must for any team, who energy and determination perhaps seen as more important than her undoubted passing ability.

Sally Shipard is back and made a huge impact on this tournament she'll be set for Germany. Kate Gill is now the complete player, Coach Tom Sermanni has some nice problems.

Lisa De Vanna injured and Sarah Walsh unable to play the Asian Final and yet Australia were still good enough to take the final.

With Caitlin Munoz, Ellyse Perry just two of a host of other players pushing for a place next year in the World Cup Squad one wonders if Aussie football has ever been so strong.

Sepp Blatter says the future of football is feminine so perhaps it's appropriate that the Matildas are the first Australian team to win in Asia.

Read More...

Summary only...

Matildas news blackout?

Socceroos, Socceroos, Socceroos are everywhere. Even kicked the Super 14 final, Canberra Raiders and AFL off the front page of the Canberra Times, in winter, and the World Cup hasn't even started, or maybe it has!

But more importantly all the football writers are already in South Africa it seems and as a result only the Australian, hardly reknown for its coverage of men's football never mind womens', seems interested in the Matildas. But of course even it really focused on a player who wasn't there, Cricketer, Footballer and Football Superstar host Ellyse Perry. Can't afford phone calls to China? No surpise, I guess.

(And as an aside, I predict Ellyse will have to choose football over cricket this year if her World Cup aim is to come through, seems to me football give-in to the not so friendly and supportive cricket mob from what I've seen, but this could change now we're at the World Cup. Will cricket really support her, my prediction is No! Can Ellyse really expect to play both and compete to her max on the World Stage? Cricket with all due respect is hardly football, think England, Brazil, Germany, USA and North Korea in the football as opposed to who New Zealand and England and a few more.)

Anyway, it's the final tomorrow night, an Asian Cup Final against those pecky, unsporting North Koreans. Coverage from the ABC, and all your usual media outlets has been woeful. Apart from ABC's wonderful coverage of the game, you hardly know this was one of the nations most popular female sports.

Anyway; I think we'll win! Our defence is strong as. We're confident and of course we recently beat the Graham Souness's "one-half and I'm off," North Koreans in Brisbane. Historically that was and is no mean feat.

No-one expected Japan to miss the final and their is no love lost between the Koreans and outselves. So expect grit and fireworks all around the pitch.

Same team as the semi-final I expect and these players Sally Shipard aside haven't played more than two games. They should be good to go and the game is being played at a later, cooler time.

No pressure now we've qualified so let's see the impact that has on the teams' performance.

Would like to see Collette McCallum, Clare Polkinghorne and Sally Shipard supporting our defenders when they have the ball much much more, or else the football which has been character building rather than controlling may continue.

Hopefully we can boss this game with the ball a little more, as we did in Brisbane. I see no reason why this can't be our best footballing show of the tournament, and with Sam Kerr to explode in the final thirty we might just have our icing on the cake.

The new De Vanna? At 16 you wouldn't bet against her, watch with interest.

As for the rest of the team, I'd like to see Elise Kellond-Knight do what she does best, control the ball, confident in her wonderful ability and get the team moving sweetly. With Elise in full flow, Heather Garriock up ahead we must have as good a left-side as any in the World.

Great to see the Matildas in the final, be nice if some mainstream media would come on board a tad more, but I suppose women only get noticed in the final! A la the Twenty/Twenty cricketers.

Anyhoo enjoy the game and if the North Koreans walk off I'll be looking at the AFC Final Ref to hold them to the professional football standards immediately. It's about time some in Asia Football Confederation held them to the rules. Go the Matildas.

Read More...

Summary only...

Can Matildas win in Asia? Yes they can!

Australian teams play with spirit, often over skill or so it's said, but anyone who follows the World Game know England, Italy and even Brazil can dig out a victory with character and tactical nous move evident than skill when required.

This Matildas performance had loads and loads of the former. And what joy to the followers of the Matildas.

Coach Tom Sermanni spoke of the 1-0 victory over Japan in the semi-final of the AFC Asia Cup last night as the Matildas greatest ever victory.

It maybe, but it wasn't pretty.

Matildas faced the 14 run unbeaten Japanese side, the best in Asia currently, without the mercurial forward Lisa De Vanna who broke her leg in the previous game.

And didn't we miss her. Her pace, her skills her ability to cause havoc and provide an outlet for the team left the team floundering in attack. In fact we didn't attack, not really.

Japan controlled the game, perhaps more hindered by the dire Chengdu pitch than the Aussies, but they found it hard to make clear cut chances. They hit the post in the first minute and threatened from deep but the Matildas held their shape, the defensive lapses of previous games were gone.

And from no where with shades of the Aussie men, they scored a beautiful, but ugly oh so ugly goal. The improved Katie Gill placing the ball sweetly and delicately over the Japanese player standing on the line. How the technically gifted Japanese players swung and missed the ball in the prior melee only they will know.

In the second half the Japanese continued to press and the game seemed to be the longest game of football I'd ever watched. Could Australia hang on?

We did. Sally Shipard was immense once again. The whole team scrambled, covered and closed down. Melissa Barbieri, the keeper perhaps the player of the match.

Kate Gill had a half chance, and Sam Kerr set-up Clare Polkinghorne at the death, but one goal was all Australia needed.

So to the final. An Asian Final. But the real prize is the World Cup and Germany 2011 already locked in the bag.

Like their men counterparts in Aussie football the women's game need to be at the World Cup for the growth of the sport; and now they are.

Will they win the Asia Cup? They might. If they can get beat the best in Asia, basically nullify the real Japanese goal threat, they could go one step further on Sunday, but it won't be pretty, not on this form.

Long-term though we're sweet and maybe pretty!

Lisa De Vanna will be back and Sam Kerr showed in five minutes what a welcome addition she'll be in Germany with another year of W-League behind her. Bring in Caitlin Munoz and this team could well excite next year.

For now it's all Asia and finals football. Can the Matildas bring home the first Asian prize in Australia football? Yes they can!

Read More...

Summary only...

Aussie superstar in doubt

Australia went down 1-0 to China as Coach Tom Sermanni shuffled the decks a la Sir Alex Ferguson, but unlike Sir Alex the introduction of a World Superstar, in this case Lisa De Vanna, just after half-time not only failed to change the score but worse still saw her leave the field with a shocking injury.

The Matildas face tournament favourites Japan or Korea DPR in their semi on Thursday, my monies on the talented and free flowing Japanese, Don't miss it, it'll be a belter.

Back to tonights game.

Aussie started poorly, played without real shape or ability to keep the ball despite having Heather Garriock into the team that started against Vietnam.

And no surprise when Avi Luik was poorly positioned defensively and China took the lead with a cracking finish.

Maybe Lydia Williams could have saved it. I say maybe because when you see the saves she made in the rest of the game anything is possible for Lydia.

China pushed hard until half-time and in truth Australia created little and had little real ball.

De Vanna came on early in the second half and the team lifted. Is she that inspirational or did Sermanni push Tamara Butt and Sam Kerr further forward. Collette McCallum also added some much need quality in the forward play when she came on and despite China having two or three clear chances to seal the game, it was Australia who finished stronger.

In part China sat back but Leena Khamis and Collette McCallum went close, and Butt got into excellent positions on the right but failed to cross with quality time and time again. She'll be disappointed but looked tired in the heat.

Next up is the semi, a mega clash no matter who.

Rested Lauran Colthorpe, Collette McCallum, Clare Polkinhorne, Katie Gill and Kim Carroll, Ellise Kellond-Knight will all return.

Two games to secure our place at the World Cup. The TV viewer will expect we have to do it without the mercurial Lisa De Vanna.

The Matildas with or without De Vanna showed tonight they have plenty to threaten any of the top teams and with a stronger team line-up over the next two games Sermanni will be very confident they can progress to the World Cup, although we may have to wait for the 3rd/4th play-off if Japan top their group.

Read More...

Summary only...

Matildas won 2-0

Well we beat Vietnam with a second string or part thereof. It wasn't that pretty and at times it wasn't that comfortable, but only because we couldn't completely kill the game.

Thought Sally Shipard was immense, Sam Kerr looked lively when she came on. We failed to hold the ball enough for my liking, particularly in the final third.

Defensively, when tested, we weren't always smart but against Vietnam we were never going to be punished. In midfield the intensity dropped at crucial times and we scored through a piece of opportunism from Leena Khamis and a penalty.

Some creative work around the Vietnamese box in the second half was way more incisive than the first, and led to the penalty. Why Lauren Colthorpe tried to switch play three times in three minutes from right back to left wing, with a short ball on I fail to understand.

But a win's a win despite what many say and now, perhaps, the real test, South Korea on Friday at 5pm on ABC.

Bring it on!

Read More...

Summary only...

Matildas making waves?

Can you tape the game?

I'm going to give training a miss and watch the Matildas.

Can I come over with the kids, I want to watch the Matildas.

These are just three of the comments I've received this morning!

Think back five years....when did you ever hear such comments? Even Terry Henry, attended the Olympic football games in Canberra, nice one Terry, was talking them up on the Nearpost like the professional he is.

There's a growing interest in this team, Australia, the Matildas. Tonight the Asia Cup Finals start v Vietnam live on on ABCTV 5pm AEST and of course the additional and possibly real prize of a trip to the World Cup if we come in the top three.

I think we can, I think we can..I really do, need a win tonight. Crucial!

And I'm with Sally Shipard, Matildas Star, read her blog to find out the real mood!

Read More...

Summary only...

Nearpost May 18, 2010

Should Joel really go...and say that about Pim, will Harry get to South Africa, can the Matildas do it in Asia and Mr Flores set to take the A-League by storm?

Paddy and Lucy are joined by Uber-host Terry Henry, a man who leads from the front and supports Arsenal.

Download.
or play right from your computer....

Read More...

Summary only...