Burst bubble of hype has Australian camp deflated

Ranked sixth in the world and out in the round of 16 — a sense of underachievement is palpable in the Matildas camp.

Australia goalkeeper Lydia Williams saves a shot on goal against Norway. Picture: AP

Ranked sixth in the world and out in the round of 16 — a sense of underachievement is palpable in the Matildas camp.

Australia’s World Cup dream died a quick death in Nice, snuffed out by Norway with such a jolt their coach was left stunned and speechless.

“I don’t know if there are any words to describe how I’m feeling, more importantly how the girls are feeling,” Ante Milicic said.

The gut-wrenching loss was compounded by unprecedented hype and expectation.

The Matildas have reached the quarter-finals in the past three tournaments.

In France, where they were supposed to kick on further, they suffered their worst result in 16 years — albeit in only the second edition of an expanded tournament.

Skipper Sam Kerr summed up the sentiment minutes after skying her howler of a penalty.

“Right now, I can’t really think about those things. I’m just thinking about the loss.”

Goalkeeper Lydia Williams, her side’s standout player against Norway, said it was “heartbreak, basically”.

“I feel for the girls, I feel for everyone who’s come out here to watch us, everyone back home, and it’s just heartbreaking that we went out that way. I think we deserved better,” Williams said. “Last time we got out of the round of 16 so we definitely have it in us. If we had another five minutes, if we had 11 players, I think we would have got the result in extra-time.

“It’s just unfortunate that we went out on penalties. If we just played another 10 minutes maybe we could have scrounged a goal there, but everyone fought to the very end.”

There was a sense Norway presented the biggest psychological hurdle given the Matildas’ propensity to play up to better sides and struggle against those less fancied.

“We’ve got to rise to every occasion and it definitely turned into a game of transition,” said midfielder Tameka Yallop.

“Unfortunately that didn’t go our way. It’ll be hard to sleep tonight.”

The Daily Telegraph