Matildas can beat Brazil tonight

Tom Sermanni has shocked the Matildas and W-League football followers by leaving out of his starting eleven in tonights game against Brazil three of the stars from the last World and Asia Cup.

Lauren Colthorpe
Claire Polkinghorne
Sally Shipard

and Aussie cricketer and footballer Ellyse Perry who burst on to the scene after the last World Cup - looked a shoe-in for a starting birth - has been overtaken by a 16 year old Caitlin Foord. Incredible.

Imagine England leaving out Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand before the first game of a World Cup. or Australia dropping Vince Grella, Jason Culina, Brett Emerton!

Takes guts - and a clear mind.

Sermannni has it - always has.

And don't forget Emily Van Egmond, just 17 herself, she has found herself in the starting line-up against Brazil. Against Brazil!

A Coach with confidence. Sermanni is a wily old fox and has shown time and time again he can mould a team, produce champion performaners and champion performances.

Can we beat Brazil?

Well the women's game has undoubtedly improved in Australia in the last four years - but so has the game across the World.

Australia has an abundance of skill and pace in the forward line, perhaps more skill in more forward positions than ever before.

I'm surprised Emily Van Egmond is starting but at 17 she's probably improved more since the end of the W-League than any of us good imagine - hard to base her selection on those performances we did see. Good luck to Emily a future star!.

We didn't dominate when we won in Asia, few games were won where we had most of the possession - but we showed an ability to defend against Asian teams who always perform strongly on the women's stage. A good measure.

And we should be even stronger now.

Fascinating to see how Australia go tonight - with the quality of the bench - don't forget to add Sam Kerr to the list above, Australia has a squad to cause some pain.

Can they beat Brazil - you know, I think they will!

And won't that shake the World.