Summary
Thank you for joining me tonight for another celebration of the Matildas. 10-0, a full house, and passage to the Olympics is quite the satisfying night’s work.
I’ll leave you with Joey Lynch’s match report, and see you in France in July.
The Paris Games will be tough, no question. The qualified teams along with Australia are: France, USA, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, New Zealand, and Japan – who defeated North Korea 2-1 tonight.
To that list will be added either Germany or the Netherlands, and two nations from Africa.
“Paris will be different,” warns Chris Paraskevas. “A difficult place to play football if you aren’t streetwise. It’ll be sudden death and the French will want the gold badly. At the very least, we have an “X-Factor” in Heyman, who proved her worth in Tashkent when it was looking dicey.”
“Can’t complain, though would have liked to see Wheeler get some minutes,” emails David Meiklejohn. “Actually enjoyed the second half watching potential future starters, like Sayer, get tested.”
There is now just one international window left for Gustavsson to nail down his squad of 18 for Paris. He can’t have many decisions left to make.
The first XI now selects itself with Heyman slotting into the Kerr role. Micah or Williams will travel as the reserve goalkeeper. Vine, Polkinghorne, Yallop, van Egmond, and now Torpey look trusted for squad places, leaving little room for anyone else to command a jersey – barring accidents.
Joey Lynch has been at Marvel Stadium, and his report will land right here:
Steph Catley has had a quick chat to the host broadcaster.
This is the last of a long process. Through the qualification process we have played good football and challenged ourselves. We have scored goals and kept clean sheets so everything we set out to do we have done, so it’s a proud moment for us to get to another Olympics, so very special.
The team is hungry to win something. Now we have qualified for the Olympics there will be a lot of steps in place to make sure that we are ready to go and challenge as far as we can get and get something out of the tournament.
That was as close to perfect as Tony Gustavsson could have imagined. A thumping victory, a decisive performance from the player in the spotlight, and a deepening of the relationship between team and supporters at a sold out Marvel Stadium. The Matildas are the hottest property in Australian sport.
Australia 10-0 Uzbekistan (13-0 agg)
The Matildas have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
GOAL! Australia 10-0 Uzbekistan (Sayer, 90+4)
Amy Sayer finally finds the back of the net! The goal that caps off a perfect night for the Matildas. Grant is found in acres of space down the left. She runs to the byline, pulls the ball back into the box, and through a forest of legs, until it reaches the 22-year-old who ends her international duck.
90 mins: There will be five minutes of added time.
87 mins: Yallop somehow contrives to batter the ball straight at Golumova from six yards out when it would have been easier to score. Sayer did well to create the opening.
85 mins: A quick look at the stats sheet: Australia have had 39 shots tonight.
82 mins: Now Ergasheva is down. This match is starting to tail off.
80 mins: Uzbekistan’s substitute keeper needs some treatment after having her food stepped on. There will be a good chunk of injury time at the end of the 90.
78 mins: Fowler’s fizzing inswinging corner is headed over by Hunt.
76 mins: Now Yallop tests the tensile strength of the side netting.
75 mins: If Sayer doesn’t score tonight, you worry she might never find the back of the net for the Matildas. Another glorious chance goes begging when she fails to hit the target from the edge of the box after neat work by van Egmond.
74 mins: Australia probe patiently in midfield until the ball finds Raso free on the right. Her driven cross is begging to be stabbed home by a Heyman-like striker, but none is found in the Uzbekistan box.
72 mins: Hunt with a free header from a corner but Golumova gathers it easily on the line.
54,120 is the crowd at Marvel Stadium. #AUSvUZB
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) February 28, 2024
GOAL! Australia 9-0 Uzbekistan (Raso, 68)
Finally Australia get a second-half goal. It had been building for an age down the right with Raso eventually engineering space to fire off a shot off that arrows into the far corner. The assist will go to Yallop for a neat pass but it was van Egmond who added the stardust with a well disguised dummy.
Updated
68 mins: Now Yallop and Sayer play a delightful one-two on the edge of the box but the former can’t quite fashion a finish on the stretch.
67 mins: From the resulting corner Yallop curls a decent effort towards goal from the edge of the box. It’s parried out as far as Sayer but she can only find the side netting.
66 mins: Sayer and Raso swap roles briefly with the former turning provider down the right but again Raso is closed out at the near post.
65 mins: Australia make their final substitution of the night with Charli Grant coming on for Steph Catley.
64 mins: The resulting corner is floated onto the head of Hunt with Sayer almost nodding the second effort into the net but Gulomova was alert to the danger.
63 mins: Another driving run from Raso on the right threatens to lead to a goal but Uzbekistan get enough bodies around the scampering winger before she can pick out a teammate in the box.
62 mins: Another shot over the bar, this time from Cooney-Cross.
60 mins: It has to be nine! Yallop does well in midfield to spot Raso on the burst on the right. The quickest player on the field uses all her speed to reach the ball and round the goalkeeper in the process, but from a narrow angle shoots into the side netting. She had teammates begging for a tap-in a few yards away.
59 mins: Fowler drifts in from the left with that elegant swaying style of hers, feinting to go to the outside only to continue on a straight line towards goal before letting fly with her right foot and sending a powerful shot over the bar.
58 mins: The TV cameras pan to the bench to show Foord and Heyman with ice on their right knees. Neither looks in major discomfort but taking them off in the circumstances is clearly the sensible ploy.
57 mins: Sayer should make it nine but she heads over from the six-yard line after excellent build-up work from Raso.
55 mins: Uzbekistan have another sight of goal with Karachik again feeding off sloppy Australian play in midfield to slip through Khabibullaeva, on as a substitute, but the offside flag is up.
54 mins: It’s noticeable, and unsurprising, how disjointed the Matildas have looked since half-time. Clearly still on top, but without the zip that comes with the understanding brought about by regular combinations – especially that of Gorry and Cooney-Cross in midfield.
52 mins: Uzbekistan have their second look at goal for the night. Karachik feeds off a poor clearance from Arnold and drives to the left side of the box but Arnold recovers well to clear.
50 mins: Gulomova’s first act of note is to fumble a Raso shot onto her post.
48 mins: Jonimqulova looks in agony in the goalmouth. The Uzbekistan keeper is in tears as a stretcher comes on to take her off the field. It looks like a left ankle injury. Kumushoy Gulomova makes her way on as a substitute.
47 mins: Sayer should break her Matildas duck just seconds after the restart following good work down the right by Raso. Her cross is deflected into the path of the No 17 but she can’t steer her effort past Jonimqulova from point blank range. The Uzbekistan keeper is now down in pain.
46 mins: Four subs at the break for the Matildas. On come: Yallop, Raso, van Egmond, and Sayer for Carpenter, Heyman, Gorry, and Foord.
I’ve spent half-time dealing with a moth infestation in my pantry. How about you?
Even accounting for the obvious gulf in class between the two groups of players, that was an awesome show of force by the Matildas. From the outset they were hungry for goals and played at full pelt in stifling conditions for the full 45 minutes, putting on one heck of a show for the full house. Every player has contributed and looked at ease on the big stage, but Michelle Heyman has once again stolen the show, bagging four goals of her own and putting to rest any debate about her presence in Australia’s Olympic 18.
Half-time: Australia 8-0 Uzbekistan (11-0 agg)
That’s right, Australia 8 (eight) to the good at half-time. That’s 11-0 on aggregate.
GOAL! Australia 8-0 Uzbekistan (Heyman, 45+2)
Another corner, another goalmouth scramble, another Torpey assist, another instinctive Heyman finish close to the line.
45+1 mins: Now Gorry stabs wide from point blank range after meeting Catley’s cross at the near post. Relentless, absolutely relentless.
45 mins: Foord shoots straight at Jonimqulova after being played through one-on-one.
43 mins: Catley should do better with time and space on the left, then Gorry gets caught in two minds when put through by a sumptuous through-ball form Kennedy. The XG tonight could already be in triple figures.
42 mins: I recognise the Matildas have lots of young fans and have attracted supporters new to football. Let me assure you, this is not normal. Enjoy it while you can.
41 mins: Nearly eight, twice. Catley’s corner leads to another goalmouth scramble that almost sees Heyman score, then the ball ricochets out to Foord but her effort is blocked wide.
39 mins: “Apparently, instead of makeshift solutions, all we needed was a tall striker….who knew?” asks David Meiklejohn. Thankfully, the evidence is so emphatic we can put that particular conversation to bed.
GOAL! Australia 7-0 Uzbekistan (Foord, 38)
A long free-kick is won in the air by Uzbekistan, but headed straight against another white jersey. The ball falls kindly for Foord who swivels and drills in a low finish from six yards.
GOAL! Australia 6-0 Uzbekistan (Fowler, 36)
Thumping finish from Mary Fowler, sending her laces through the ball from 10 yards out to complete a lovely attacking move. Heyman and Gorry were busy keeping the ball alive in the final third, working the angles until the opportunity fell on a platter for the Manchester City star.
35 mins: Foord hammers a shot that’s parried behind, then Catley lifts an effort over the bar. The Matildas risk not scoring a stupidly large number of goals simply because everyone is trying to get in on the act.
Lol. Not really…
33 mins: Another Heyman dart in front of her marker, another Fowler cross, another free header. This time over the bar.
This, from Chris Paraskevas is quite something, referring back to Tony Gustavsson’s prematch interview.
@JPHowcroft Here's Tony G fulfilling his destiny as Nick Carter 90s Reincarnate.
— Chris Paraskevas (@Cparaskevas) February 28, 2024
It's TG's world and we're all just vibe-ing in it.#AUSUZB #matildas #tonyg #nickcarter #the90swasactuallywaybetter pic.twitter.com/XnN3gWPopr
32 mins: Carpenter almost joins in the fun but with the goal at her mercy she suddenly finds Nabikulova flying across to make an incredible sliding block.
31 mins: “This game is reminding me of our Coffs Harbour record (31-0 against a hapless American Samoa),” emails James Paraksevas. “Heyman could be the new Archie Thompson.”
28 mins: Uzbekistan should score! That is not a mistake, you read that right. Australia got caught napping on the counter and the visitors made good ground through the middle before freeing Lyudmila Karachik one-on-one with Arnold, but the Matildas keeper, who has had nothing to do all night, stood up bravely and made an excellent save.
26 mins: Heyman almost makes it six! Australia bide their time until they can free Fowler on the left. Her cross is gathered at the far post by Torpey and dinked back inside for the onrushing Heyman to leap and glance just wide.
GOAL! Australia 5-0 Uzbekistan (Torpey, 22)
Cooney-Cross’ corner leads to a goalmouth scramble. The ball bobbles out to Torpey who leathers it with violence into the roof of the net from six yards out.
20 mins: With temperatures still in the 30s the players stop for a drink. Uzbekistan probably wish they could stop for good.
17 mins: Heyman has four goals in the past 40 minutes of football in as clear a demonstration as you could design of the value of a specialist striker. Her timing, her runs, her instinct, all brilliant, and impossible to expect a makeshift to replicate.
In her first #Matildas start in six years, it takes Michelle Heyman 15 minutes and five seconds to net a hat trick against Uzbekistan. Warra return. #AUSvUZB
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) February 28, 2024
GOAL! Australia 4-0 Uzbekistan (Heyman, 15)
That’s a 15 minute hat-trick from the veteran, and it’s another superb striker’s goal. Fowler has time and space on the left and she waits for someone in the middle to make a run. Heyman darts from the penalty spot to the near post, ahead of her marker, and the ball reaches her perfectly for a first-time finish to be stabbed through the keeper and into the back of the net.
14 mins: Heyman already has the Olympic rings tattooed on her right bicep. She scored twice at Rio 2016. Tonight has surely ended any debate about her place in the Matildas starting XI, let alone Gustavsson’s broader 18-strong squad.
12 mins: Australia are keeping their foot on the gas despite the tie being well and truly over. Kennedy in particular is having a night out, pinging crossfield passes like a golfer on a driving range. One of these ends with a corner from the right that Foord nods over at the near post.
9 mins: This is already ugly. Just goes to show how important that second qualifying round was to avoid Japan and North Korea.
I'm rising this to 14-0. Maybe more. #AUSvUZB https://t.co/zcCXF6IBav
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) February 28, 2024
GOAL! Australia 3-0 Uzbekistan (Heyman, 9)
Heyman has two, and this is a vintage striker’s goal. A long sweeping diagonal out of defence frees Catley on the left. Australia’s best crosser of a football takes her time, picks her target and finds the leaping Heyman on the penalty spot. The veteran plants an unstoppable header through the keeper before she has time to react.
8 mins: Now Torpey has a chance at the far post from Cooney-Cross’ corner, but instead of shooting she tries to square the ball across the box.
Nekminnit…
7 mins: The gulf in class between these sides was evident in freezing Tashkent. In scorching Melbourne it is borderline unfair. Fowler almost makes it three cutting in from the left and driving a low shot with her right foot that the goalkeeper saves low to her right. Fowler ghosted past her defender with embarrassing ease.
6 mins: Uzbekistan now need to score five to take this to extra-time, or six to win on the night.
GOAL! Australia 2-0 Uzbekistan (Heyman, 4)
Just as promised the Matildas have started quickly. Heyman is causing all sorts of problems with her movement and willingness to challenge for possession. And she gets on the scoresheet when Fowler’s cross from deep is tapped back across goal by Torpey, missed by Hunt, and jabbed home by the fox in the box.
GOAL! Australia 1-0 Uzbekistan (Qisi Asadova OG, 1)
Blimey, that didn’t take long! Heyman wins the ball in a high press then gets into position to offer the lay off with her back to goal on the edge of the box. The ball is fed wide to Torpey who crosses low – and it’s deflected agonisingly into her own net by the Uzbekistan defender. Just 34 seconds on the clock.
Updated
Kick-off!
The Matildas are 90 minutes away from Paris.
Another banner night for Australian women’s football.
This is pretty cool!
— John Donohoe (@jdonohoe12) February 28, 2024
Haven’t seen Marvel this packed in a long time, and I come here a lot! #Matildas pic.twitter.com/UpUXBvecnm
The two sides are lined up in the Marvel Stadium tunnel. Uzbekistan are in white shirts and shorts, and blue socks. Australia are in gold jerseys with green shorts and white socks.
A 12th straight sell-out, and Matildas enthusiasm shows no sign of slowing. pic.twitter.com/orkAzM20ud
— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) February 28, 2024
Tony G’s just had a few words to the host broadcaster, looking eerily like 90s heartthrob Nick Carter in one of those spammy “you’ll never BELIEVE what celebrity X looks like now” adverts.
Gustavsson said: “We had some good sequences in the last game. The finishing was not there. We worked on that in the training on details and make sure we are focused on every moment. Personnel wise we start with Heyman. She did great coming off the bench late time and we start Kaitlyn Torpey on the right side.”
He’s looking to put on a show for the Melbourne fans and use their energy to spur on a high-energy performance. “First and foremost, connecting to the fans and the stands. We will get a lot of energy from that. We will press and run in behind. We will feed off from that. Our players love that. We will have a fast start to the game and hopefully a strong finish as well.”
Apologies for the lack of confirmation on the Uzbekistan XI, I don’t have the full details to hand yet, but I can tell you there is one change from the side that started on Saturday with star forward Diyorakhon Khabibullaeva replaced by the more defensively minded Ilvina Ablyakimova.
Updated
In case any of you following along are Matildas fans planning to go en vacances this July-August, good news! French people are no longer as grumpy as their 20th century stereotype led the rest of the world to believe.
Tony G spoke to the press ahead of tonight’s game.
Australia XI
Gustavsson has made two changes to his starting XI, led by the inclusion of super-sub Heyman at the expense of Emily van Egmond. Another weekend sub, Caitlin Foord, also lines up from the outset with Hayley Raso dropping to the bench. I can only assume that’s a load management precaution for the flying winger. That means a second outing for Kaitlyn Torpey.
Arnold (GK), Catley (C), Kennedy, Hunt, Carpenter, Torpey, Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Foord, Heyman, Fowler
STARTING XI 🗒
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 28, 2024
Here's how we line up against Uzbekistan in our final game of the #Paris2024 Olympic Qualifiers!
⏰: 8.00pm AEDT
📺💻📱: @10footballau#Matildas #TilitsDone #AllezAUS #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/XVg8dvuG25
Question for the hive mind: Considering it was zero degrees and snowing on Saturday, and now 35C tonight, has there ever been a two-legged contest in any competition with a greater range in temperature? Open to suggestions…
As you can see from Matilda’s images, it is a hot and sunny evening in Melbourne. What you can’t tell is there’s also a strong northerly wind which could be a factor during the game.
Also a factor could be the state of the pitch, which is still recovering from an army of P!nk fans.
Lots of talk of pitch quality in the lead up after Pink performed here five days ago. It looks ... not great. pic.twitter.com/cuDMzgtFSW
— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) February 28, 2024
Not for the first time, Matildas-mania is sweeping over Melbourne. It’s easy to start taking these kind of scenes for granted, but they are spectacular and must be cherished.
Another great day to be named Matilda. #AUSvUZB #Matildas pic.twitter.com/iWBx369BPy
— Matilda Boseley (@MatildaBoseley) February 28, 2024
But on the topic of fashion, somehow Alan Partridge foresaw the arrival of the Matildas in France, creating a perfect capsule wardrobe for the occasion, from the canary yellow shirt, pastel blue change strip, all the way to the opening ceremony blazer.
Anyone rocking this in the crowd or at home tonight? 🙋♀️
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 28, 2024
⏰: 8.00pm AEDT
📺💻📱: @10footballau#Matildas #TilitsDone #AllezAUS #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/9bzN7dRj0E
It is too hot in Melbourne tonight for artificial fibres. Loose fitting cotton and linen only.
Jack Snape sets the scene from Melbourne.
Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Uzbekistan in the first leg has made the return clash resemble something of a dead rubber. But to the desperate players not yet entrenched in the national set up, the match’s significance now looms in even sharper focus: it represents a critical examination to make or break Olympic aspirations. To secure a place on the plane to Paris, time is running out.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v Uzbekistan from Melbourne. Kick off at Marvel Stadium is 8pm AEDT.
Tonight’s entertainment should have a homecoming feel about it after the Matildas eliminated any jeopardy from their Olympic qualifier with a 3-0 victory in Tashkent on Saturday. The hosts offered very little in freezing conditions and Australia managed to run out comfortable winners despite seeming uninterested in putting the ball in the back of the net for the first hour or so.
The major talking point before the first leg was how coach Tony Gustavsson planned to cope without captain and chief goalscorer Sam Kerr, who has been ruled out of the Paris Games with a serious knee injury. His initial response was to operate without a recognised striker, and hand a debut to a right fullback on the left wing, a strategy that looked odd on paper and misguided in reality.
This was amplified by Michelle Heyman’s introduction after 65 minutes with the veteran substitute immediately improving the side’s structure, movement and goal threat.
Heyman’s impact has created a headache for Gustavsson, who has shown a preference for backing a core group. Olympic squads are limited to just 18 players, so there is little room for experimentation. But in Kerr’s absence the Matildas need a focal point up front and Heyman has staked a strong early claim that it should be her.
I’ll leave it there for now, but if you’d like to get in touch while I’m on, please fire all communication to jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
Tonight we return to Naarm to play on Kulin Nation.
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 28, 2024
We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation, and pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging. pic.twitter.com/2WbDrmrYfx
Updated
