Australia’s Matildas are set for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after a 15-minute Michelle Heyman hat-trick put the result beyond doubt against Uzbekistan.
Already leading the two-legged tie 3-0, the Matildas scored less than a minute into the clash in Melbourne via an own goal, before Heyman – making her first start in almost six years – added three of her own before the 16-minute mark.
The home side led 8-0 at halftime with Heyman adding a fourth just before the break.
The Matildas saw goals from Heyman, Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord in the second half of their match in Tashkent last weekend, putting them firmly in control of their own destiny.
With the scores of both matches to be combined for the final result, the Matildas will qualify for the Olympics via a win, a draw, or a loss by no more than two goals.
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If they lose 3-0, extra time will be played, though if they lose by a higher-scoring three-goal margin – ie 4-1 or 5-2 – they would lose on aggregate due to the away goals rule.
Michelle Heyman and Caitlin Foord came into the XI with Hayley Raso and Emily Van Egmond sent to the bench.
The match kicked off from a sold out Marvel Stadium in Melbourne at 8pm AEDT.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has hinted that there could be some unexpected names in the starting line up for the first leg against Uzbekistan in a bid to manage player fatigue.
Meanwhile, the team is facing brutal conditions in Tashkent, with snow currently falling at the stadium and temperatures expected to dip into the negative.
According to renowned Australian football statistician Andy Howe, neither the Matildas or Socceroos have ever played a match in the snow.
The 23 women in the camp have all come from a range of domestic competitions – some midway through season, some in their off-season and others in pre-season.
Adding to the juggle is players like Alanna Kennedy who have only recently returned from injury or Arsenal midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross who has had limited minutes in the top flight English league.
Caitlin Foord has played more than 1000 minutes of football for Arsenal this season, while Mary Fowler has played just a touch over 500 minutes.
World Cup defensive star Clare Hunt could be one of the overloaded players – spending 1200 minutes on the field for PSG across their domestic competition and the Champions League. While fellow defender Clare Polkinghorne hasn’t played since the Swedish league wrapped up in November.
In his pre-match press conference Gustavsson, who didn’t want to reveal his starting 11, hinted that some of the decisions were out of his hands and based on recommendations from the medical staff.
“We came in with a lot of challenges this camp, some players were coming in with a lot of game time with fatigue and niggles, some players coming in with very little game time and underloaded,” he said.
Tony Gustavsson is hinting at a new-look Matildas line-up. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“So it was important for us to find the right sweet spot in terms of training load and make sure the ones that came in with some fatigue and niggles are fresh on Saturday.
“Without revealing the line-ups there are a couple of players that came in with overload and niggles and we need to be mindful how we use them now in this first game if we do, how many minutes and how that can influence the availability in the second game and so forth.
“So we look at form and physical readiness for the game as well.
“We are going to go all in and maximise the performance in game one.”
Gustavsson dropped another hint that the line up could feature a few surprises in order to have the experienced stars on the bench as “game changers”.
“When you’re planning you are planning for a strong starting line up but maybe even a stronger finishing line-up because game changers are key in games like this,” he said.
THE MATCH
Despite Uzbekistan being the clear underdogs Gustavsson wasn’t willing to count them out of the contest.
The 47th ranked team in the world has never qualified for an Olympics before, or played at a FIFA Women’s World Cup.
But Gustavsson was quick to point out that any team playing at home can be tough to handle.
“You can play an opposition doing a certain thing, you look at what they have done in the past, but this is an Olympic qualifier against us, on home soil,” he said.
Gustavsson said Uzbekistan could bring a completely different approach to the match, play one way for part of the game and then switch it up.
“They have shown they are really well organised and have a clear game plan. They’ve been in a very long pre-camp going into this game as well.
“We know we are going to be playing a team that is very well prepared. We need to understand that and also be prepared for different types of challenges.”
One of those challenges the players will have little control over or time to adapt to is the weather.
It is forecast to reach a high of just two degrees in Tashkent on Saturday.
While the players based in Europe and England will be more accustomed to the brisk weather it will be a shock to the system for the A-Leagues players.
“The sports science team does a tremendous job in terms of acclimatisation – whether it is nutrition, whether it is recovery or training load or preparing for weather as well. I’m sure we are going to be well prepared,” Gustavsson said.
“It doesn’t matter the circumstances around them when they step on the field they always give it 100 per cent, no matter the pitch, the wind, the rain, the weather.
“This is a game when we have a game plan that we want to try to execute but we also need to be able to adapt to what’s thrown at us whether it’s tactics or weather or the pitch circumstances.”
Gustavsson wants the Matildas to be aggressive. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
BALANCE IS KEY
While Gustavsson kept the game plan under lock and key he did reveal the intention is still play the attacking, high-pressing style of football the Matildas became known for during the recent World Cup.
“No matter who steps on there we’re going to be true to who we are,” he said.
“I’m not talking formation when I talk about who we are, I’m talking about the principle of how we play. We’re always going to be a pressing team.
“We’re going to be a high octane energy team that likes to attack with numbers. We looked at different ways of how we can create those chances when the space is less which we think it is going to be in this game.”
Defender Alanna Kennedy, who is fit after a recent calf injury in the WSL, said she was feeling good and the team was “looking sharp”.
“To have made it this far Uzbekistan is obviously a team of good quality and I think for us it will be about being patient,” Kennedy said.
“I’m sure we will find them in a bit of a block at different points in the game and just being patient with our game plan and clinical in the moments that we do get up top, so it’s definitely a challenge ahead but we are well prepared for it.”
TIGHT TURN AROUND
While the focus is on the first leg of the two-game series Gustavsson said medical staff had also had to form a plan to optimise recovery ahead of the second game in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Players will have to endure a 20 hour flight from Tashkent to Melbourne, arriving on Monday – just two days before their second clash.
Kennedy said it was far from ideal but something the players, especially being from Australia, had to come to accept as part of being a professional footballer.
“I think if anyone is well prepared for it, it will be us,” Kennedy said.
“Of course there is the extra one percenters that you have to be more careful with, looking after your body recovery, what you eat and obviously what we prioritise during those few days, like just getting the legs going after the long flight.
“As a player I think it is more about mindset and what we can do mentally to be prepared but as well as physically for the short turnaround.”
Gustavsson said lots of strategies would be used to maximise recovery time.
“We need to be world class when we travel,” he said.
“Whether it is compression pants or getting used to jet lag, or sleeping routines or nutrition or recovery strategies – the players are all phenomenal when it comes to that and it comes down to mindset as well.
“I know once we step off that plane and come to Australia the players will be prepared as they can.
“I also know they are going to be refuelled and energised by the fans and coming back to play on home soil. That is going to compensate for a lot of lack of energy from travel.”
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The Matildas are confident the depth in the squad will be enough to earn them qualification to the Olympics as they prepare to face Uzbekistan in a two-leg playoff for a place in Paris.
The Matildas, currently ranked 12th in the world, finished fourth in the 2023 Women’s World Cup on home soil and fourth in the Tokyo Olympics – their best-ever finish in both competitions.
The team is intent on not just qualifying for a fifth Games, but are eyeing a first-ever medal in Paris when the competition kicks off in late July.
But first they have to get past world number 47 Uzbekistan, with the two teams meeting on Saturday night in Tashkent before the second leg in Melbourne next Wednesday.
While the Matildas are overwhelming favourites against the surprise package of Asian qualifying, there are big questions over the team’s attacking make-up given the absences of captain Sam Kerr and talented winger Cortnee Vine.
Kerr tore her ACL last month at a Chelsea training camp in Morocco, and will be ruled out for the remainder of the club season – and almost certainly the Olympics given the typical nine-month minimum recovery time for a major anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation.
Vine scored the winning penalty against France in the quarter-final shootout at last year’s World Cup, shooting her to instant stardom.
And though she hasn’t been in top form this A-League Women season, the 25-year-old has still amassed five goals and three assists in 13 matches so far and remains one of the Matildas’ best wingers.
Replacing Vine in the squad is 24-year-old Western Sydney Wanderers striker Sophie Harding, who has surged into career-best form this season with nine goals and two assists in 16 matches.
Harding was born in England moved to Sydney when she was six, and played for the Newcastle Jets for two seasons before making the move to Western Sydney in 2022.
She found out about her maiden Matildas call-up while working a 10-hour shift.
“It’s obviously extremely exciting, something I’ve dreamed about for a very long time,” Harding said in a video on the Wanderers’ website. “Sometimes it didn’t really seem achievable … I was very overwhelmed, I actually burst out laughing [when I got the call] because I was so shocked.”
Eligible to play for England – her birth nation – as well as for the Republic of Ireland through her grandparents, selecting the up-and-coming forward to secure her international allegiance appears a smart call from Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson.
Sophie Harding of the Wanderers has been in red-hot form this season.Source: Getty Images
In the absence of Kerr, Gustavsson also turned to Michelle Heyman of Canberra United – the 35-year-old forward leading the A-League Women scoring charts this season with 12 goals and five assists in just 16 matches.
Heyman last played for the Matildas in 2018 before retiring from international football after missing out on a place in the Women’s World Cup the following year, but is now in line for a 62nd appearance in the green and gold.
“With Sam unavailable, Kyah [Simon] coming back from injury … we were looking at who’s the best next No 9,” Gustavsson said. “The way Michelle has played, she deserves to be selected – it’s purely performance.
“I’ve said a lot of times, it’s not about your age, it’s about the quality you have as a footballer – whether you’re 17 or 35. Heyman has played herself into this team the way she is playing, she’s in tremendous form and she’s scoring for fun.
“And we also feel playing this type of qualifiers, when we think we’re going to play against a very, very well organised Uzbekistan is going to be difficult to get in behind. We need an in-and-out pure No. 9 in the box that needs half a chance to score. And that’s Michelle, the form she’s playing with right now.”
“I feel like I’m 21 again, it’s a great feeling,” Heyman said. “It’s been six years since I’ve put on the green and gold and to get this call-up … it’s changed my life.
“When I retired I really needed a break and back in 2019 you couldn’t use the words ‘mental health’. Since 2020 coming back into the A-League Women, I’ve loved every minute and it sparked that fire in my belly to get back into the squad.”
She added: “It’s really sad news for Sam. That’s how my career started back in 2010 – Sam did a knee and I got her spot – so it’s a surreal, weird feeling that this has happened again.”
Emily van Egmond (second right) and Michelle Heyman of the Matildas (right) in November 2018, Heyman’s last appearance for Australia.Source: AAP
The absence of talismanic striker Kerr and Vine is a significant blow to the Matildas ahead of their meetings with Uzbekistan, but also presents a strong opportunity for both fresh faces and old – Harding and Heyman respectively – to stake their claim in the squad.
And the Matildas have demonstrated they can perform without Kerr, as they were forced to do at last year’s World Cup.
Kerr’s calf strain on the eve of the tournament opener saw her ruled out of the Matildas’ first three games before two substitute appearances and two starts later in the tournament.
But in the absence of Australia’s all-time top scorer, the Matildas’ other attackers proved they could shine.
Manchester City’s 21-year-old Mary Fowler took a major step up, while veterans like Hayley Raso (Real Madrid), Caitlin Foord (Arsenal), and 139-cap Emily van Egmond (San Diego Wave) all played a key role.
It was that quartet that ran riot against Canada in a decisive World Cup group stage win.
But when the two teams met again twice in December, the Matildas lost twice while attempting to implement a new style of possession football. Whether that approach is adopted against Uzbekistan – and the Olympics, should we qualify – will be a key talking point.
“We are all heartbroken for Sam and shocked and devastated when she did her ACL,” Matildas defender Alanna Kennedy said.
“It’s a blow for us but we take confidence in the World Cup we had,” the 29-year-old Manchester City star added.
“I have confidence in the squad that we have. For other players it’s an opportunity to step up and show what they can do as well.”
Should the Matildas beat Uzbekistan on aggregate across the two matches, Gustavsson faces an incredibly difficult challenge of trimming his 23-player down to 18 for the Olympics.
And so the players are not just out to book the Matildas’ place in Paris across this two-match home and away series – they are also fighting for their own Olympics ticket.
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“Everyone’s striving towards the same achievements, and especially for us as a team, for us it’s to qualify for Paris. It’s a smaller roster than it was at the World Cup,” van Egmond said.
“I think everyone’s in a position now where it’s a challenge and it’s competitive, and at the end of the day that’s what you want as a national team; you want the most competitive squad that’s available.”
For Gustavsson and the Matildas, the focus is on getting the job done and qualifying for the Olympics.
But how they do so will go a long way to addressing the looming problem of fighting for an Olympic medal without the team’s greatest-ever scorer.
Matildas mentor Tony Gustavsson has turned to super coach Ange Postecoglou for some “inspiration” in his bid to guide Australia to this year’s Olympic Games without the help of star striker Sam Kerr.
Gustavsson has named a 23-player squad – missing the injured Kerr – for this month’s two-legged, home-and-away Paris Olympics qualifier against Uzbekistan in Tashkent and Melbourne.
Kerr (knee) was one of three injured players not considered for selection, along with goalkeeper Lydia Williams (ankle) and defender Charlie Rule (hip).
Recalled to the squad after a six-year absence is veteran Canberra United striker Michelle Heyman, while Western United midfielder Chloe Logarzo also returns after failing in her bid to be picked for World Cup duty last year despite recovering from a serious knee injury.
“Selecting this squad has been a challenge with a lot of moving parts, from injuries to some players and reduction of competitive match minutes for other players due to off-seasons,” Gustavsson said.
“There’s been a lot of players fighting for spots here and a lot of players performing, so we tried to look at a combination of continuity and connections, people that know the way we play, that know each other, that’s been with us for a while.
“We also look at form and playing time.”
Michelle Heyman (left) has earned a recall to the Matildas. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Gustavsson is also taking a look at himself as he bids to not only guide the Matildas over the Uzbekistan hurdle but also inspire the team to a medal in Paris after fourth-placed finishes at the World Cup and the Tokyo Olympics.
It’s one of the reasons he was due to visit former Socceroos coach and current Tottenham manager Postecoglou on Tuesday in London.
“Sometimes as a coach, it’s almost like a personal development trip as well to get some inspiration and insights, and Ange knows everything about the Australian landscape,” Gustavsson said.
“He’s had a phenomenal journey, and what he’s done with Spurs in terms of playing style, an identity and confidence from being a club and a team lacking confidence … is just tremendously impressive.
“We have been invited to watch training and then have a lunch with him, so I hope to get some experience from him and learn, interact and get inspired, and hopefully also watch a couple of things in training that they do that I can pick up.
“Sometimes it’s just going out there and getting some inspiration, and whether it’s about leadership or training content or hearing Ange’s experience about the journey in Australian football – I’m really looking forward to that.”
Gustavsson said he had no qualms about selecting 35-year-old Heyman in the absence of Chelsea star Kerr.
“With the way Michelle has played (for Canberra), she deserves to be selected – it’s purely on performance,” he said.
“For me, it’s not about age in a Matilda, it’s about the quality you have as a footballer.
“Whether you’re 17 or 35, it doesn’t matter. If you have the quality, you deserve to be selected and Heyman has played herself into this team.”
Matildas squad: Mackenzie Arnold (West Ham), Ellie Carpenter (Olympique Lyon), Steph Catley (c) (Arsenal), Kyra Cooney-Cross (Arsenal), Caitlin Foord (Arsenal), Mary Fowler (Manchester City), Katrina Gorry (West Ham), Charlotte Grant (Tottenham), Michelle Heyman (Canberra United), Clare Hunt (Paris Saint-Germain), Alanna Kennedy (Manchester City), Chloe Logarzo (Western United), Aivi Luik (BK Häcken), Teagan Micah (Liverpool), Clare Polkinghorne (Kristianstads DFF), Hayley Raso (Real Madrid), Amy Sayer (Kristianstads DFF), Kaitlyn Torpey (San Diego Wave), Emily van Egmond (San Diego Wave), Cortnee Vine (Sydney FC), Clare Wheeler (Everton), Jada Whyman (Sydney FC), Tameka Yallop (Brisbane Roar).
Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler spent the better part of six months trying to keep a lid on their budding relationship, but after a stunning Instagram debut earlier this week, it appears the pair have hit the ground running.
Professional sport’s newest power couple was rarely seen in photographs together and typically made blushing denials when asked about the relationship rumours.
But the Panthers halfback finally caved on Wednesday and posted a hilarious Instagram post, captioned “That’s life” with an ice cream emoji — a reference to when rumours first started swirling after a reported date spent sharing ice cream.
Now, the Matildas star has responded with a cheeky confirmation of her own.
Fowler confirmed the romance on Friday. Picture: Instagram.Source: SuppliedShe captioned the post “Slide 3”, referencing this quote. Picture: Instagram.Source: Supplied
Fowler shared an Instagram carousel on Friday, slyly sliding in a picture of herself and Cleary in fourth place.
“Slide 3,” she captioned the post, referencing the third pic, a quote that read: “But the most beautiful things in life are not just things.
“They’re people, and places, memories and pictures.
“They’re feelings and moments and smiles and laughter.”
Other photos in the post included one of Fowler getting coffee and one of her picking out an outfit in a changing room.
Fans went wild for the debut, which racked up thousands of likes and hundreds of comments in less than an hour.
“So nice of you to take a photo with a fan,” one joked.
“You and Nathan are my Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce,” wrote another.
“Or slide 4,” noted a third, adding the eyes emoji.
A fourth added: “Finally!!!!”
The relationship was kept under wraps for months. Picture: InstagramSource: SuppliedFans went wild when Cleary confirmed it on Wednesday. Picture: Instagram.Source: The Daily Telegraph
Last month, Fowler and Cleary were getting in some bonding time during the festive season and became the talk of the sporting world with their unexpected romance.
They were snapped sharing a kiss at Sydney Airport and an Aussie couple hadn’t had such a level of fanfare since Lleyton and Bec Hewitt in the early 2000s.
The star striker and Panther’s player had been tight-lipped about their new relationship and hadn’t been up for answering questions about it prior to Cleary’s post.
The pair were unexpectedly spotted at Sydney Airport. Picture: Media Mode.Source: Media Mode
Cleary fronted up at the GQ awards, looking suave in a black suit, and snagged the Sportsman of the Year award in December.
Confidential’s Jonathon Moran inquired if the sporting star had brought a date, but Cleary informed him he had attended the event alone.
When pressed about Fowler’s whereabouts, Cleary looked flustered but stuck to his guns … well, kind of.
“I knew this was coming,” he said with a grin.
“She’s busy.”
Cleary added he was very “grateful” to be invited to the event but admitted it wasn’t his usual thing.
“No sneakers. It’s a bit different for me, but I don’t mind dressing up every now and then,” he quipped.
The pair melted hearts with their airport reunion after Fowler returned home in time for Christmas.
Cleary was seen with a huge smile as he picked the Matildas star up at the arrivals gate after she touched down on an Emirates flight from Dubai.
It was the first time the pair had seen each other since November 2 when Cleary farewelled Fowler at Perth Airport after watching her score a goal in Australia’s 3-0 win over Taiwan the previous night.
Their relationship had been confirmed just a day earlier. Picture: Media Mode.Source: Media Mode
Their relationship was confirmed just one day earlier when they were pictured cuddling together in a Perth park.
The loved up couple made the most of their time together as they were spotted mucking around at an oval near Cleary’s Penrith home.
The two spent an hour getting hands on learning the crafts of each others respective codes as Fowler showed off her NRL passing skills while Cleary displayed his soccer skills.
The loved-up couple showed each other some tricks. Picture: Jayden Seyfarth/Media ModeSource: Media Mode
The pair are believed to have met at a promotional event for Adidas, which sponsors both athletes.
Cleary expressed his annoyance at the heavy interest into his personal life last year.
“It is what is, it’s a little bit annoying to not have a private life but I like to not talk about it too much and keep anything I can private,” he said in September.
“Things take off pretty quick with social media but I’ll try to keep a private life if I can.”
It seems both are finally happy to soften that stance.
Sam Kerr’s Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, suffered in a mid-season Chelsea training camp, has rocked the Matildas’ preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
It’s the second time Kerr has injured her ACL, having first suffered the devastating injury in 2011 – and it ruled her out of the 2012 Olympics in London.
She has not yet been ruled out of this year’s Games, which take place in late July-August, but the Matildas described it as a ‘ruptured’ ligament, which typically requires surgery and a minimum nine months of rehabilitation and recovery.
Chelsea say ‘no time frame’ has been placed on her return as yet, but have ruled her out of the remainder of the Women’s Super League season which ends in May. She will undergo further testing upon her return to London.
It’s the latest in a sad recent run of injuries suffered by the Matildas captain and Australian all-time record scorer. She suffered a calf injury the day before Australia’s opening game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which kept her out of the group stage.
She returned for the knockouts, initially off the bench, and scored one of the most memorable goals in Australian football history in the semi-final with a long-range screamer against England.
But in the heartbreaking third-place playoff defeat to Sweden, she suffered a calf injury to her other leg, and has since battled a series of minor niggles at Chelsea, including a foot injury that ruled her out of December’s Matildas friendlies against Canada.
Coach Tony Gustavsson and Sam Kerr after the third-place playoff at the Women’s World Cup.Source: News Corp Australia
“Considering how hard Sam has worked over the past six months to return to play, this news is a devastating blow for everyone,” Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said.
“With her ability to lead by example, Sam’s guidance and influence on the team is significant and, as a result, this will be an incredible loss for the national team.
“Our focus now is on ensuring she has all the support she wants and needs to navigate recovery and rehab.”
What is somewhat remarkable is that Kerr has escaped serious injury for so long – especially after it marred the start of her career. The first ACL injury, in 2011, required a knee reconstruction and cost her a place at the 2012 London Olympics. She suffered another knee injury in 2014 at Perth Glory, and watched on in crutches as her teammates lost the W-League grand final (now the A-League Women’s).
At the time, the 21-year-old believed her football career could have been over.
AIS strength and conditioning coach Aaron Holt spent six weeks working with her on a high-intensity rehabilitation program.
He told KeepUp last year: “She came in, and she was probably at rock bottom. Genuinely going: ‘Am I ever going to play football again?’”
That six-week period managed to get her fit for the 2015 World Cup. Four years later, ahead of the 2019 World Cup, she wrote a letter to Holt thanking him.
“I never got the chance to tell you how grateful I am for the time you spent with me.
“When I injured my knee in 2014 my life came crashing down, and I thought I would never make the 2015 World Cup.
“The most important part about the time I spent with you is that you cared more about the person than the player.”
In 2015, she ruptured her Lisfranc joint and required surgery and a plate to be inserted in her foot.
Again, her career seemed on the ropes.
“I knew straight away that it was a serious, serious injury. The hardest part about being injured is the mental side of things,” the Matildas skipper said in a Nike documentary, ‘Sam Kerr: Birthplace of Dreams’.
“It’s probably the lowest point I’ve ever been in my life and career.”
Again, she worked tirelessly to return, this time making it back in time for the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
But after that trio of devastating injuries early in her 20s, Kerr enjoyed a clean run of years without major injury – and shot to superstardom as one of the world’s finest players.
She has broken scoring records across multiple different leagues, including at Chelsea where she has won two golden boots in the WSL and has scored 99 goals in 128 games, winning four-straight WSL titles and three-straight FA Cups.
But after four goals in eight league games this season, she has now played her last game for Chelsea this year – and her last under legendary coach Emma Hayes, who is leaving at season’s end to take over the US Women’s national team.
Kerr is off-contract at the end of the season, and had been set to spark a bidding war that could see her become the first WSL player to earn more than $1m AUD in club wages per year (currently she reportedly earns just under $800,000 per year, the highest salary in women’s football).
Now, clubs could think twice about spending so much on a 30-year-old, given the significant rehabilitation time and threat of reinjury.
And should she leave Chelsea, she will do so stranded just one goal short of a century of strikes for the club.
Sam Kerr and Chelsea manager Emma Hayes.Source: Getty Images
While her club future remains up in the air, there’s no doubt it is also a massive blow to the Matildas, who appeared primed to again compete for a first-ever Olympic medal.
The Matildas finished a best-ever fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, and matched that feat at last year’s Women’s World Cup.
Finishing just short of the medals two major tournaments in a row left the Matildas feeling gutted.
“We’re really disappointed – to come fourth again kind of feels like the worst position to come,” said Kerr at the time.
Caitlin Foord said: “We did the exact same thing that happened at the Olympics. That was my worst nightmare for that to happen again, and it has happened again. So we just need to grow and learn from it and never let this happen again.”
She added that she believes the Matildas squad has the quality to win a World Cup.
“We have the team to do it, and I guess we just need to be at our best every single game and every moment,” she said.
But without Kerr, that proposition becomes markedly more difficult.
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THE SILVER LINING FROM WORLD CUP PAIN
However, the silver lining to Kerr’s painful last eight months has been that the Matildas now have experience playing in major tournaments without her.
Caitlin Foord and Mary Fowler played exceptionally as a strike partnership throughout the group games, and at times the Matildas attack appeared to flow better than with Kerr leading the line. Indeed, one of the Matildas’ long-running issues has been an over-reliance on Kerr in attack, which is understandable given her propensity to score bags of goals.
Veteran Emily van Egmond impressed as a hold-up forward at times in the World Cup, while a host of young talents are pushing the established core in the selection race.
Foord and Hayley Raso led the goalscoring for Australia at the World Cup, while Fowler improved in leaps and bounds and looms as the new focal point for the Matildas at the 2024 Olympics – should Australia qualify.
First, they need to beat world number 47 Uzbekistan in a two-leg playoff next month, the second leg taking place at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on February 28.
Australia proved in the World Cup that the team is far more than just one star.Source: Getty Images
Coach Tony Gustavsson has been trying to re-engineer the team in the wake of the World Cup, adopting a more possession-based style of play rather than the typical Matildas’ counterattacking transitional approach.
Part of that tactical development was surely intended to provide a tactical alternative if the team is without Kerr.
After the two defeats to Canada in December, he said: “What concerns me a little bit now is the lack of pacy options up front in the four front positions.
“With [Holly] McNamara getting injured again and then [Cortnee] Vine being out and Sam [Kerr] out, that’s something we need to look into how to handle that going forward.
“Because we had a very clear idea of how to do that in the World Cup … we managed to play without Sam and I thought the team handled that [challenge] well.”
McNamara, a 20-year-old striker, would have been among the candidates to replace Kerr in the Olympics squad. But the Melbourne City starlet suffered a third ACL tear of her career last November, just after being recalled to the Matildas squad.
McNamara is one of six A-League Women’s players to suffer the injury in the first half of this season, ten NRLW players and nine AFLW players suffered an ACL injury last season.
Fellow Matildas Ellie Carpenter, Kyah Simon, Chloe Logarzo and Elise Kellond-Knight have all done the same injury in the last two years.
According to some studies, elite women’s athletes are up to six or seven times more likely to damage their ACL than men, with a host of superstars forced to miss the 2023 Women’s World Cup through the injury.
That list included Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands), Beth Mead and Leah Williamson (England), Catarina Macario and Christen Press (USA), and Janine Beckie (Canada) among plenty of others.
Leah Williamson starred for England at the 2022 European Championships before an ACL ruled her out of the World Cup.Source: AFP
FIFA last year dedicated a taskforce to the growing epidemic of ACL injuries among women’s footballers, and the causes of the high rates of the prevalence of the injury are not yet well known.
Among the contributing factors is the overloading of players in an increasingly condensed fixture calendar – something which has seen Sam Kerr and other veterans have their Matildas playing minutes restricted in recent years to allow them to rest. Other factors researchers are investigating include the quality of fields, their boots (often designed to accommodate male feet), and strength and conditioning programs.
If there’s a second positive that may come out of Kerr’s injury, it is that her high profile may help to reinforce the need for ACL injuries to be better researched and understood.
In isolation, Kerr’s injury is a devastating setback to the Matildas’ hopes of ending their run of tournament near-misses.
But, like Tony Gustavsson said after Kerr injured her calf on the eve of the World Cup, injuries are a part of football. That’s especially – and sadly – the case with women’s players and ACLs.
The silver lining in last year’s heartbreak was that the Matildas squad proved they could step up without their talismanic striker.
She’s the 20-year-old global phenom who is set to be the face of Australian football for at least the next decade, and the enormity of the past 12 months is only just now starting to sink in for Mary Fowler as the Matildas star gets ready for a rare holiday over the Christmas break before things ramp up with a spot in the Olympics up for grabs.
Life has moved quickly for the attacking genius who is with international powerhouse Manchester City.
While she’s still able to walk down the streets in the UK without being recognised by most people, it’s a completely different story when she’s back home, with Fowler swamped by adoring fans at the Rise & Shine Kindergarten in Carlton in Sydney’s south.
Fowler was recently announced as an ambassador and immediately dazzled the crowd on a wet and windy day in Sydney. She reflected on everything that’s happened this year, with the World Cup, international fame and appearing on the front cover of Marie Claire’s Woman of the Year magazine.
Mary Fowler spent time with kids at the Rise & Shine Kindergarten in Sydney. Picture: Richard DobsonSource: News Corp Australia
“When you start out, you don’t really think too much about these things,” she said.
“I never would have thought that I’d get the opportunities that I do now, but as I’ve got more opportunities being out in the spotlight a bit more, it’s made me realise the kind of responsibilities that you have to all these people that are watching you.
“I’ve always thought that the biggest way for me to inspire someone is for me being myself, so that’s what I do when I’m out there.
“I try to be genuine, and if that makes someone want to go after a dream or smile, then that would make me happy.”
The star striker made her way back to Australia after returning to the UK to play for Manchester City, arriving in Sydney on an Emirates flight from Dubai on Tuesday night.
Her arrival set tongues wagging as she was snapped getting picked up by Penrith Panthers captain Nathan Cleary, with the pair seen embracing and sharing a kiss.
Mary Fowler touched down in Sydney on Tuesday night. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE/ Monique HarmerSource: NCA NewsWire
It was feared the rumoured-couple would have to wait months to be reunited after it was announced last week that Fowler would no longer be appearing at a Matildas Open Air Live Event to be held on Thursday night.
Instead, the star player kept her travel plans to return to Sydney and despite pulling out of the Matildas event, kept her commitments to Rise & Shine Kindergarten.
Fowler was all smiles in the room full of kindergarteners but turned silent when questions turned to her personal life.
Reporters keen to ask questions about the budding romance were quickly shut down by Matildas media team at the event, with interviews ending as soon as Cleary was mentioned by the media.
Fowler returns home after playing two international friendlies in Canada just weeks before. Photo: InstagramSource: Instagram
Australians have been desperate to find out the details of Fowler and Cleary’s rumoured romance after they were spotted cosying up together at a Perth park last month.
The last time the pair were together was on November 2 when Cleary farewelled Fowler at Perth Airport after the Matildas’ 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei the night before.
Fowler and her Matildas teammates made all of Australia happy when the team reached the semi-finals at the home World Cup that was played in front of record crowds and watched by millions of people at home.
“It’s been an incredible year. It’s hard to put into words how big it’s been,” she said having emerged as one of Australia’s most important attacking weapons, especially with Sam Kerr out injured.
“I didn’t expect that (Australians to be so invested in women’s football).
“I think the majority of us went into the World Cup not expecting that, but that was amazing.
“I think that was the best part of the World Cup, to see how many people got behind us and how together Australia came.”
Fowler and her teammates have become some of the most popular athletes in Australia. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
The noise around Accor Stadium when Kerr scored against England could have been heard in outer space, but the crowning moment for the Aussies came a few days earlier when they eliminated France in a pulsating penalty shootout.
There were endless twists and turns on that night, with Fowler coolly slotting a penalty that sizzled into the bottom corner and showed just how poised she is on the biggest stage.
“It’s funny because in the moment I just felt so sure that we were going to win,” she said.
“I felt very calm and very prepared, and it’s only when I watch it back that I feel stressed.
“In the moment, everyone had prepared so well and believed so when we did miss a couple of them (penalties), there was never any doubt that we’d pull through in the end.”
Fowler will play a crucial role as the Matildas look to qualify for the Olympics. Picture: Adam HeadSource: News Corp Australia
Trying to get tickets to Matildas games has been as difficult as trying to get to a Taylor Swift concert, and another massive crowd is expected to be there when they host Uzbekistan in February for a spot in next year’s Olympics.
Fowler played in the Tokyo Games that were delayed by the pandemic, and she wants another crack at a medal in Paris.
The teams will compete over two legs, with plenty of intrigue over whether Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson will be there given he’s been linked with the Swedish job.
“The job’s not done until it’s done,” Fowler said, not willing to talk about the coaching situation
“A lot of people just think about those games and think that it’ll be a walkover for us, but you can’t say that you’re at the Olympics until you actually qualify.
“We’ll be preparing for them and taking them seriously.”
Sam Kerr has suffered a double snub after missing a place in the final three contenders for the Best FIFA Women’s Player award despite coming runner-up in voting for the prestigious Ballon d’Or Feminin.
Kerr’s sizzling World Cup goal against England, which had also been longlisted as one of the contenders for the Puskas Award as best goal, also didn’t make the final three, denying the Matildas captain any awards glory.
Her Matildas teammates Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord had also been on the shortlist for player of the year, but none of the Australians made Thursday’s final cut.
Jenni Hermoso, Spain’s World Cup winner who had to endure the infamous unwanted post-final kiss on the lips from a Spanish official in Sydney that forced him out of his job, teammate Aitana Bonmati and young Colombian star Linda Caicedo were the final three names chosen.
Kerr had a sensational year for club side Chelsea, helping shoot them to an FA Cup and Women’s Super League double, before overcoming a calf injury and a delayed start to the World Cup to guide Australia to the semi-finals.
She also scored the goal of the tournament against England with a long-range strike.
Despite having also been in the top three in the last three editions of the Ballon d’Or Feminin, the 30-year-old superstar, who was also third in voting for the FIFA award in 2021, has again missed out on the ultimate recognition.
For the equivalent men’s award, holder and serial winner Lionel Messi will contend with Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe for the award.
They are the same three men who featured in the 2022 final trio. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London in January.
The top Matildas and Socceroos players are set to be handed a huge pay increase and could earn up to $200,000-per-year even outside of World up campaigns.
A new collective bargaining agreement has reportedly been finalised between Football Australia and the Professional Footballers’ Association according to the The Age.
Players are now reportedly set to earn between $120,000 and $200,000 before prize money is allocated to the respective teams.
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Previously, tier-one contracted Matildas players earnty $110,000 under the current CBA with the new salaries split between match payments and an annual commercial payment.
The news comes amid Australia’s bid to host the 2026 women’s Asian Cup after pulling out of the running for the 2034 men’s FIFA World Cup.
Saudi Arabia are the most likely to secure the hosting rights for that tournament and Football Australia CEO James Johnson explained he was hopeful the new CBA will increase their chances of securing 2026 showcase.
“We are competing against Saudi Arabia, we’re competing against Uzbekistan [for the 2026 women’s Asian Cup],” Johnson said.
Newcastle fall to dazzling Dortmund | 01:06
There’s been no promises made, but I think there is some goodwill that’s been given throughout world football around our choice around 2034.
“I hope together with the best bid on merit that we’re able to land on the 2026 women’s Asian Cup.”
The new CBA will cover salaries for the AFC Asian Cups for 2023 and 2027, the Paris Olympics, 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup as well as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Women’s World Cup in 2027.
FIFA has previously made a verbal agreement to make salaries equal between men and women by 2027 and an increase is set to be handed down ahead of the next World Cups.
As well as increased salaries players will reportedly be handed enhanced parental policy provisions, past player welfare assistance and a transition from central contracts to match and commercial payments.
Matildas defender Steph Catley scored a brilliant, rare goal for Arsenal to deliver the Gunners a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in a battle of Women’s Super League heavyweights that featured four Australians.
The match came just four days after the Matildas were last in action in Perth, but this time it was Catley and Caitlin Foord who earned bragging rights over City’s own Aussie duo of Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy.
Catley rocketed the ball into the top corner to hand Arsenal the lead in the 14th minute after being teed up by fellow Australian star Caitlin Foord.
City equalised in the second half through Chloe Kelly, with Australia’s Mary Fowler involved in the lead-up to the goal. After seeing a penalty saved, Arsenal got the breakthrough in the 88th minute after a horrible error from 19-year-old keeper Khiara Keating.
Keating misjudged a long ball and failed to clear it outside the box, with Stina Blackstenius racing through to seal a 2-1 Arsenal victory.
Catley sent the fans into raptures.Source: Getty Images
Arsenal now sit alongside City in a four-team pack on 10 points after five games of the new season, but are three points behind Chelsea, who crushed struggling Aston Villa 6-0 despite Sam Kerr sitting on the bench.
It was just a third league goal in four seasons at Arsenal for Steph Catley.
“I usually score about one a year, so that might be me done,” Catley said.
“It’s nice to get a goal whenever but obviously in a big game, it’s important. It feels good and just happy to get three points.”
Arsenal’s third Australian player, young midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross, was left on the bench.
Elsewhere, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold’s West Ham suffered a tough 3-2 defeat to Bristol City.
