Matildas provide rare moment of joy in a sport that keeps sinking to new lows

March 20, 2026 — 4:33pm

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The redemption arc for Sam Kerr’s Matildas is not quite complete, but making the final of the women’s Asian Cup on Saturday night in Sydney is, in many ways, as good as a win.

Australia are outsiders for the match against Japan. The Matildas have jagged their way to the final in spite of being dominated in their last three matches.

A last-minute draw with South Korea was as bad as a loss, because it put Australia in a quarter-final with North Korea, described by Joe Montemurro as the best team in the tournament.

North Korea won the quarter-final everywhere but on the scoreboard, missing countless chances while Australia took their couple. A similar, if less one-sided, pattern unfolded in the semi-final with China.

But that’s football, and Kerr’s uncanny ability to score from limited opportunities has put Australia where they are. Further, there will be a section of the public who think that Kerr also had to make amends after the events leading to her criminal trial in London last year.

Others think, having been acquitted, she had nothing to apologise for. But her reputation did suffer, and if a sportsperson can redeem herself through her actions on and off the field, Kerr has done so amply in this Asian Cup.

Likewise, the Matildas have partially revived the fever that came and went in the 2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup.

Since those heady........

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