A ferocious Matildas side demolished Uzbekistan 10-0 last night to qualify for the Paris Olympics in style, with veteran striker Michelle Heyman scoring a hat-trick inside the first 16 minutes of play. With a total of four goals for the game, Heyman has firmly put her hand up for a ticket to Paris to represent Australia at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Australia took the lead when Torpey’s squaring ball deflected off Uzbek defender Dilrabo Asadova for an own goal. Three minutes later, Fowler launched a diagonal ball from the left and Torpey brilliantly stuck out her right leg to cut the ball across goal.
The floodgates opened from there with more goals from Michelle Heyman, Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord to end the first half of play with and 8-0 lead for the Matildas.
With the squad for Paris reduced from 23 to 18 due to Olympic rules, Kaitlyn Torpey may not have been part of coach Tony Gustavsson’s initial plans, but the versatile NWSL fullback may have forced Gustavsson to reconsider after a couple of assured performances as a winger in these play-off matches.
Reluctant to wear Sam Kerr’s number 20, partly due to Olympic rules, Torpey was at the heart of every Australian attack in the first half and was duly rewarded with a goal after two superb assists.
Hayley Raso thundered a goal in the 68th minute and Amy Sayer picked up her first international goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time to complete the scoring.
The Matildas advance to Paris with a total 13-0 win over Uzbekistan on aggregate.
