Resurgent Matildas top Group B with magnificent 4-0 victory over Canada

The Matildas live to fight another day. Climbing up off the canvas after four days of anxiety, scrutiny and another round of mind games over Sam Kerr’s calf, Australia pulled a sensational 4-0 win over Canada out of the fire to keep their World Cup campaign alive.

It was always going to be either a stirring new chapter in the 44-year history of this team or the end of the road for the under-fire Tony Gustavsson.

Fortunately for the Swede, for his players, for the nation, for the tournament, it is not quite over yet.

Thanks to Hayley Raso’s double, one from Mary Fowler, and an injury-time penalty from Steph Catley, not only did the Matildas win, but they have finished top of Group B after Nigeria’s 0-0 draw with Ireland. It means they will play in Sydney next Monday night against the second-placed team from Group D – probably Denmark – and Kerr, who wasn’t even needed in the end, now has a whole week to prepare for it.

Crisis? What crisis?

Four years ago, at the last World Cup in France, the Matildas also lost their second group-stage game. Then they were 2-0 down to Brazil in their third game before mounting a remarkable comeback to win 3-2. It was immediately dubbed the “Miracle of Montpellier”, and they tried to draw on the spirit of it this week.

This was not the miracle of Melbourne. No miracle was required. It was just magnificent.

For the first time at this tournament, everything clicked. Where they were previously rushed with their play, this time the Matildas were patient. Where they previously faced teams who adequately dealt with the threats they posed, this time they faced a team who simply didn’t. When it was their turn to defend, they were calm and disciplined.

And where Gustavsson’s decisions last week were highly questionable, this time he got it all spot-on.

He made only one change to the team that fell 3-2 to Nigeria, with Cortnee Vine making way for Fowler’s return from concussion. Kerr was named on the bench, but did not participate in any of the pre-match warm-ups, watching on in boots and puffer jacket.

Mary Fowler celebrates after her goal put the Matildas 3-0 ahead.Credit: Eddie Jim

After a nervous opening by both sides, the Matildas crafted a brilliant ninth-minute opening down the left-hand side via stand-in skipper Catley. She charged on and crossed low and hard into the box. Canada defender Vanessa Gilles got a leg to it, but couldn’t clear the danger – and Raso pounced, shaped to shoot, and scored.

The crowd roared, and then booed when the goal was ruled out for offside – and then roared all over again when a VAR check proved that, when Caitlin Foord played the pass to her that began the move, a Canadian player was keeping Catley onside. 1-0 to Australia, and they had their tails up.

Four minutes later, that same connection – Catley to Raso – nearly produced another goal, but Canada’s Kailen Sheridan dived to her left and repelled Raso’s effort, from a similar position, with a single outstretched hand.

There was more where that came from. Another incursion, this time down the right through Ellie Carpenter, eventually led to a scramble in the box, another shot from Raso, and what the crowd thought was another goal. Raso’s shot was saved, but not properly cleared, and as the ball spun off begging to be hit, Mary Fowler bombed in and smashed it – only for a VAR review to take it away because Carpenter, who by the end of the play was hovering near the goal line, was deemed to be offside. The crowd booed again.

Australia’s Sam Kerr celebrates with goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, right, after Australia’s Steph Catley scored their fourth goal.Credit: AP

But Australia weren’t to be denied in the 39th minute. This time it was a Kyra Cooney-Cross corner kick – again, not properly dealt with by Canada – and Raso was there to steer the loose ball home.

At half-time, Canada coach Bev Priestman made four subs – withdrawing legendary striker Christine Sinclair among them – in an effort to change the game. It didn’t work. A long effort from Cooney-Cross almost caught Sheridan off her line not long after the resumption of play, and then just short of the hour mark, Australia’s lead extended to three.

Foord made it happen, surging down the left and patiently waiting for the precise moment to thread a pass through five Canadian defenders to find Fowler, who touched it into the net off the right post.

From there, Canada had to go for it, but by this stage the Matildas – and the boisterous crowd of 27,706 – had them right where they wanted them. Every time they threw a punch, the steady hands and legs of Arnold were there to block, and the co-hosts had the space to counter. Fowler, whose careful work between the lines was central to this stunning performance, could have had a second were it not for the woodwork in the 80th minute.

At the death, another VAR intervention picked out a foul from Jessie Fleming, who trod on the foot of Katrina Gorry, on the edge of the penalty area. A free spot-kick? Why not? Catley stepped up, converted, and the joint went bananas. The Matildas are back.

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