Matildas ready to seal Olympic Games qualification in Melbourne

They already have one foot on the plane to Paris for this year’s Olympics, and now the Matildas intend to finish off Uzbekistan.

The Matildas are set to seal Olympic Games qualification in Melbourne on Wednesday night. Picture: Tolib Kosimov/Getty Images

The Matildas have promised to “finish the job” in the second leg of their Olympic Games qualifier against Uzbekistan in Melbourne on Wednesday night.

The Australians already have one foot on the plane to this year’s Paris Games after winning Saturday’s first leg 3-0 in freezing Tashkent thanks to goals from Michelle Heyman, Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord.

And having arrived home on Monday morning, the Matildas don’t intend to disappoint the packed house at Marvel Stadium on Wednesday by allowing the outclassed Uzbekistan outfit to make a miraculous comeback.

“Finish the job,” Matildas star Ellie Carpenter said when asked what her side would do in the second leg.

“We’re three goals up but we don’t go into the game very different. It’s 0-0 for us going in. “We want to put out a very solid performance on Wednesday night to seal the Olympic qualifier.”

The Matildas celebrate a goal during their 3-0 first-leg win in Tashkent. Picture: Tolib Kosimov/Getty Images

The Matildas should have a much bigger advantage heading into the second leg but wasted a host of chances in Tashkent.

“We knew it was hard to play away, off the back of some travel as well, (and with) conditions there being very cold,” right-back Carpenter said.

“We knew they were going to be very hard to break down, but getting three goals away was very important for us.”

Veteran striker Heyman broke the deadlock in Tashkent in her first appearance for the Matildas since 2018.

“It’s the most incredible feeling to be back playing for ‘Oz’, back with the girls and scoring is something that I love to do,” said the 35-year-old Canberra United attacker, whose goal was her first for the Matildas since scoring against Zimbabwe at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“To score the goal that opened it up for the rest of the team is just an incredible feeling, and I just feel so honoured and proud to get a second chance.”

Heyman said the Matildas wouldn’t have any issues being properly prepared for the second leg despite the short turnaround and the long flight home from Tashkent, via Dubai.

“It’s incredible how professional it is here with the Matildas. We’ll have ice baths when we arrive back in Australia,” she said.

“For myself, to be able to get out on the field to play in front of my friends and family, it’s going to be a surreal moment.

“I’ve never had many of my friends and family come to watch me play, so it’s going to be really special.”

AFC WOMEN’S PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS – ROUND 3

(Second leg)

Australia v Uzbekistan

Wednesday, 8pm (AEDT)

Marvel Stadium, Melbourne

Broadcast: Network 10

(Matildas lead 3-0 on aggregate after first leg)

Originally published as Matildas ready to seal Olympic Games qualification in Melbourne