‘I’ve got a taste for trophies now’: Matildas hunting Asian Cup glory

The magnitude of winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League is still sinking in for Arsenal and Matildas star Steph Catley, but two things have dawned on her.

The first is that she is living in the best times of her life, so far, and the second is that she can have this feeling again if she and the Matildas can find a way to win next year’s Women’s Asian Cup in Australia in March.

Matildas star Steph Catley mixes with fans at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.Credit: Getty Images

Catley and fellow Australian Gunners Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross only arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday night, and they were kept out of the Matildas 2-0 win over Argentina in front of 43,020 fans at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.

“It’s something that I don’t think I will come down from for a very long time,” Catley said after the match.

“It’s been a big few days. The biggest of my life and my career I would say. It’s something I’ve dreamed of and the pinnacle of football and being able to do it alongside my two Aussies and being part of Arsenal – it’s been very, very special and to celebrate it with the Tillies and all the girls has been lovely.”

The feeling of winning the title and the victory parade are experiences she will never forget. But when asked to look forward to next March, Catley wants to match the Matildas’s success in the 2010 edition in China.

“It gives you a taste of what’s possible,” Catley said. “Being at a club like Arsenal, I always believed we were capable of doing it but actually doing it is a whole other thing and especially when you are up against a team like Barcelona – sometimes it feels quite far away.

“To actually do it, it makes me think about my career and the things I really want to achieve and winning silverware with the Matildas has always been top of my list.

Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Kyra Cooney-Cross arrived back in Melbourne on Wednesday night.Credit: Getty Images

“I’ve got a taste for trophies now and the tournament is coming up very close so it’s good for the three of us to have a taste of that and be able to lead the hunt for success for our team.”

Matildas defender Charli Grant said on Friday she was inspired by seeing her fellow Matildas win on such a huge stage, and Catley hopes that Arsenal’s win will inspire people around the world.

“We still believe we can do something special,” Catley said. “You look at Charli tonight and she looks like she’s been in our team for a few years. We’re still finding gems like that and coming into a major tournament, you want to have depth and competition.

“It’s nice to hear she feels that way and if we can inspire girls at any level in this country to go out and be a Matilda, that is what it’s all about.”

She and her European-based teammates hadn’t partied too hard after the win as the Australians had to hop on the plane while those playing in the Euro 2025 tournament in July went into camp with their national teams.

“Getting on a plane to Australia is not the easiest way to go about it, but we celebrated how we felt and it was definitely fun, but we stopped soon enough,” Catley said.

“We were smart. We were heading into camp and the European girls have got serious matches. We were not all silly about it.”

Matildas coach Tom Sermanni joked that they had had their week off and would start against Argentina in Canberra on Monday night.

“He hasn’t told me that yet,” Catley said. “I’ll be ready, and the girls will be ready.”

Thanks so much for joining us as the Matildas secured a 2-0 win over Argentina.

We will have an A-League grand final blog on Saturday night from 6.30pm AEST, so please join us then.

Bye for now.

Argentina coach Germán Portanova took aim at the match referees and claimed his team had been hindered by poor calls, including a goal awarded to the Matildas that many had thought was offside.

“Trying to play with this style of refereeing does make me angry, very angry,” he said at a post-match press conference via a translator.

Catalina Roggerone of Argentina kicks the ball against Amy Sayer of Australia.Credit: Getty Images

“This is where we tend to lose confidence, and we’re not able to play our game.”

Portanova stressed he didn’t usually comment on the referees but felt especially aggrieved.

Matildas coach Tom Sermanni said he didn’t agree with Portanova’s assessment, but did think Kahli Johnson’s goal may have been offside.

“But when you don’t have VAR to review these decisions, those kind of goals stand,” he said.

Kahli Johnson didn’t need to be told where her family and girlfriend were sitting for her Matildas debut – she could hear her brother screaming from the sidelines before the game even started, let alone once the striker kicked her first international goal.

“It was pretty cool to get to share that moment with them briefly after the game,” Johnson said.

“Obviously, they know how hard I’ve worked to get here, and [they’ve] been through so many ups and downs with me throughout the years.”

Kahli Johnson celebrates her maiden international goal.Credit: Getty Images

The 21-year-old said it was the first time she had seen her family since she had moved to Canada to play for Calgary Wild FC in the new Northern Premier League.

She said it would take some time for her to process what had happened after being shocked to find out on Thursday night she was starting.

“I really couldn’t believe it, to be honest. I think it was probably a good thing that I had no idea, because it really didn’t give me much time to start to panic,” she said.

“[I] came in, did my usual thing today, and tried my best to treat it like any other game.“

And she would happily take the score, regardless of commentary on the referee’s decision.

“If it doesn’t get called, is it off side?” she remarked with a cheeky grin.

Matildas coach Tom Sermanni admits he has received both positive and negative reactions from A-League figures after he called out the national league for not doing enough for its women’s teams.

After leading the Matildas to a 2-0 win over Argentina in his 150th game in charge, Sermanni was unapologetic about his claim that only three clubs had adequate coaching staff, while he also called for player contracts to extend longer than the current 35 weeks.

Australian coach Tom Sermanni celebrates 150 games as Matildas coach before the match against Argentina.Credit: Getty Images

His point was that as strength of the Matildas relied on the A-League Women producing elite players while the rest of the world was rapidly growing their women’s teams.

“You can’t afford to stay still, and you can’t afford to go backwards – it’s as simple as that,” Sermanni said.

“We’ve got to continue to look at... the world has opened up for women’s football. Europe has come alive in the last three or four years. The game in the last two, to three, to four years has expanded more than it did in the 10 years previous to that.

“So we need to keep up with that, and to keep up with that, we need to put certain things in place domestically, [and] we need to put certain things in place, internationally. And it’s important that we do that, it’s important that we do that with everybody on board, and everybody pushing in the right direction.”

Debutant Kahli Johnson has shone as an inexperienced Matildas line-up claimed a 2-0 win over Argentina.

Johnson headed home a wonderful cross from Charli Grant in the 38th minute in front of 43,020 fans at Marvel Stadium, and won’t care that she appeared clearly offside.

Australia doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Kaitlyn Torpey shanked a cross into the top corner.

Interim boss Sermanni, who has coached the Matildas across three stints, appears likely to finish up after Monday night’s second game in Canberra.

Joe Montemurro is widely expected to take on the full-time job after the current international window.

With AAP

The Matildas enjoyed some time with fans post-game following their win over Argentina.

Alanna Kennedy of Australia poses for a selfie with fans.Credit: Getty Images

The crowd at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.Credit: Getty Images

No wonder the cheers from the crowd are so thunderous here at Marvel tonight – 43,020 fans have turned out for a friendly.

That’s despite the game clashing with AFL premiership favourites Collingwood at the MCG, and soccer fans also selling out the A-League Men’s Melbourne derby grand final on Saturday.

AAMI Park can hold a little over 30,000, by comparison.

Matildas fans at Friday night’s match at Marvel Stadium.Credit: Getty Images

Forward Kahli Johnson scored on debut and Kaitlin Torpey found the back of the net in unusual fashion as the Matildas outclassed Argentina 2-0 at Marvel Stadium on Friday night in front of 43,020 fans.

Johnson started on debut and added her name to the list of scorers for the national team with a headed goal late in the first half following a cross to the back post.

Kahli Johnson of Australia celebrates scoring a goal on debut.Credit: Getty Images

Torpey’s goal came as a shock as she was attempting to cross the ball from the right side of the box.

But her cross went off her shin and directly into goal, giving the keeper no chance to make a save.

Torpey looked surprised and a little sheepish, but she happily took her goal.

Australia had more chances as the match went on. Argentina only had one shot on Tegan Micah’s goal, and that was in the 80th minute and even then it went straight into her hands.

Matildas coach Tom Sermanni, in his 150th match in charge of the team, opted against playing his three Arsenal players who only returned home to Australia on Wednesday night after winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League final last week.

They will hopefully get some time in Monday night’s match. The Matildas finish the series against Argentina with a second match in Canberra.

Courtney Nevin and Natasha Prior have come on for the final few minutes, replacing goalscorer Kahli Johnson and Jamilla Rankin.

Johnson won’t forget this night in a hurry.

AUS 2, ARG 0 with 86 mins gone.