Matildas lose World Cup semi-final: Australian veteran Katrina Gorry’s retirement hint
Australia’s third-place playoff against Sweden could take on extra significance, with one big name hinting at it being her final World Cup.
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To many the battle for third is a consolation prize, a formality to determine prize money but to Katrina Gorry, it’s a chance to finish what she has hinted at could be her final World Cup on a high.
The Matildas will battle Sweden for a bronze medal on Saturday at Brisbane Stadium – a match which the point of has been questioned in a tournament such as a World Cup.
But to 100 gamer Gorry it’s a matter of pride and ensuring they give the fans who have been a massive support this World Cup something to remember.
Gorry, 31, stepped away from the sport three years ago to have her daughter Harper, now two.
She hinted after the loss to England that this World Cup could be her last.
“Everyone is going to be hurting, the veterans probably more,” Gorry said.
“We don’t have another World Cup in us so it’s a tough one to swallow at the moment but we’ll get around each other and make sure we’re ready to go for the next one.
“I didn’t know if I would get to 100 (games) but taking some time out to have Harper it’s just made it all so much better.
“Football is so much better playing with this group of girls, we’ve been together for so long, it’s so special and now to be at a home World Cup.”
There is more than just bragging rights on the line with each of the 23-players in the team that finishes third being awarded $270,000 – this figure drops to $247,000 for the team that finishes fourth.
Gorry said the semi-final loss to England “sucks” but it was just the way football works.
“Now we have to regroup. We have to recover, we still have to bring home the bronze medal for Australia,” Gorry said.
“It’s just how football is. It’s a semi-final. Small errors can cost you. We created chances we didn’t put in the back of the net and that will cost you. We have to get ready for Sweden now.
“We want that bronze medal. It’s dangling right in front of us. Australia’s got us this far and we’re not going to let them down.” - ERIN SMITH
3.00PM: MATILDAS ON HIGH ALERT AMID USA COACH CULL
United States women’s team coach Vlatko Andonovski has resigned following the team’s poor showing in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, a source with knowledge of the matter told AFP on Wednesday.
And that could spell bad news for the Matildas if they hope to retain coach Tony Gustavsson long-term.
It is understood Andonovski had handed in his resignation after he and the federation agreed to a mutual parting of ways.
The USA were eliminated in the last 16 by Sweden after a penalty shoot, the earliest the team has ever departed from a World Cup.
The Americans had won the previous two World Cups, in 2015 and 2019 with Jill Ellis in charge of the team.
Andonovski is likely to have opportunities to return to the club game in America and could also be tempted to move abroad.
The Athletic reported that Twila Kilgore, assistant coach of the team, was expected to take over as interim head coach.
However, Team USA legend Jill Ellis believes Gustavsson should be atop any list of potential replacements.
Ellis, who led the USWNT to back-to-back World Cup triumphs in 2015 and 2019, says Gustavsson has not been given enough credit for what he has achieved with Australia this tournament and must be in the conversation for the US.
Gustavsson worked under Ellis during her two successful World Cup campaigns, though he was never considered to succeed Ellis for the US job in 2019 as the focus quickly turned to Andonovski.
Gustavsson is contracted with Football Australia until September 2024, locking him in for this World Cup and next year’s Paris Olympic Games.
“He should definitely be a strong candidate for the job,” Ellis told ESPN.
“I don’t think people are giving him and his staff enough credit for having navigated most of this tournament without arguably one of the best players in the world (Sam Kerr).
“Most of us as coaches would not have said Australia was even close to being a contender without Kerr, so that’s pretty remarkable what they’ve been able to navigate as a staff.”
12.30PM: REVEALED: WHY COACH SHUT DOWN ENGLAND CELEBRATIONS
England’s victorious Lionesses were ordered by coach Sarina Wiegman to tone down their celebrations after defeating the Matildas to reach the World Cup final.
Wiegman reportedly told veteran defender Lucy Bronze to ‘stop jumping’ amid the jubilant celebrations at Stadium Australia on Wednesday night.
Bronze had played a key role in stifling Australia’s star front three of Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord – and will prove to be a crucial cog for England in Sunday’s final against Spain.
And Wiegman didn’t want any mishaps to occur that could hinder preparations for the biggest match of the tournament, stepping in before England’s post-match party kicked into overdrive.
“(Wiegman) just spoke a bit about the game today, she knew the crowd was going to be a big thing and we could control the game and win the game the way we wanted to, we did all those things, and how proud she was of us,” Bronze revealed.
“We started jumping up and celebrating - she grabbed me and said, ‘stop jumping! You need to get ready for the next game, let the kids do it. You stand still’.”
England withstood a vocal home crowd and a Sam Kerr-inspired comeback to prevail 3-1, with Wiegman praising her side’s efficiency in front of goal.
“We scored three goals,” Wiegman said.
“You’ve been talking about ruthlessness all the time, I think in this team there is ruthlessness.”
11.45AM: ‘HEARTBROKEN’ MATILDA SPEAKS OUT
Star Matildas defender Ellie Carpenter has opened up on Australia’s World Cup exit, saying she’s ‘heartbroken’ at the semi-final defeat to England.
Carpenter had a rough night, and was at fault for England’s second goal – one of a handful of errors which former Matilda Amy Chapman labelled ‘colossal’ – and cut a shattered figure in the middle of Stadium Australia at fulltime on Wednesday night.
She paid tribute to England for their victory, but said Australia were determined to exact revenge on Sweden in the third-place play-off on Saturday night.
“Obviously heartbroken, there’s not much more left to say,” said Carpenter.
“They’re a great team. I think we did well to get back into the game but obviously mistakes happen and we still have one more game left.
“When we started this tournament we wanted to inspire a nation and I think we’ve done that.
“There’s more Matildas fans than ever and the crowd was immense tonight.
“We’re a team that bounces back together, we stick together and we have it all to play for against Sweden. We don’t want to leave this tournament empty handed.”
10AM: MATILDAS DEFENDER CALLED OUT OVER ‘COLOSSAL’ ERROR
Former Matilda Amy Chapman has unleashed on Australia’s defence after a couple of woeful moments gifted England a spot in the World Cup final.
Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo did the damage late on as England shattered Australian dreams with a clinical 3-1 win in Sydney to set up a Women’s World Cup final against Spain.
But the pair took advantage of a couple of “colossal” errors from Ellie Carpenter in the area to silence the 75,000 strong crowd.
England deservedly took the lead nine minutes before the break with Manchester United’s Ella Toone unleashing a rocket just inside the box with the outside of her boot.
Sam Kerr, starting for the first time this tournament, hit back for the home side just after the hour with a world-class goal from 30-yards out that set the game on fire.
It sparked ecstatic scenes but the crowd were silenced just eight minutes later when Hemp muscled her way into the box and stabbed into the corner, before Russo put the icing on the cake with four minutes left of normal time.
Chapman didn’t hold back in her analysis.
”It’s some awful defending from the Australians,” she said on Optus Sport. “Ellie Carpenter, not dealing with the initial ball in behind. It really shouldn’t have been anything at all. But Lauren Hemp, she’s hustled all evening, she’s been England’s best all evening and she puts that one away no troubles.
“I’m a big fan of Ellie but that’s a colossal mistake. A game-changing mistake from her not to deal with that and Hemp was there to pounce.”
9:25 AM TV RATINGS
More than seven million Australians watched the Matildas bow out of the FIFA World Cup on Wednesday night, more than double a State of Origin game or the NRL and AFL grand finals.
The final number was 7.13 million on free-to-air and streaming service 7plus, the highest ratings sporting event since Cathy Freeman in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics.
Throw in the fans watching on Optus and the final figure is likely to surpass Freeman’s gold medal in the 400-metre final.
9AM WHAT THE BOSS SAYS
Football Australia CEO James Johnson has spoken this morning of his pride in the Matildas, what they have done for this country and what the future holds - money dependant.
Following last night’s defeat to England the important thing for the Tillies now is that they capitalise on the spot light they have on them.
Like it or not Football Australia, this means you have to step up and lead the way, the nation is paying attention no it’s time for your plan.
Johnson says Australia is three years into a 10 year plan and echoed Tony Gustavsson and Sam Kerr’s calls for investment.
“I am incredibly proud of the tournament but for today this team, this team have been remarkable,” he said on Ch9.
“They have not only performed better than any senior national team for Australia at a World Cup, but I have seen a real cultural and social shift. You’re seeing women, men, boys, girls all wear Matildas jerseys and really get behind this team and unite a country and I think that’s extremely special.
“We saw broadcast numbers like we’ve never seen and I think that that’s really brought the country together post-COVID, that’s what this team is all about.”
Johnson said that while participation numbers are through the roof, the facilities are letting the sport’s development down.
“It is legacy, so something great about our sport is we’re a huge participant sport,” he said.
“We’ve got so many girls and boys playing but our challenge is we don’t have enough community facilities to actually facilitate the number of participants we have and this challenge is only going to get bigger post the Women’s World Cup. We are expecting an increase of 20% of our participation base.
“We need more funding to fund facilities to cater to that. I think we’ll get it. There is a big gap. We are in dialogue with Federal and State Governments but we need the support to continue.”
8AM KERR PAY UP, HANDS IN POCKETS
Heartbroken Matildas striker Sam Kerr has called on all the politicians who happily jumped on the team’s bandwagon during the World Cup to dip into their pockets and start funding women’s sport the same way they do for men.
The Matildas won the hearts of the nation with their brave displays throughout the tournament but were no match for the English - who receive much greater funding than the Aussies.
The disparity between the teams is huge and has become a source for frustration because of the way Australian politicians keep piggy-backing off the Matildas - turning up to every photo opportunity - only to go running for cover whenever the topic of funding comes up.
Even in her moment of deepest disappointment, Kerr still believes Australia has the talent to win a World Cup but said it won’t happen until the government starts investing in women’s football like it does in men’s sport.
“I can only speak for the Matildas, but we need funding in our development,” she said.
“We need funding in our grassroots. We need funding everywhere. The comparison to other sports isn’t really good enough.
“Hopefully this tournament kind of changes that because that’s the legacy you leave, not what you do on the pitch.
“It’s hard to talk about now but hopefully that is the start of something new.”
7AM THANK YOU AUSTRALIA
Despite being gutted by the result, Kerr said she could not have been prouder of her team mates for the way they showcased the very best of women’s football throughout the World Cup, reaching the semifinals for the first time.
“That’s kind of the only thing that is keeping me smiling right is the way that we’ve kind of inspired the nation,” Kerr said.
“Everyone’s got behind us. The tournament has been amazing. Every single team, every single player that has visited has said how beautiful our country is so I think it’s really life changing for women’s football in Australia.
“I think the crowds and the fans have proved that, not us.
“They’re the ones that have come out and supported us and watched us on the big screens and bought out jerseys, that’s all down to the fans, showing everyone what it’s like to bring the world game to our country.
“I think the way the country has got behind us and the television ratings, all of that, but this isn’t a once in a lifetime i you bring the product to Australia and support it.
“Hopefully we’ve got a few fans that will stick around. But now it’s time for funding and all of that stuff to be invested in the game because this is the world game for a reason.”
6AM SHOW US THE MONEY
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson says the unprecedented success of the World Cup “needs to be the start of something” and has called on the federal government to increase funding to ensure Australia builds on its semi-final run.
Australia went down 3-1 to England in its maiden semi-final – an incredible achievement given other countries have enjoyed long standing financial backing – but the sky’s the limit if the Matildas can get government funding to capitalise on a tournament that has captured the attention of the nation like few sporting events have ever done.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese floated the idea of a public holiday on Monday if the Matildas won the final, but players and officials are calling on the government to do something more meaningful by upping its financial support to ensure the past few weeks don’t go to waste.
“They and the generations before them have worked hard to be in this moment,” Gustavsson said of his players after Wednesday’s heartbreaking defeat.
“It’s a bit emotional to sit here and talk about that when you lose a semi-final because I hate to lose, but football is bigger than 90 minutes.
“We’re very disappointed in the loss, but hopefully we won something else. We won the hearts and the passion for this game in this country.
“This is not the end of something; this needs to be the start of something, and with that comes money as well.”
Reaching the semi-final seems like an overachievement in most people’s eyes, but Gustavsson says this should become the norm if things are put in place to nurture talent from the grassroots level all the way to the top.
“I don’t think it’s too early, but I also think it’s also just the beginning of something, and if we see that investment that we talked about and we keep growing the game together (then things will only improve),” he said.
“Right now we’re maximising the resources that we have, whether it’s the players, the work we do in club land or whether it’s grassroots football, the return on investment we have right now is unique, meaning very good.
“But let’s invest more and be genuine contenders for medals in tournaments moving forward.”
Originally published as Matildas lose World Cup semi-final: Australian veteran Katrina Gorry’s retirement hint
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