The Australian Women's Football Team have upset world number two USA with a 1-1 draw in the last of their group matches played in Thessaloniki in the early hours of this morning Australian time. Today's results also confirmed Australia's third placing in Group G and therefore a berth in the quarterfinals, and are now due to face Sweden in their final eight clash on Friday.
The draw is the very first time Australia has taken a point off the superstar team of women's world football, suffering defeats in all previous sixteen encounters against the US dating back to 1987.
The team is also the first senior women's Australian Team to advance past the group stage of an Olympics or Women's World Cup. It all follows the team's victory over Greece on Saturday, the historic first time Australia had won a match at such an event.
It was indeed a memorable stage for captain Cheryl Salisbury to today celebrate her 100th A-international. The 30-year-old defender is only the second Australian female to reach the century, reward from a glorious decade-long career.
The US didn't enjoy the best of starts in this match, but once they took the lead in the 19th minute, settled as the stronger team for the first half, although didn't create many more chances against a determined, though at times a little shaky, Australian defence. Australia, adding a second striker for the second half, then took the game to a relatively subdued US in the second term, and were rewarded with the equaliser late in the game through Joanne Peters.
Australia were expected to go through to the quarterfinals even if they had not won today, but were fired up to get a result against the mighty Americans in any case. The Australians lined up with Thea Slatyer making her Olympic debut, the only change from the previous two matches in place of Gill Foster.
Australia were fairly positive in their intentions but played a long ball game in the first half, relying on the speed of Sarah Walsh up front. She managed to keep her opponents on their toes, but as the lone striker, was hard up finding a way through to goal against two or three solid defenders. Both sides were guilty of stray passing to start off the match in what turned out to be rather an uneventful first 45 minutes apart from the US goal.
Australian goalkeeper Cassandra Kell was quick off her line to cut out a through-ball and later to get in a crucial tackle against Mia Hamm who had chased down an Australian backpass. Missing main striker Abby Wambach through suspension, it wasn't until the 19th minute that the US managed their first shot of the game, Cindy Parlow's drive blocked on its way toward goal.
But in the very same minute, with the ball not cleared, the US made their next chance count to take the 1-0 lead. From the edge of the 18-yard box, captain Julie Foudy struck a sweet chipped ball forward past the left post. Fellow veteran Kristine Lilly timed her run up the blind side perfectly ahead of her marker, to volley the ball first time into the roof of the net from 6 metres.
Undeterred by the goal, Australia remained positive. A corner kick saw shots from both Dianne Alagich and Sally Shipard blocked, and on the half-hour, Peters went well wide with a shot on the turn. The Americans' best other chance came five minutes before the break, Hamm threading the ball to Parlow, only to see defender Salisbury just get back in time to get a foot in to block the shot.
After the break, the US pushed forward but were lacking their trademark fluency and clinical punch, and several moves broke down with the final pass not finding its target. Ten minutes in, Foudy had their best chance, a header from a Lilly cross going just wide. Australia's Walsh also had a couple more duels up front but still lost out to the US defence. Peters was set up with a good chance with a fantastic ball from deep on the left, but the midfielder's first-time half-volley flew straight at the keeper.
As has been the case in the previous two matches, Lisa De Vanna then joined Walsh in attack and it sparked a bright display from the Australians, pushing forward at every opportunity against the lacklustre US holding only the slender lead. Five minutes later, Foster replaced Danielle Small, and surprisingly the US took off key players Hamm and Shannon Boxx. Though none provided a killer punch, a long range chance to Shipard, a through-ball for Walsh, and shots to De Vanna and Foster, all within a four-minute period, provided the further boost of confidence that the underdogs were making inroads. The Americans lacked urgency and resorted to trying their luck from long range, without success.
Then in the 82nd minute, came the historic equaliser for Australia, delighting the small band of Aussie supporters in the stands. An inviting ball forward from Heather Garriock on the right saw Peters climb well and connect with a looping header from 15 metres in front. Veteran goalkeeper Briana Scurry hardly moved, only to see the ball fly into the top right corner of goal.
Australia then defended with renewed vigour to protect their point at all costs and had to endure an added three minutes of stoppage time. Parlow sent a Lindsay Tarpley cross skywards, before a high ball at goal required the full concentration of Australian keeper Kell before the welcome final whistle signalled excited celebrations.
Australian Coach Adrian Santrac was naturally delighted with the day's events, whilst also sending the message that the job was not over.
"The result was good and our second half performance was outstanding," said Santrac. "Obviously the team has created history in this tournament - following our first ever win in a major tournament and now finally we've broken the losing streak after sixteen games to the US. It's a return for all the hard work the players have been putting in. But it's not over - in three days we have the quarterfinals, and now we're all focused on what we've got to do there."
"Our belief and confidence is building, and we know if we perform at the level we're capable of, just about any country we'll give a real run for their money."
Santrac wasn't pleased with the Australians' entire performance today, but praised the team for their will to come back in the second half and get the result.
"(In the first half), we defended reasonably well but struggled and couldn't get our passes together. At half-time, the players were disappointed in their performance and just wanted to get out there for the second half, and all credit to them that they did. We changed a few things too, but the girls responded so well and overran the Americans."
"The quarterfinal against Sweden will be a different game altogether, a one-off match as opposed to a group game. This will be the first ever time walking into a quarterfinal, and we'll be concentrating in our preparation on what's important to us in our game."
"We were happy to play anybody," said Santrac when asked if he had a preference for a quarterfinals opponent. "There's a game there to be played. We'll get as much info as possible on Sweden and be prepared. We'll do what we have to do and hopefully get through to the semifinals."
In the other Group G match, a game which was to confirm whether Australia made it through to the last eight, Brazil completely outclassed minnows Greece to run out 7-0 victors in Patras. Brazil therefore finish second in the group, whilst the hosts bow out of their first ever tournament at this level.
The other fixture of most interest to Australia was from Group E, where all three teams - Sweden, Nigeria, and Japan - were all still in with a big chance to make the quarterfinals and even to finish first in the group, as Nigeria and Japan had three points apiece. Sweden, still reeling from their upset loss to Japan on the opening day, had to come from behind today against Nigeria to claim the absolute minimum result which would get them through, two goals and a 2-1 win.
With all three Group E teams on equal points and goal difference, the early favourites in the end only scraped through at the top of the group ahead of Nigeria thanks to a countback where their three points against the Africans counted for more. Japan, although finishing third, still make the quarterfinals as the better of the last teams from Groups E and F.
Traditional superpowers and world number five China make a shock exit from the tournament, paying the penalty for their surprise 8-0 thumping at the hands of Germany on the opening day. Germany's 2-0 win today over Mexico in Group F, sees the Central Americans go through on superior goal difference.
Australia now travel to Volos for their quarterfinal against fourth-ranked Sweden, runners-up at last year's FIFA Women's World Cup.