Matildas v USA: Tokyo Olympics 2021 bronze medal match: Australia fail to fire and finish fourth

The Matilda’s might be leaving Tokyo empty-handed after being dealt a football lesson by the USA, but their captain Sam Kerr has achieved something remarkable.

USA's defender Kelley O'Hara (L) fights for the ball with Australia's forward Caitlin Foord. Picture: AFP

The crushing disappointment of leaving Tokyo with nothing but more Olympic agony has left the Matildas in tears after their bronze medal defeat.

In the immediate moments after Australia’s rollercoaster 4-3 defeat to four-time Olympic champions the USA, coach Tony Gustavsson called his players into a huddle in the middle of Kashima Stadium.

There were tears from the players, and the coach struggled to get many words out but praised the team’s enormous heart and the message was clear: something special is brewing.

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Caitlin Foord gets the better of USA defender Kelley O'Hara.

Victory would’ve handed the Matildas’ Australia’s first-ever Olympic football medal, and the pain of falling just short of that goal was etched across the players who sobbed on the turf following the final whistle.

“It’s emotional because it feels like a missed opportunity and we’ve given up so much to be here,” Sam Kerr told News Corp.

“We wanted something in our hands. We wanted something to make it all worth it.

“I think a lot goes into this that people don’t see, the sacrifices everyone has made …. No one gets to go home after this.

“We are proud of the tournament we had but we don’t have anything to show for it so I think it’s just that little bit of extra disappointment of how the world is at the moment.”

Kyah Simon is crowded out by the US defence.

In a positively insane bronze medal match, Sam Kerr became Australia’s leading all-time scorer – but was still overshadowed by two-goal performances to USA captain Megan Rapinoe and star forward Carli Lloyd.

“I’m just heartbroken,” defender Steph Catley said.

“Fourth is probably the worst place to finish. I think we’ve proved something to the rest of the world in this tournament. It’s just the start for us. But obviously just heartbreaking right now.”

Australia were left to rue crucial defensive errors from Alanna Kennedy, which gifted goals to each of Rapinoe and Lloyd in a match that was played at a rapid tempo.

An exhausted Kerr, who played every minute of every game for Australia and scored six goals, cancelled out Rapinoe’s opener with a low hard effort that put her clear of Lisa De Vanna as Australia’s top goalscorer with 48.

Caitlin Foord gave the Matildas cause for hope with a superb header.

She wasn’t allowed to celebrate for long, as Rapinoe had her second just four minutes later when she lashed home a superb volley having capitalised on a botched clearance by Kennedy.

Lloyd scored before and after halftime to leave Australia facing a mountain to climb at 4-1 down, but they replied through Caitlin Foord and an Emily Gielnik screamer to give hope in the dying minutes.

But hope is what the Matildas have been living off for years. At some point, they finally want something to show for it.

Australian star Sam Kerr left to wonder what might have been. Picture: Jeff Pachoud/ FP)

“This is just the start. Look at where we were a month or two months ago, we weren’t in a good place,” Catley added.

“We started from scratch with Tony and we’ve got longer now until the World Cup and we’re just going to get better and better.”

MAGIC MOMENT SENDS KERR TO TOP OF THE CHARTS

She left without an Olympic bronze medal but Sam Kerr racked up another milestone in Australia’s 4-3 loss to USA.

A slick ball from Caitlin Foord and a first-time strike with her left boot made her the Matildas all-time leading goalscorer.

The goal – her 48th – took her past former teammate Lisa De Vanna.

“It was Kate (Gill) first and then Lisa and then me … we’re all West Australians and we joke it’s quality not quantity,” said Kerr.

Sam Kerr levels up for Australia in the third place playoff.

“But I’ll reflect on those things in a couple of days. All I can think about is this game to be honest.

“Emotions are high because we wanted something to make it all worth it. We’re proud of the tournament we’ve had but at the end of day we don’t have anything to show for it. Just a little bit of disappointment given the way the world is at the moment.”

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has been calling for a “collective attack” from the Aussies, but Kerr remains undeniably the talisman for this side.

Australia has had four goalscorers during this Olympic campaign, but Kerr sits on top of that list with six.

Outsiders will credit Kerr as the ultimate player for her speed of thought, understanding of space, football smarts and finish.

Insiders – ie: teammates – will say it’s her work ethic, defensive forward plays and commitment to perfection.

And her humility.

Keeper Teagan Micah, who has faced a barrage of Kerr shots during training, has revealed during this Olympic campaign that Kerr won’t leave the training pitch until she has nailed her finishes.

She will stay out on the park, shot after shot until happy.

Sam Kerr is consoled by a US player after the bronze medal playoff.

Teammate Kyah Simon said it was a ‘great achievement.’

“But on a personal note she would say she would prefer all the girls get a medal. Really proud of her and what she has done.”

There’s a reason that the No. 20 jersey is the most popular jersey sold by Football Australia and it’s because of the skipper’s scoring power.

Although that jersey might now be No. 2 after this campaign, as an Olympic 18-player squad was initially named and players only had the option of choosing a number within this range.

Making her debut at 15, Kerr has become the most prominent athlete promoted by NIKE Australia.

And now she is our greatest Matilda – if not greatest footballer ever.