Can Matildas breakthrough Australia’s final sporting frontier?

Little old Australia, forever punching above its weight. A World Cup is the only prestigious trophy we haven‘t won … and it could be two weeks away.

Melbourne Artist Danielle Weber paints a mural of the Matildas on the the Bondi Beach front walk. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Adam Scott was in the hunt at the 2012 US Masters. He revved himself up like it was the last lap of the Bathurst 1000 and his Holden was running out of petrol somewhere between Hell Corner, Conrod Straight and Raes Creek before he shouted his immortal words – “C’mon Aussie!” – and skidded home in the wet to break Australia’s curse of Augusta. Ding-dong, another witch was dead.

Scott’s triumph, by my reckoning, left Australia, little old Australia, forever punching above its weight against larger populations and talent pools, with the distinction of having won every coveted trophy, shield, plaque, urn and green jacket in existence – except one. The big one. A FIFA World Cup. Everything else, we’d done it, won it, bought the T-shirt and, to quote Farmer Hoggett from Babe – that’ll do, pig. That would do. ­Because football wasn’t really our thing.

We’d send a Holden to the moon before we won a soccer World Cup. Maybe even a Ford. Dominance in soccer wasn’t going to happen. But come Monday under the bright lights of Sydney’s Stadium Australia, here’s the Matildas giving Australia, little old Australia, a fighter’s chance and supernova of hope as it takes on Denmark in a winnable round of 16 fixture. In the small picture, the Matildas are trying to reach the quarters. In the big picture, this is the final frontier/holy grail for Australian sport.

Olympic gold medal. Done. ­Super Bowl. Done. Wimbledon. Done. US Masters. Done. Cricket World Cup. Done. Rugby World Cup. Done. Apparently there’s grainy old black-and-white footage of the Wallabies having a win? Tour de France. Done. Baseball’s World Series. Done. Basketball’s NBA finals. Done. The Melbourne Cup is the grandest old horse race in the world. Won a few of those. (If you rate England’s Grand ­National higher, Australian ­jockey William Watkinson won it in 1926. He was killed three weeks later). Winter Olympics gold. Done. Paralympics gold. Done. Boxing world champion. Formula One world champion. Done. FIFA World Cup? Could be two weeks away.

On the eve of the Denmark clash, coach Tony Gustavsson said: “This team has been very clear going into this tournament that they don’t play to prove anyone wrong or play for external reasons. They play for their ‘why’. They want something. Even though you might say we’re favourites ... I’d say it’s a 50-50 game. These players have proven that whenever you play a game that is a do-or-die game, that is backs-against-the-wall. It was the round of 32 when we played Canada. This is the round of 16. It’s one moment, one game and the players know that. But they know their ‘why’. They are focused on themselves and their performance and know if we perform as good as we can do, we can beat anyone. This World Cup has also shown if you don’t do it, you can lose against anyone.”

Sam Kerr of Australia uses an exercise bike during Sunday’s training session Picture: Getty Images

Captain Sam Kerr is likely to yet to be on the bench. The upside to the brilliant 4-0 demolition of Olympic champion Canada was that the Matildas looked as dangerous as any team in the Cup. The risk was the possibility they had already played their final and were vulnerable to an emotional let-down against the Danes.

Pernille Harder is Denmark’s Kerr. Captain. World-class midfielder. Inspiration. To their favour, she’s fit. The danger woman for the Matildas. “We all know Harder and other players in the Denmark team,” Australian forward Caitlin Foord said. “They are quality. If we let them play their best game they have players who can change a game and take a moment to do what’s needed. We need to keep an eye on her but there’s plenty of other players who can do what she can. If we’re ­together as a team and if we work well as a team and shut down players like that – it’s in our hands and I think we have what it takes to control that.”

The Matildas’ Swedish coach said: “Kerr and Harder, what they mean for the countries, being in Scandanavia a lot I know how much Harder means not just for Denmark but for women’s football and football in general. Same thing for Sam. We’ve said from day one, this is about more than 90 minutes of football and results, this World Cup. They are two out of many that continue to grow the game.”

Australian coach Tony Gustavsson looks on during an Australia Matildas training session on Sunday Picture: Getty Images

Foord was expected to light up the Cup. It was only against Canada she hit her straps. To the suggestion she appeared to enjoy herself more in game three, the ­Arsenal forward said: “I had fun the two games before that so I’m disappointed I didn’t show that. I think when I’m just not thinking too much and just play the game, play off instinct, that’s when I’m at my best. I do feel like I’m in a good place. I feel prepared for the games. I guess maybe that Canada game ... It was nice to not put any pressure on myself and just do my role for the team. I was out on the left with Steph (Catley), which I’m very comfortable with. Club and country, we’ve played lots of games together. We just connected well. It just flowed. I guess that’s why maybe I looked like I was having a bit more fun.”

Arsenal teammates Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord Picture: Getty Images

Gustavsson said: “As a national team coach, it’s not about over-coaching players and trying to put Caitlin in a small frame. She should have a big frame and paint whatever picture she wants. ­Because she’s so creative. When she plays on instinct and is in a good place mentally, she’s just a world-class player. Mindset is going to be key against Denmark. We’re not going into the end of something. We’re going into the start of something.

“It’s going to be a very tough game and we need to bring our A-game. They’ve only conceded one goal in three games. They’re ­extremely organised. Their work rate is extreme. They work for each other. They’re a good pressing team that works really hard in defence. They have lots of players from top teams in Europe. They have creative skills. We need to be extremely humble and realise we need to focus in every single second because they have threats central, right and left. Don’t get rushed into think it’s going to be an easy game. Because it’s not.”