OLYMPICS

By TOM HAYES

 

THE Paris 2024 Olympic Games are well and truly underway.

And so is the first of our local contingent, with Moe-born Teagan Micah among the Matildas in the football (soccer) tournament.

Things didn’t go to plan in the Matildas’ first group stage game, losing 3-nil to Germany to start the tournament in Marseille last Friday (July 26).

The Matildas went 1-nil down at halftime, before two quickfire goals to the Germans after halftime sealed the game in their favour.

Micah went through the fixture as an unused substitute, unpreferred to Mackenzie Arnold between the sticks.

The result made it incredibly difficult for Australia to automatically qualify for the knockouts.

It looked as though Australia weren’t going to have a chance at making the knockouts, when considering the start they had in their second group stage game against Zambia on Monday (July 29) in Nice.

Zambia opened the scoring within the first minute, which would begin the start of a scoring frenzy between the two sides, ending in a 6-5 win for Australia.

Six minutes later, Australia had equalised with their first goal of the tournament, thanks to Alanna Kennedy.

Zambia weren’t going down without a fight, putting Australia on the backfoot, opening a two-goal lead within a matter of minutes.

With their second goal in the 21st minute, and a third in the 33rd minute, the score read 3-1 to Zambia after just over half an hour.

Two minutes later, Hayley Raso found the back of the net for the Matildas, splitting the deficit to one goal.

But that too was short-lived, as the Zambians added their fourth in injury time of the first half, taking a 4-2 lead into the break.

Into the second half, and Zambia couldn’t stop scoring. They added a fifth in the 56th minute, before adding Australia’s third by putting one in their own net within a matter of minutes after a calamity in defence.

Some captain Steph Catley brilliance swung the momentum into the Matildas’ hands. Her well-struck free kick glided through the hands of the Zambian goalkeeper to bring Australia within a goal, before she coolly equalised from the spot after the Matildas were awarded a penalty with 12 minutes remaining.

The game went down to the wire, with Australia keeping their knockout qualification hopes alive, after a 90th-minute Michelle Heyman goal put Australia ahead for the first time in the game.

Micah again remained on the bench as an unused substitute.

Following two group stage games, the Matildas sit in third place out of four in the group. The US sit on top with two wins (six points) and a +5 goal difference, Germany are second with three points and +1 goal difference.

Fighting for qualification is Australia in third on three points and -2 goal difference, and Zambia with zero points and -4 goal difference.

Teams can qualify as a third-placed nation, which Australia has done so previously at the Olympics.

However, if they wish to qualify in the top two, then the only chance they can give themselves is by beating the US. If Australia manages to beat the US, they will also need Zambia to draw with or defeat Germany to ensure Australia moves ahead.

If Australia can defeat or draw against the US, but remain in third place, they should progress to the knockouts, to face the winners of Group C.

But, if Australia loses to the US, and Zambia beats Germany by two or more goals, then the Matildas could still finish on the bottom of the group. So everything is still wide open as it stands.

The Matildas play their final group stage game against the US on Thursday, August 1 at 3am AEST in Marseille.

If the Matildas progress, their first knockout game is expected to be this Sunday (August 4), either at 1am or 3am.

First-choice goalkeeper, Arnold has conceded eight goals in two matches, which may prompt Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson to change things up. However, the fact that they are coming up against one of the most dangerous nations suggests that the Matildas will stick to their regular starting 11.

 

ALSO this week, our other two Olympians will begin their journeys in Paris.

Traralgon’s Jade Melbourne started her basketball campaign earlier this week on July 29 against Nigeria.

The Opals suffered a shock 75-62 loss to Nigeria to open their Olympic campaign. A full match report will be in next week’s Express.

Her second and third group stage games against Canada and France are on Thursday, August 1 at 9.30pm and Monday, August 5 at 5am.

On Wednesday, July 31, Traralgon’s Aoife Coughlan begins her second Olympic judo journey.

From 6pm tonight, Coughlan will begin her preliminary rounds. She will be hoping to go further than last time out, where she was stumped at the Round of 16 in Tokyo.

If Coughlan progresses past the preliminary rounds, she will enter the final block six hours later, beginning on Thursday, August 1, from midnight (12am).

 

THE 2024 Paris Olympic Games are broadcast free-to-air on Channel 9 and 9Gem.