Matilda’s vs Chinese Taipei; Who performed their best on Wednesday to help us cross the line of the second Olympic Qualifier round?
Three games, three wins. The Matildas have wrapped up a successful trip back home in front of packed crowds in Western Australia. After a frustrating 62 minutes of play, Mary Fowler opened our scoring streak against Chinese Taipei on Wednesday, with a rocket of a shot into the side netting of the top right corner. Sam Kerr quickly found the net six minutes later with a scrappy tap-in, resulting from Caitlin Foord's low, hard cross into the box. We then witnessed Tameka Yallop add her name to the scoreboard after subbing on seven minutes prior. The third and final goal of the night was assisted by 21-year-old Amy Sayer. Although goal scorers are crucial for three points, we looked over Fox Sports' statistics of the match to understand who was really on their game in Wednesday's fight for the Olympics.
Here are our top 5 Matilda’s from the final game of Group A, in the second round of qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics:
Mary Fowler
The 20-year-old Manchester City star, had the crowd on the edge of their seats on Wednesday night. Fowler was responsible for 7 of the Matildas' 38 shots against Chinese Taipei. The only one on target was her spectacular long-range goal in the 62nd minute. However, this wasn't Fowler's only real chance to put the Matildas in front. Early in the first half, Catley took an in-swinging corner that was quickly cleared by the opposition. Just after Chinese Taipei thought they were safe, the ball found Mary's boot for a half-volley. She managed to unleash a strike that narrowly missed the target, clipping the crossbar and going out for a goal kick. Every Australian was on their feet for this moment. Although this young forward only recently grew her name predominantly at the Women's World Cup earlier this year, she is quickly becoming a fan favorite. It's not only the fans who are crazy about Fowler. Tony Gustavsson stated in his post-game interview, "She's quick at decision making; she knows exactly where the goal, the goalkeeper, and where the opening is."
The Chinese Taipei coach, Hiu Ming, soon described the match against the Matildas as a "fight against giants." Although he was extremely proud of the performance of his team, he reflected on how he could see a difference in the 'individual ability, physical, and technical' of the players. However, Ming made it clear that 'football is teamwork,' and he was immensely proud of his girls for their 'courage and their fight' on the night.
Caitlin Foord
With 4 of Caitlin Foord's 5 shots being on target, she was a dangerous threat on the left side. The 28-year-old Arsenal forward's quick technical feet were crucial parts of the final two goals of the match. In the 69th minute, Catley's ball lands to Foord, who drives to take on a Chinese Taipei defender and quickly slots a cross past four more defenders. Although the ball is fought for between the players, Kerr punts a toe to it, and it's 2-0 to the Matildas. The final goal was also created through Foord, who narrowly misses her initial shot. Katrina Gorry drives towards the box and slots a pass through to Foord. Caitlin's strategic body position allows her to roll off her defender, whom she beats, and gets a shot off. The shot is blocked by a sliding challenge; however, she squares the pass to Sayer, who taps it to Yallop, and another goal is scored. Although both goals were only a small glimpse of Foord's addition to the team's performance on Wednesday, her skilful touch and strategic play can't be missed in such a game for the front third.
Katrina Gorry
The crowd at HBF Park in Perth on Wednesday witnessed another solid performance from our Katrina Gorry. If nine months of pregnancy wasn't going to stop this superwoman, then no Chinese Taipei players were going to either. The right-sided center-mid enjoyed demonstrating a very attacking style in the game where she created six chances for herself, with four on target. She also nearly bagged herself an assist in the 44th minute when she launched a precise cross from outside of the box to Kerr, whose header went slightly high. After not being able to successfully get her name on the scoreboard, Gorry continued to dominate in the midfield where her strength, awareness, and experience shine through while mentoring young Cooney-Cross beside her. Her return to the sport in 2022 came with denying opportunities such as playing in the Asia Cup in India, as she was set on 'Getting myself back to peak performance' after having her daughter, Harper, the year before. Gorry exceeded Australia's expectations with her comeback, where she's now sometimes compared to being a better player than she was pre-baby, especially after her successful spell at the World Cup.
Amy Sayer
Throughout this tournament, we have seen many of the younger players gaining experience on the national stage. Amy Sayer, the newest addition to the squad, was subbed onto the field for Hayley Raso on Wednesday at the 64th minute. She left the field with an assist for Tameka Yallop's goal and had many close chances for herself. With this being the young attacking midfielder's eighth national senior game, she has grown exceptionally well under the extreme pressure of the qualifier round. Sayer explains how she 'wants to be one of the main members who can stay in that position and not just someone who fits in where they're needed' in The Guardian. This, along with Sayer's determination on the field, shows her desire to succeed within an elite environment such as the Matildas squad. Although her wish may still be a work in progress in securing a spot in the starting 11, for this 21-year-old, her future is bright as she learns from the best as a current rookie.
Sam Kerr
It would be rare to hear a list of star players within the Matildas without hearing about a player who was recently awarded second place for the Ballon d'Or. Sam Kerr captained the side and featured as a goal scorer on Wednesday, making intelligent runs throughout the game and having four shots on goal. Despite numerous other shots narrowly missing the target, her one shot on goal was the one that rippled the net. A scrap in the box resulted in Sam lashing the ball into the goal from close distance. This not only marked her fifth goal of the three-game run but also represented the Matildas' 900th goal in history. Although Kerr was the obvious target within the box, much like the other forwards, no goals came easy against Chinese Taipei until late in the second half. Thankfully, despite the nation's anxiety about her physical health after her recent calf issues, throughout all three games, Kerr showed no signs of struggle. With Sam's leadership, experience, and ability to score from just about anywhere, this is another successful campaign that has booked her and the Matildas into the final stage of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics.
With the second round of qualifiers now over, we see the Matildas comfortably moving through to the third and final round as champions of Group A. With nine points, +13 goals, and three clean sheets, the Matildas will face Uzbekistan in a two-game frenzy in February 2024. This will determine whether the girls in green and gold will travel to Paris later that year to represent their nation in the Olympics for the fifth time. Although we can expect top performances from our senior players such as Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry, and Sam Kerr, fans will be keen to see how young guns Mary Fowler and Amy Sayer grow through their national experiences, becoming staple players for our side.
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