Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sydney: Australia will depart for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 in high spirits following Wednesday’s resounding 11-0 win over Vietnam.
In their farewell match on home soil before jetting off to Canada on Saturday, the Matildas were in ruthless, scoring an incredible seven goals in the first 21 minutes.
Chief destroyer Michelle Heyman completed her hat trick in the 31st minute to make it 8-0 and such was the flurry and regularity of the scoring the only thing that seemed to stem the Matildas’ momentum was a deluge ten minutes before half time.
Captain Lisa De Vanna, in her 99th international, and livewire Samantha Kerr both finished with a brace while reigning AFC Women's Player of the Year Katrina Gorry, Laura Alleway, Emily van Egmond and Caitlin Foord also found the back of the net.
Kerr capped off a stellar performance with a goal out of the top drawer early in the second half, the interplay across the field signs of a team playing with a confidence and belief that they will be ready when they face a far more formidable opponent in the form of the USA in their opening World Cup match on 8 June.
Head Coach Alen Stajcic, while pleased to see the team’s clinical finishing, knows the bar will need to rise even more.
“The first 25 minutes was very good and very clinical, something we haven’t been in the past so that was really good to see that in a match,” said Stajcic.
“Considering we played this team 12 months ago and only beat them 2-0, I think it shows how far we’ve come and certainly we lost a bit of shape and structure after that seventh goal which I guess happens, but I was more concerned with the processes rather than the result at the end of the day.
“There was a lot of good stuff but for us to be a world class team we need to be consistent throughout 90 minutes and I thought we waned a little bit as the second half wore on.
“Even though the goalkeeper let in a couple, for us to prey on their errors, and to see stuff that we talk about executed in a game was really pleasing.
“It is a confidence booster but there’s still a long way to go to be competitive against America and the world class teams,” he concluded.
Photo: Football Federation Australia