Westfield Matildas must perform under spotlight says Milicic

As the eyes of the nation fall on the Westfield Matildas, Head Coach Ante Milicic says the spotlight is motivating his side to produce performances to match the ever-growing interest.

The Westfield Matildas are riding a wave of national hype after a groundbreaking week which culminated in a record crowd flocking to see them in action against Chile at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday.

Milicic’s side beat Chile 2-1 on the back of a delightful double from superstar Sam Kerr as attention now turns to the second of the two-match series at Coopers Stadium in Adelaide on Tuesday, 12 November, kicking off at 7.30pm local, 8pm AEDT.

Expectations for a Westfield Matildas win was high and the Green and Gold gave the crowd what they wanted, and Milicic says that expectation is only going to grow.

“They need to put on a performance the people will remember,” Milicic said.

“It really becomes an expectation for the girls. That’s our responsibility every time we travel around this great country.

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“There’s a lot of expectation around, a lot of news and a lot of positive press but now the expectation grows.

“The team need to deliver on the field, that’s the most important thing.

“You always refer back to the football – our football – our way of playing, so the focus is on that.”

More than 20,000 fans packed the Bankwest Stadium stands on Saturday, breaking the previous attendance record by more than 3,000.

Westfield Matildas vice captain Steph Catley says the bumper crowd was justifiable after the recent growth of the women’s game, not only in Australia but around the world.

“It was amazing, there was a lot of talk about how many we’d get and to break the record was really exciting,” Catley said.

“I think it just really shows where women’s football in Australia is at the moment. It’s in the best place it’s ever been.

“It’s incredible. It’s not just happening in Australia but happening all around the world in massive numbers.”


The win over Chile came at the end of a week defined by the unprecedented Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) struck by the PFA and FFA which granted an equal share of revenue generated from Australia’s national teams to the Westfield Matildas and Caltex Socceroos.

After securing the world-first equal pay deal, Catley and her Westfield Matildas teammates came into the game against Chile with the determination to beckon in a new era and perform at a level suited to the ever-growing public interest surrounding the team.

“Success with the support we’ve had is completely vital,” Catley said.

“We’re so grateful for the process that has happened with the PFA and FFA getting the result they did.

“I think it’s ground-breaking for us in Australia but also other countries around the world that are trying to do the same thing.

“Success is definitely important after that.”

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The Westfield Matildas have the chance to continue their upward trajectory when they face Chile in their second friendly match in a matter of days at Coopers Stadium on Tuesday night.

Another win in Adelaide will set the Westfield Matildas off on the right track as they look to build momentum for their qualification campaign for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

As the eyes of the nation fall once more on Kerr, Catley and company, Milicic hopes his side put on another grand show fitting to the occasion.

“We were quite pleased with the performance in Sydney considering the circumstances so now we need to build on that, recover well, prepare well,” Milicic said.

“We respect the opposition, it’s a country with a proud footballing history and they’ll give us a difficult game.

“At the same time we always believe in ourselves, we focus on ourselves and we’re confident we’ll be able to put in a good performance.”

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How to watch

Tune in to ABC to cheer on the Westfield Matildas on free-to-air TV, with kick-off at 8pm AEDT on Tuesday, 12 November. 

You can also watch on FOX Sports, Kayo and the MyFootball Live App.

You can follow all the build-up and live updates at Matildas.com.au, or on the Matildas’ TwitterFacebook and Instagram pages.

Westfield Matildas v Chile

When: Tuesday, 12 November, 2019
Where: Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
Kick-off: 8pm AEDT, 7:30pm local
How to watch: Broadcast live on FOX Sports, Kayo, MyFootball Live App and ABC