Ellie Carpenter, 15, makes her debut for Matildas in big win over Vietnam

IT’S possible Ellie Carpenter was secretly wishing for a slightly tougher debut, but the 15-year-old Matilda was still very happy with her international bow.

IT’S possible 15-year-old Ellie Carpenter was secretly wishing for a slightly tougher debut.

However, the newly-capped Matilda was still hugely satisfied at making her international bow as Australia took another giant step towards qualifying for this year’s Olympics in Brazil.

A 9-0 win for the Matildas against Vietnam put them in pole position to qualify from the tournament in Japan that will decide which two teams from Asia go to Rio, with Carpenter making an accomplished start despite becoming the first Australian born since the turn of the millennium to represent their country.

Ellie Carpenter in action for the Matildas against Vietnam on Wednesday night.

“It was an amazing experience. In some ways keeping my concentration was quite difficult, but I felt like I kept my composure and did well,” Carpenter said of a game whose only blemish was picking up a yellow card.

“Staj (coach Alen Stajcic) hasn’t told me whether I’ll feature in the other three games to come but I’d love to be out there with the girls.

“We’ll have to wait and see. The speed of play and the movement at this level is a bit different, but I felt like I’ve adapted pretty well so far.”

The Matildas are comfortably top of the six-team grouping, the only side to record consecutive wins.

They face South Korea tonight as part of gruelling schedule culminating in games against North Korea on Monday and China Wednesday next Wednesday.

“Approaching the tournament we knew nothing would be decided until we’d played all five games and that’s still the approach,” striker Kyah Simon warned after securing a hat-trick against Vietnam.

Kyah Simon of Australia scores her team's fourth goal.

“We’re very proud of what we’ve done thus far and of course those results give us the confidence and belief that we can now go on to win all five games.

“It’s a tough schedule but we’re trying to stay 100 per cent fit and healthy. Of course you allow yourself to dream of making the Olympics. It would be an achievement no one could take away, and hopefully we can go on to realise that dream.”