China Ready to Shock Australia in Women’s Asian Cup Semi-Final
Ante Milicic, the former Matildas coach now at the helm of the Chinese women’s national football team, has declared his squad is fearless and ready to take on any opponent, including the host nation Australia, in a highly anticipated Women’s Asian Cup semi-final clash. The defending champions, China, secured their spot in the final four after a hard-fought extra-time victory against Taiwan in their quarter-final match. Meanwhile, Australia narrowly defeated North Korea to progress.
The upcoming semi-final on Tuesday night at Optus Stadium in Perth will see Milicic on the opposing side of the touchline from his former team. Despite Australia entering the match as clear favourites, bolstered by a home crowd expected to number close to 60,000, Milicic believes his Chinese team will relish the underdog status.
“The one thing I know about these girls is playing in front of opposing big crowds doesn’t faze them,” Milicic stated. “As a nation, they’re not afraid of anyone and certainly not 60,000 or whatever the stadium holds.”
China found themselves in a tougher-than-expected quarter-final against Taiwan, a match where they were widely expected to win comfortably. However, their attacking prowess was blunted, and it took extra time to break down their opponents. This, coupled with the fact that they will have had one less day to rest than Australia and will be without star attacker Wang Shuang due to yellow card accumulation, means the odds are significantly stacked against them.
Despite these challenges, Milicic sees their underdog position as a potential advantage. “Being the favourite (against Taiwan), expected to win, breaking down a block – maybe that played a little bit on the girls’ minds,” he reflected. “Maybe it’s OK to go into the game on Tuesday with everyone thinking, ‘they’ve played 120 minutes, Wang Shuang’s not playing’. So be it. We’re fine with that, we’re comfortable with that.”
The Matildas themselves had to dig deep to overcome North Korea, weathering a sustained period of pressure. Milicic, who coached the Australian side during the 2019 Women’s World Cup, is intimately familiar with the grit and determination that defines the Australian team. He sees a similar, if not identical, steeliness in his current Chinese squad.
“One of my best nights in coaching was in Montpellier against Brazil, when we (the Matildas) were 2-0 down and came back to win 3-2,” Milicic recalled, referencing a memorable 2019 World Cup group-stage encounter. “The feeling that I got that night was they were never going to lose that game, even at 2-0 down. So I’ve seen it, but I look at my own team and these girls, they are just so resilient.”
Milicic emphasised the deep sense of national pride within his Chinese team, a factor he believes will be crucial in their semi-final battle. “They love their country. They’re so patriotic. I’ll back my girls against any opponent.” This unwavering patriotism, combined with their resilience and Milicic’s tactical acumen, suggests that China will not simply be making up the numbers in the semi-final but will be formidable opponents for the Matildas. The match promises to be a captivating contest, pitting a determined underdog against a favoured host nation with a shared history and a coach who knows both sides intimately.
