This was not a loss like that 2023 World Cup group stage implosion against Nigeria. Sunday night’s 3-3 draw with South Korea has not even left the Matildas on the brink of an Asian Cup exit – they had secured their place in the knockout stages before kick-off in Sydney.

Still, two wins from their games against the Philippines and Iran were not enough on their own to top Group A – Korea had a superior goal difference entering the final fixture, and Australia needed to win to top the group. The reward for doing that? No more travel, an extra day’s recovery and a straightforward quarter-final against a third-placed team from another group.

And the Matildas looked on track despite Steph Catley’s early exit with a suspected concussion, having fought back from 1-0 down to lead 2-1 at half-time. They had all the momentum.

They came crashing down to Earth after the break, however, when Catley’s left-back replacement, Courtney Nevin, blocked a shot inside Australia’s penalty area with her hand. Four minutes after Kim Shin-Ji beat Mackenzie Arnold from the penalty spot, South Korea scored again and, while Alanna Kennedy’s 98th-minute equaliser changed the result, it did not change the outcome of the group.

It means the Matildas must travel across the country to Perth for a Friday night quarter-final against Group B’s second-placed team – either China or North Korea, who meet on Monday night.

“It was on ourselves, the performance tonight,” Caitlin Foord said. “We made it difficult for ourselves. We gave away easy goals, and we missed big chances – myself included. I put that early chance away, and it’s a different game.

Caitlin Foord in action against South Korea on Sunday night.Credit: Getty Images

“We just need to be clinical and tighten things up at the back, and we should be good. We can take positives out of it. We came back, and I believe if we had two more minutes, we would’ve got another one. So it’s quite frustrating.

“But I mean, we haven’t lost anything. We just make things harder for ourselves. But I think that’s when we’re at our best. It seems to be the trend. I wish it would change, and we’d take a different route, but we’re used to it, and we’re used to these do-or-die games.”

© The Age