Matildas rise to a grand occasion but are left to rue the goal that never came | OneFootball

An occasion of grandeur and cruelty in equal measure left Caitlin Foord lying on her back on the Stadium Australia turf. Like most of her Matildas teammates, she was covering her hands with her eyes, tormented by flashbacks of shots scuffed, saved and blocked. Alanna Kennedy was slumped in a seated position. Sam Kerr was in full foetal, nose to the ground.

The Matildas had played their best match since pushing England in the World Cup semi-final at the same venue almost three years ago. This time, they were brilliant against the continental tournament favourites, creating at least half a dozen clear chances. Yet the score in the final of the most successful Women’s Asian Cup ever read Japan 1, Australia 0. The very same result delivered by the tournament at the same stage in both 2014 and 2018.

The lone goal was a marvel from Maika Hamano barely 15 minutes into the contest. It was created out of almost nothing, a looping shot from outside the area that left the hosts stunned and the 74,397 fans in attendance silenced.

They were not left quiet for long however, and the near sell-out – only single tickets were left available in the hours before kick-off – made this a genuine sporting spectacular. The crowd, filled with families, women and girls, were enthusiastic and supportive to the end, reviving the atmosphere that made that 2023 World Cup unforgettable. There may be bigger crowds at AFL matches at the MCG, or ones more ferocious for State of Origin, but this youthful, optimistic, good-natured fandom is a wonder unique to women’s football.

The sheer energy of Matildas-mania almost helped engineer a deserved comeback for the hosts. In the final 10 minutes alone, Australia had a point blank header from Kennedy saved, back-to-back goal-box shots from Emily van Egmond blocked by lunging defenders, and a succession of goal-mouth scrambles from which Nadeshiko Japan somehow escaped.

Foord was a menace down the left, and twice in the final minutes she won corners that became rallying cries for the simmering yellow cauldron. As the ball went out both times, the winger waved her arms to urge support from the fans. Around her they roared first, before a cascading standing ovation swept around the old Olympic Stadium. It was a response that made the end of this contest a fitting climax to a compelling tournament. But as much as an equaliser might have been wanted by most of those in attendance, it was not forthcoming.

The match was ultimately decided in the first half. There, the Matildas had created the four best chances against the world No 6. Kerr looked at her brash, bullying best. The Australian defensive unit was largely holding at bay the poking and prodding of the patient Japanese. But still the scoreboard read 1-0 to the visitors.

The way Foord set off for the tunnel when the whistle blew gave away why. She might have worn a steely expression, but her frantic departure from the field gave a hint of her tragic role in the succession of moments that had come before. Foord had been brilliant in the Matildas’ semi-final victory in Perth, scoring one and setting up the other. But after a painful first 45 minutes on Saturday, she couldn’t wait for it to be over.

Foord’s match had started positively, with her neat touch to set up Kerr in the second minute. Fowler had slid a ball into Foord’s feet, and although the captain scuffed the shot, it was a promising opening for an Australian side looking to set the tone in the early stages.

But three times over the next half an hour Foord had clear shooting chances, and each time could not produce her best. Ten minutes in she found herself barely a dozen metres out without a defender in front of her. Her first-time shot found Japanese keeper Ayaka Yamashita.

Midway through the half she stole the ball from Yamashita on the left side of the area. There, her attempt skewed out for a throw-in. Then in stoppage time, Kerr found her again on the turn but Foord swept her shot wide. After that last missed opportunity she lay on the ground, belly to the grass, and buried her head in the turf.

The Matildas have a motto: “never say die”. Despite what Foord went through in the first half, she was central in the rousing finale. The goal never came, the result never turned, and the silverware ultimately remained out of reach. But Foord and her teammates showed maybe those words mean something.

At the end, as the Japanese celebrated on stage with the trophy, Kaitlin Torpey stood alongside Foord. The pair were partners down the left flank on this imperfect but memorable evening. Their runner-up medals hung around their necks, and there was not much left to be said. Then Torpey leant over, and gave her teammate a hug.

Header image: [Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images]