Fan favourite moments from our Tokyo Olympic campaign

The Matildas, in partnership with Cadbury Australia, have commemorated Australia's most memorable moments and greatest players from Tokyo 2020, a campaign that saw history in the making.

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The Tokyo Olympics campaign got off to the best possible start for our Matildas, dispatching Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 2-1, after a dominant first-half display in particular.

One of the highlights was a splendid team goal, with captain Sam Kerr controlling a high ball and playing in midfielder Tameka Yallop to score the team's opening goal of the tournament.

Late in the game, the Kiwis threw everything at the Australians, in the hope of an equaliser.

Ellie Carpenter, a traditional wing-back was still adjusting to a formation change by coach Tony Gustavsson, that saw the 21-year-old practically play as a central defender.

The effort in that second half to both defend a constant wave of New Zealand attacks while still acting as a direct avenue to counter, earned the superstar a player of the match award.

 

Our second group stage match against Scandinavian powerhouse, Sweden, looked to be a forward's nightmare. The Europeans had kept nine clean sheets in their last 13 matches, including a 3-0 shut-out of world champions the United States in their opening game.

There seemed to be no opportunity for forward pair, Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord to have an impact on the match.

But it doesn't matter the opposition, their defensive record or even their individual height, when Foord plays her looping crosses into the 18-yard-box, expect captain Kerr to add another goal to the growing tally.

Australian supporters found themselves jumping off their lounges on at least two occasions during the Sweden match, as Foord and Kerr combined, as the Matildas came from behind.

Kerr was eventually named the fans' best player after two goals, while Foord's memorable 'harbour bridge' style cross was voted as moment of the match.

 

After a much-needed result to help guide Australia to the knockout stages and the first clean sheet against the world number 1 Americans since 2017, Matildas fans were quick to praise the efforts of our defenders, especially Ellie Carpenter who was once again thrust from her usual left-back role, into centre-back.

18-year-old Mary Fowler was also congratulated for her effort, after being a late inclusion to the starting side, following Caitlin Foord's warm-up injury. The teenager showed her world-class talent throughout the tournament, proving that the future is bright for our Matildas.

 

For our first victory in an Olympic quarter-final, against sporting rivals Great Britain no less, the Australians rode their luck, fighting back, thanks to a number of career-best performances from our star players.

Alanna Kennedy's redemptive goal after suffering Olympic heartbreak in Rio, as well as the acrobatics of Sam Kerr, rising above her defender to extend Australia's advantage during extra-time, were two moments of note.

Despite this, the post-match fan polls were unanimous on their favourite player for the Great Britain match. Goalkeeper Teagan Micah's rise was well documented, but the Rosenborg shot-stopper backed up the media attention with the best performance of her career so far, saving a crucial extra-time penalty and pulling off several key saves throughout the match.

 

Reaching the semi-final of a major international tournament for the first time was already cause for celebration. However, the Matildas attacked an unbeaten Swedish outfit with a sense of confidence and flair, not afraid to sling difficult passes across the pitch or play through a crowd of defenders.

The effort from our starting 11 and subsequent 'finishing 11' as coach Gustavsson loves to put it, highlighted a football side that believes they can match it with any national team, with only little moments being the difference between elation and devastation.

Because of this, fans were split on their favourite moment, choosing instead to honour the team performance. If we had to select one individual though, Hayley Raso's effort in the middle to compete with several Swedish defenders would also have to be a highlight.

 

What did fans believe was our best player and moment from the bronze medal clash against the United States? Our nation's greatest ever women's goal-scorer, of course.

Samantha Kerr, Matildas captain, equalised early in the first half against the world champions, securing her 48th international goal. Despite only seeing a light celebration from the striker on the pitch, there must've been plenty of corkscrews flying off back home across the nation, as we officially crowned our goal-scoring queen.

A highlight of the match was Emily Gielnik's long-range strike, her stinging shot added the Matildas third for the game and encapsulated the never say die attitude we know and love about the Matildas.