Australia NewsMatilda Goal-Machine 'Can Do Better' |
Twenty four hours after the Matildas’ 15-0 romp over a hapless Hong Kong in an Olympics qualifier, five-goal heroine Kate Gill has sent out a clear warning to group rivals North Korea.
“This was not my best performance,” she tells www.au.fourfourtwo.com from a café in Coffs Harbour. “I can do better.”This was the second game in a row that the Matildas' goal poacher has scored five goals following her haul against Chinese Taipei in February.
Asked whether the result was more about the Australians being good or the Hong Kong side being bad, Gill said, “A mixture of both… physically we certainly had an edge. They were very short."
The result falls short of the Matildas record 21-0 scoreline achieved against American Samoa in 1998.
Only the top team in each qualifying group progress to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which make the Matildas’ clash in North Korea on June 3 and in Coffs Harbour on June 10 in the second leg the ones to watch.
North Korea is Asia’s highest ranked team listed at five on the FIFA Women’s world rankings, while Australia is now ranked at an all-time high of 14. Hong Kong are ranked 68 and Chinese Taipei 28.
“The more people we get to the game the better,” adds Gill. “This will be the best you’ll ever see of women’s football. We’ll be pushed to our limits. If you’re going to see a women’s football match for the first time, this will be the one to watch.
“We played them last year in the Asian Cup and we drew against them. They are aggressive and very technical and can finish well.”
Matlidas’ skipper Cheryl Salisbury adds that new Matildas fans may be surprised by what they see on June 10 at Coffs’ BCU stadium. “Just the game awareness of players and the tactical approach is of such a high standard now. And the players’ athleticism is better than ever."
Australia will travel to Chinese Taipei on Wednesday for their Group B match next Sunday in Taipei before beginning preparations ahead of the North Korea matches.
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