Caitlin Foord, fresh from a match-winning player of the match performance in Monday night’s FIFA Women’s World Cup round of 16 game against Denmark, was still full of verve when she appeared in front of a jovial media pack in the unglamorous mixed zone, deep in the bowels of Stadium Australia.
She had just scored a brilliant goal and given a fantastic all-round performance, and her heart was certainly on her sleeve as she spoke of her pride for her team and the way they had played.
In front of more than 75,000 fans, late on a school night, she had provided many of the highlights of the game. From her hard-running, her impressive poise to finish through the legs of Lene Christensen, her deflected shot that missed by a whisker, to the clever turns and street smarts that wowed the crowd and won the hearts of her nation in the second half, this was a Matildas player who understood exactly what this meant.
Caitlin Foord scores. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images )
“I know I’ll never get this opportunity again,” Foord said, acknowledging that playing in front of a sell-out crowd in a home World Cup was not going to come around again any time soon. Disappointment in the past had shaped the team and on nights like these, she was proud to be Australian.
Her teammates were equally proud of their collective performance. Mary Fowler said she was enjoying her football and her team were handling the pressure well. The vibe was good and the team was building on each performance.
When asked about her defence-splitting ball for Foord’s opening goal, she said that sometimes these things work, and sometimes they don’t, but to be involved in both goals tonight felt really good.
Hayley Raso talked of a tough game, but it was her who was making it tough for opponent Katrine Veje, the Danish defender remonstrating with the referee when she was given some rough treatment by the speedy right winger.
Having scored the second goal, after being unselfishly teed up by Emily Van Egmond, she acknowledged that she was finding herself in the right place at the right time at the moment. Indeed, this was a repeat of her opening goal against Canada, finding the net with a classy low shot that gave the goalkeeper no chance. She labelled this a professional performance, and conceded that the host nation advantage was working in their favour with the massive crowds following every game.
Steph Catley hailed a mature performance; they had changed a few things and could take so many positives from tonight’s game. The crowd were unbelievable; she had goosebumps when they scored and also when the crowd rose to salute Sam Kerr’s appearance for her cameo performance towards the end. She urged the public to keep supporting the Matildas and to keep coming to the games. Of that, there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever.
The confident and almost regal Alana Kennedy, who has slotted back into the team alongside Clare Hunt to form a formidable partnership, was proud of perhaps one of the best Matildas performances on record. They have been building as the tournament has gone on, and tonight, despite a slow first 20 minutes, she was delighted to see the goals being scored in front of her as a result of team play from back to front.
Sam Kerr. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images)
The question of France, or Morocco, was thrown around, and Kennedy reassured the media throng that this game had given them additional confidence and that they would not be complacent against their next opponent.
The mixed zone was by now in a tizz with the positivity swirling around. There was talk about winning the tournament, excited journalists feeding off each other’s enthusiasm, and it was agreed that the ability to parade Sam Kerr for 15 minutes this evening was a tease to any future opponent.
What we had seen following those opening 20 nervous minutes, when Denmark appeared to win everything in the air, was an intimidating Matildas cauldron.
Sam Kerr’s face on the screen as the first half entered additional time provided a huge roar, and the speed with which the Danish players raced down the tunnel at half time, they may have been running scared. Even tournament mascot Tazuni had a noticeable swagger at half time and the animated Tony Gustavsson, so often standing on the edge of his technical area appealing for every decision, sat with arms crossed as the second half unfolded, seemingly content with what he saw.
The Matildas did make mistakes, but when Ellie Carpenter turned into trouble, Hunt was there to clean up, Mackenzie Arnold fumbled a ball but got away with it, and even the magical Fowler was caught in possession as we edged towards the end of the game.
At one point there were bodies strewn across the field like a battleground as the Matildas cleared a dangerous corner, and this gave us the pause required to bring on our talis-woman, Sam Kerr arriving on the field alongside Cortnee Vine to pep up the team and give more attacking options.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images )
Kerr’s 15 minutes were just what she needed – first she carried a ball from midfield and stroked a pinpoint pass out of touch to shake out the rust, and then she raced through on goal to fire wildly over.
If there was ever a time to get those first World Cup minutes in the legs it was now, although when she crumpled after being wrong-footed in the box and appeared to land awkwardly on her foot, there was definite concern in the crowd. That concern turned into a sharp intake of breath as Pernille Harder was allowed to meet a volley on the edge of the area unchallenged, but fired well wide.
A phantom whistle from the crowd had the celebratory cheers going early, but we didn’t have to wait long for the real thing and the Matildas’ bench raced on the field to congratulate with the team. Women’s football in Australia had come of age. Australia had the unwanted tag of favourites to win this game, and had delivered with such a professional showing, the Nigeria defeat and the struggles against Ireland were completely forgotten.
The final question to the players was a cracker. A smiling Caitlin Foord, who was perhaps stalling for time to avoid the impending ice bath, was asked whether it was a relief not to be asked so many questions about Sam Kerr’s injury. That left the whole room chuckling, and of course the answer was yes.
