The Matildas’ Olympic nightmare has come to an end with the confirmation that they have not qualified for the quarter-finals.
After losing two of their three group stage games, including to the USA on Thursday morning (AEST), Australia needed to rely on other results to progress into the knockout stages.
Their 2-1 defeat to the Americans meant that they would finish third in Group B with three points and a modest goal difference of -4, one short of Group C’s Brazil, whose goal difference of -3 sees them progress to the quarters.
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That meant Australia needed both Canada and New Zealand in Group A to lose their final group stage matches to progress through.
Canada had won both of their first two matches, but remained on zero points after having six points deducted due to their their spying scandal, while the Kiwis were winless from their first two, but still had a better goal difference than Australia.
Australia’s hopes of qualifying remained alive with New Zealand going down 2-1 to France, but Canada proved irrepressible, making it three from three with a 1-0 win over Colombia to qualify — despite their six-point penalty.
The Colombians had held the score at 0-0 for most of the match until Canada’s Vanessa Gilles broke though with the 61st-minute winner.
Australia’s Olympic campaign faltered before it got a chance to get going when they lost 3-0 to Germany in their tournament-opener.
A disastrous start almost became catastrophic when they coughed up a 5-2 lead against the lowly ranked Zambia.
The Matildas managed to get themselves out of jail in that match by pulling off a miracle 5-6 win.
But their luck ran out against America, and Canada’s win put the nail in their Olympic coffin.
Inevitable speculation around Australia coach Tony Gustavsson’s future with the team will now swirl.
The Swede is out of contract with the Matildas and has already showed interest in other jobs.
Gustavsson denied rumours that he was gunning for the American women’s national job after last year’s World Cup, adamant that he would see his tenure through until the Olympics.
But with that timeline having now played out, and the Matildas failing to get through the group stage, few expect him to remain in the role.
Gustavsson has coached Australia since 2020.