In the culmination of the best month of football the country has ever seen, the Matildas’ biggest star blazed a trail into history
Australia’s new favourite team delivered an occasion oozing quality, tactical tension and the kind of fightback that keeps mythology in business. After beating the best the world could throw at them in the tournament so far, they ended up facing an opposition they knew better than any other. The European champions, to boot. And for eight tantalising minutes in the second half on Wednesday it looked like the Matildas were going to win.The period began modestly.
The striker had started a match for the first time in the tournament, as her calf injury began to settle. But early on she looked short of her best. A one-on-one shot in the first half was sent straight to the goalkeeper, then ruled out for offside anyway. More than one loose touch. Not even in the area for a cross from Steph Catley. But the No 20 grew into the game. By the second half she began to show flashes. And then it happened.
When Kerr received the ball from Gorry in the 63rd minute, she was half the pitch away from goal. A single gold shirt, isolated in a sea of blue. But she dashed ahead, and – as she closed to 25 metres – let fly. Her strike found the net and pierced the night. The 75,000-strong crowd inside Stadium Australia roared. If Kerr had shown flashes before, this was a supernova seen in real time. At the tournament’s climax, its biggest star blazed.
The clock ticked on, and the embers still glowed. Now, the onus was on the England defenders to stop Australia’s captain. The rest of the Matildas were right there holding matches, fetching kindling or just staring into the flames. Kerr burst into the box again, a defender’s outreached leg just keeping her at bay. The ensuing corner narrowly scrambled away. The crowd was oxygen, the place all heat and light. Another cross to Kerr, a glancing header well saved.
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