We knew the Matildas prefer to play with their backs against the wall. What we didn’t know was if they could beat a team they should beat, and in the manner that good teams do? Their performance against Denmark answered that.
But the best two might be: mature and professional., drawing on the team’s “Never Say Die” mantra, and doing what people thought was beyond them.This was a different sort of challenge. Not so long ago, a scenario like this would get the better of them. After being battered by the Danes and their star skipper Pernille Harder for the first 20 minutes on Monday night, they looked frazzled.
They had problems to solve, and quickly. They could have easily fallen to pieces. We’ve seen it happen before.Not this team. Not anymore. They’ve taken a huge step forward. They can no longer be accused, as Emily van Egmond put it, of being a “one-trick team” – a side that depends on a singular set of circumstances, a particular formation or shape, or even the heroics of one superstar player to bring out their optimum.Vice-captain Steph Catley found the right word immediately.
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