The Australian reported: "With the match tied after extra-time and the Asian Cup on the line in a quagmire in China, national women's soccer coach Tom Sermanni drew his team together and asked for five players to volunteer for the penalty shootout that would decide their fate. The first four players shot their hands up, and then there was a pause.
"No one was putting up their hand, so I thought I may as well give it a go," 18-year-old Sydney striker Kyah Simon recalled yesterday after her shot clinched Australia's first major international soccer trophy."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/a-show-of-hands-and-ice-cool-matildas-shoot-for-glory/story-e6frg6nf-1225873742428
And there you have it – the Matilda's defeated North Korea on a wet and muddy pitch 5-4 and go straight to next year's women's world cup in Germany. Currently rated 14th, the Matilda's could reach the giddy heights of 8th world ranking according to Tom Sermanni their coach, who spent some years coaching the AIS soccer lads.
As the Matilda's captain Melisaa Barbieri said to Kerry O'Brien on The 7.30 Report that when facing any opponent, "We'll stick it to them." And no doubt they will.
As coach Tom Sermanni noted the Matilda's have a long way to go regardless of the quite astonishing publicity this national women's soccer team has received. Imagine it, page 3 in The Australian newspaper. On every television news cast.
Whoever is managing the Matilda's publicity, should get a double bonus.
Perhaps at this point, a reality check is in order, and compare the Matilda's record on the international scene, to say, four other Australian women's team sports.
The Australian Women's Cricket Team won the recent Twenty/20 World Championships in the West Indies – what, only 3 weeks ago. Did we miss that one? This writer didn't see such a splash on Australian media as the Matilda's received.
The Australian Netball Team (The Diamonds) wins everything (almost) and their contests against New Zealand are legendary. You can watch the ANZ Championships League on television each week. It's fantastic. When did they last get page 3 splash in The Australian.
The Hockeyroos – the Australian women's hockey team are legends in their own life time, and more girls across Australia play hockey than soccer. The Hockeyroos seem to be perennial Gold Medallists at the Olympics, World Cups and Champions Trophies. Hello media land!!
Then take the Australian Women's Softball team, (the Aussie Spirit), now here's a super hero squad that tackles the world's best and gives nothing away. What about that fantastic semi-final in Beijing (2008 Olympics) where they went down to Japan (the eventual Gold Medallists) after, what was it? 14 or 15 innings, or was it more … this writer had time for breakfast and an early lunch as tension heightened …. .
These four Australian women's teams didn't compete in an Asian Cup where the rest of the world doesn't show up, these are the best of the best (or almost the best) on planet earth!
Moreover, there are just as many nations play hockey as soccer, their history is very similar, they are both 'world games'. The Australian Women's Hockey League is the best there is! And Softball isn't far behind, indeed there are almost as many nations play women's softball as there is women's soccer.
Yes, the Matilda's have done very well. They rightly deserve our applause. However, in the pecking order of reality in international women's team sport achievements, the question is put, why is a regional international achievement given such media applause while the real 'world wide' international champions are given media crumbs?
So what would we call this 'almost' indifference to the real international champions of Australian team women's sport? Didn't Jesus speak about giving the Ox of burden it's rightful food, wasn't this a teaching on a fair go, something Australian's hold dear to their heart ......