Veteran striker Michelle Heyman did all she could to book a spot on the plane to Paris as the Matildas emphatically sealed Olympic qualification with a blistering 10-nil win over Uzbekistan on Wednesday night.
A key piece of the Matildas’ attacking puzzle without injured superstar Sam Kerr looks to have been solved after Heyman scored four first-half goals in her first start for the national side since March 2018.
The Matildas ignored their 3-0 aggregate lead and rewarded a heaving Marvel Stadium crowd – their 12th consecutive sell-out crowd at home, and at 54,120 their largest ever in Melbourne – with an exhilarating brand of football, sweeping aside the frustration from their disjointed attacking performance in Tashkent to pepper Uzbekistan’s goals with clinical efficiency.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs Uzbekistan stats and more
Heyman, 35, had a hat-trick across 15 minutes of play, nailing every chance that came her way by both head and foot as she seamlessly channelled the devastating A-League form which won her selection into her return to international football.
Australia took only 34 seconds to open its account after a cross from second-gamer Kaitlyn Torpey caught the back of Uzbekistan defender Dilrabo Asadova and cannoned into the net.
Heyman followed with three goals in 13 minutes before Torpey, who had unselfishly – and possibly errantly – decided to pass instead of shoot with two earlier chances, thumped home her first international goal after a mad scramble in the box for a 5-0 lead in the 22nd minute.
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ROAMING MARY WORKS A TREAT
Coach Tony Gustavsson’s decision to start Heyman, a pure striker, in place of Emily van Egmond meant a shift to the left for Mary Fowler after playing a central role in the first leg.
Uzbekistan struggled to close down the space of Torpey on the right and it was the same for Fowler on the left, as she found plenty of room to put her searing left boot to use.
As she became the second youngest Matilda to reach 50 caps, the 21-year-old fired in the cross which led to Heyman’s first goal and directly assisted her third with a beautiful ball running down the flank.
While she spent significant time out wide, it was clear there was a licence for Fowler to move freely, and she regularly ventured through the middle before hammering through a goal of her own in the 36th minute courtesy of a sharp turn and incisive pass from Katrina Gorry.
TONY’S TORPEY HEADACHE
With the squad for Paris required to be cut from 23 to 18 under Olympic rules, Kaitlyn Torpey likely wasn’t in coach Tony Gustavsson’s earlier planning, but the versatile NWSL fullback might have forced a rethink with a pair of assured performances as a winger in these play-off matches.
Reluctantly wearing Sam Kerr’s No. 20, also due to Olympic rules, Torpey was in the thick of every Australian attack in the first half and was duly rewarded with a goal after a pair of terrific assists.
She lunged at Fowler’s fourth minute cross and hooked the ball back across goal to create Heyman’s first and continued to trouble Uzbekistan’s defenders with her positioning before she eventually slid into her customary right-back role when Ellie Carpenter was subbed off at halftime.
NO HARM DONE FROM PINK
The scars from pop star Pink’s run of concerts at Marvel Stadium were clearly visible at one end of the Marvel Stadium pitch but there were no injury calamities at that end despite Australia giving it a working over during its eight-goal first half.
Uzbekistan keeper Maftuna Jonimqulova was stretchered off in tears after the first hour following an earlier issue with her knee, but the Matildas avoided any casualties as they carefully managed their stars after halftime.
AUSTRALIA 10
AND 1, Heyman 4, 8, 16, 45+3, Torpey 22, Fowler 36, Foord 38, Raso 68, Sayer 90+4
UZBEKISTAN 0
(AUSTRALIA wins 13-0 on aggregate)
CROWD 54,120 at Marvel Stadium
MATILDAS XI Arnold, Heyman, Catley (c), Cooney-Cross, Foord, Fowler, Kennedy, Hunt, Gorry, Torpey, Carpenter
2024-02-28 11:13:58
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