Yay.. more football in my life. Overall enjoying watching the girls! Great win!

ill have to settle for Ian Wright telling us how we 'handled the pressure' =]

Even John Aloisi saying Tony should have used more subs to rest the starting X1. Shame we didn’t see Chidiac. But great performance overall. Canada really had a shocker 

Mate how am I supposed to sleep after that 

One of the best games I've been to 

I was grim after Nigeria. I didn't think we would do it. A massive performance with much better control and build up play. Fowler was immense. Amazing to see a Cairns girl do so well!

Me and mate punted on rd of 16 tix when they went on sale. We backed the Matilda's to top the group. We needed the Matilda's to win and Nigeria to draw or lose. So pumped it came through! Trip to Sydney here we come! 

Much better performance tonight although it helped us that Canada wanted the ball which helped us to play to our strengths which is the transition (typical of Aus football in general) but when had it we were much more effective with it especially on the left.
Foord was great on the left and Fowler and EvE up front as false 9s was also effective so credit to Gustafson for trying something a bit different.

However I must say Canada were pretty poor, they did not look threatening with the ball which suited us and we defended well and Arnold had little to work with but tactically their were all over the place especially that they only needed a draw.

It will be interesting to see how we will go in the knockout stages, teams might actually do what Canada did badly which is by giving us more of the ball knowing our limitations in possession so we will see but overall a relief we are through and avoided a disaster in the process.

Anything can happen in the knockout stages so bring it on id say! 

We only used 14 out of the 23 available so I hope it doesn't bit us back when tournament fatigue sets in.

If there were 10 stadiums around Australia that were like AAMI park the A league would be humming.

Had tickets to Sydney and brisbane. Was planning Brisbane until tonight. Sydney it is.

Yewwww 

Agree with that. Players need minutes. Grant should have come on way earlier and Chidiac for Raso.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNp3hXdHZJ8

Optus highlights pick up the crowd sound much better. My TV speakers, but also German TV tune the crowd out and allow the commentary to be louder. Bundesliga has stadium tone where commentary can be turned off and that's good fun.

Hopefully Fowler can get a move away from man city after her world cup performance 

well as most of us had huge reservations pre game nothing like being proven wrong and happily.
Don't think Canada played well but in some patch's - not much came off for them Thankfully looked like they tried too hard after down 1 let alone 2.
Right place right time for Raso good stuff.
I think our midfield did well to recover possesion or break them down alot of times.
Great outcome and what a tonic for their next game.
Hopefully Kerr will be in ready this game.

My concern is that in the last 15 mins of a do or die game, we will be subbing on players who haven’t kicked a ball all tournament.

Pretty much my thoughts.... Canada wanted the ball and didnt know what to do with it when they had it.... Carpenter much better at shutting down the flank... Foord was immense for not much recognition.... bar an assist but stretched her full back all game and created the lopsided backline that our "false 9" exploited... Van Egmond played ok despite some obviously woeful touches at times... Fowler is great on the ball but shits me how much "tunnel vision" she has for such a young player... Could have sent Rasso away twice in the second half for a goal..... 

Overall, a serviceable game with a bit of luck our way..... we played better than the other 2 matches ....... but Canada were absolute garbage...... 

Its a tad small for a match like last nights but it IS a perfect size for a domestic league... 

Yep. Official attendance was 27,706 which is a full house at AAMI.
The game would have easily pulled 45k+ if we had a suitable 50k rectangular stadium in Melbourne.

Considering the thousands at fan sites and watching from home like me, I reckon the MCG would have got 90k+ easily last night. :)

Another thing that annoyed me was that (I suspect because of the $10 ticket price) there where heaps of empty seats scattered here and there which would have been picked up by fans desperate for a last minute ticket if they were on sale.  At $10 each lots were snapped up ealry and people not able to come or not bothered too simply didnt bother re-selling.... shame.

Terrific to hear, mate!

The live event always trumps TV.

I was most surprised that the Matildas won?

Last time wę played Canada they had  an outstanding young 19 year old right sided CB who  completely nullified Kerr. I don't think she was playing last night?

Still don't like Tony G's game plan of the 4-4-2 formation in possession - not the now more conventional  4-3-3 attacking and defensive midfield triangles the Socceroo coaches tend to use, most of the time, when Australia is in possession in the  middle third and attacking half of the pitch  - Arnie, Bert, Ange ( earlier in his tenure).  Ditto, Stajcic.

Too little control in the attacking half for mine.

Nevertheless, Raso and Fowler were clinical around goal last night. Fair play to  them. Moreover, winning 4-0 against the Olympic champions in a sudden death game, is a massive achievement. Winning the group, after looking like an early exit, is  fantastic!

Off forum I've been told today that Stajcic may have been guilty of bullying - or it was perceived as such by  some players. I still don't like it that the Football Aus CEO may have appointed an entire  Swedish back up coaching staff to the Matildas. Anyway the Matildas are probably happy with his player management, which is good. 

At this stage of the tournament  too  few players have been used. The likes of Chidiac and Grant should have played more minutes. I think Tony G should have used more players in the squad on the pitch.

I've seen few comments that a few posters here think that a few Matildas lack technique.

Last night I saw players  from both teams - Matildas Catley, Ford, Raso, Fowler, Carpenter, Vine - all display some excellent ball carrying and dribbling skills. Ditto a number of Canadian players.

I was delighted to see shoulder feints, body serves, Matthews' Cuts, inside and outside stepovers, rolls, drags,  both sides of the body used effectively, changes of pace in ball carrying, and some slick handling speed -    all successfully executed by a number of players.

There was also  saw some slick pass and move sequences in tight spaces - plus some accurate eye of the needle passing over range.

Denmark it is. How do you insult a Dane?

Was going with 'you're just a shit part of Sweden' but realised that's Norway.

Will be going to the match in Sydney. Fark the Danes.

If we do the business there then I have tickets to Brisbane.

Foord MOTM for me.

Cooney Cross brilliant.

Hunt great.

Technique last night was miles better than against Nigeria.

Girls were pumped and loving it.

Way too much too say about that game to put here. Can't wait to see the replay.

Bonkers we didn't make multiple subs once we were 3 up. Particularly as Gorry was crunched and limping and Raso was gassed.

Crowd was fantastic. Oi oi dickheads drowned out by plenty of other chans including plenty from yours truly.

Beer garden roof bar at corner pub Richmond after for more singing and yahooing with a couple of hundred other Matilda supporters. What a night.

Speaking of tunnel vision Vine came on and it was immediately apparent she was miles faster than the Canadians. More than once a through ball on the right would have killed them but the ball went left. Bloody turn your head girls. Particularly when you have fresh legs on the park.

'serviceable'? Come on mate don't be a such a curmudgeon. That was great.

As for the MCG yes they could have sold 90k tickets but it is a cavernous shithole for football. So glad it was at AAMI last night.

Meant to say channel 7 interviewed me last night. Old mate comes up and says can I interview you (and my lads). I told him straight out channel 7 hates football and have never supported us. Then he went, 'well we're off to a good start.'

Pretty sure that 'interview' didn't make the cut.

LOL Muz, onya !

Good man, glad Melbourne "turned it on" for you mate.

Does the fact that I was screaming at the Matilda's just as loud if not louder than I would the Socceroos mean I have "matured" as a women's football follower mate? hahahahahahah

Haha. Not sure how you can't get dragged along by this world cup though I'm sure nothing will change the minds of some. I've missed about 4 matches so far. Loving it. Tournament football is the best.

High stakes, no second chances.

Denmark eminently beatable. Glad we avoided England.