This was a result that the majority would have anticipated. Key points: The Matildas went through the inaugural Cup of Nations tournament undefeated The Matildas went through the inaugural Cup of Nations tournament undefeated England upset the reigning World Champions the USA to win the SheBelieves Cup England upset the reigning World Champions the USA to win the SheBelieves Cup The Women's World Cup takes place in France in June this year The Matildas were overwhelming favourites to claim the inaugural Cup of Nations trophy, and did so with relative ease on Wednesday night, wrapping up the tournament with a 3-0 victory over a combative and willing Argentina side at AAMI Park. But if Australia is to consider itself a challenger for the World Cup in France later this year, it should be comfortably beating those sides. New Zealand (ranked 19th), South Korea (14th) and Argentina (36th) should have provided comfortable fodder for the sixth-ranked Matildas, even taking into account the turmoil that has embroiled the national set up in recent months. And superficially at least, that was the case. Over the course of the Cup of Nations, Australia conceded just one goal and scored nine in front of healthy crowds totalling around 25,000. However, on the other side of the Pacific, England (ranked fourth), Japan (eighth), Brazil (10th) and the United States (first) were engaged in a tournament of their own — one that may have significantly greater bearing on the destination of the World Cup trophy come July. With that kind of quality on display, Ante Milicic will have surely kept half an eye on the fortunes of those teams over the past week. Phil Neville's Lionesses claimed a maiden SheBelieves Cup title by beating Brazil 2-1, Japan 3-0 and playing out a highly entertaining 2-2 draw with the reigning World Champions. Loading England topped the table after the US could only muster a 2-2 draw against 2015 runners up Japan, whom the English beat in Tampa a couple of hours before the Matildas took to the field half a world away in Melbourne. England dominated that match, tearing apart a team they'll meet in the group stages in France and who knocked the English out of the 2015 edition of the Cup at the semi-final stage, putting itself right at the top of the list of teams to watch out for in France. Australia's biggest challengers in the group stage will be Brazil, who failed to even win a point in America, serving to highlight the calibre of the opposition in the US-based tournament. So, as harsh as it might sound, the Cup of Nations trophy will be nothing more than a sparkly gimmick should the Matildas not perform in France. World Cup fast approaching Time was never going to be on Milicic's side, and the new coach now has just one planned game, against the USA on April 5, ahead of the World Cup in which to fine tune his plans. Is that enough? On the evidence of this match, perhaps not. Despite the lopsided score-line in Melbourne, the Matildas were genuinely threatened by Argentina in a way we hadn't seen in the previous matches. Had the opposition attack been of a higher quality than that posed by the Albiceleste — who failed to score in three games on Australian soil — the story may well have been different. Ante Milicic has made a fine choice in making Sam Kerr captain. ( AAP: Daniel Pockett The key difference lay in the physicality of the Argentine game — a rough-and-tumble competition that the Matildas appeared not to be ready for. In the first half, Matildas players were sent ricocheting off opposition players like ping pong balls. In the second half, Steph Cately collided with Argentina's Mariana Larroquette so hard that the pitch-side microphones picked up the sound of the wind being knocked out of each player's lungs and Hayley Raso took an age to get up after collecting a knee to the back — an understandable reaction given her very recent history. It took some time for the home team to fight back, but when they did they gave as good as they got, creating a high-octane, combative stalemate throughout the second-half. However, this end-to-end, high-intensity counter-attacking football shone a blinding spotlight on the holes in Australia's defence, particularly wide on the flanks, where the Matildas defenders were bested with relative ease. Alanna Kennedy returned from injury to bolster the Matildas' defence. ( AAP Image/Daniel Pockett If it weren't for Williams' flawless keeping and some fine covering defence from Catley, Australia could have been in a lot more trouble. This was a second choice back four on display, and it showed, but in the Matildas defence, an early injury to Laura Alleway forced a reshuffle that clearly affected the dynamics at the back. Although that explains the issues, it shouldn't fill fans with confidence, as one injury or suspension could clearly result in chaos in France. Despite struggling at the back, the 3-0 win came about due to the hugely talented individuals Australia has at its disposal in the front third — one area in which Milicic has options to spare. The deadly foursome of Sam Kerr, Hayley Raso, Caitlin Foord and Emily Gielnik were relentless up top, as was Lisa de Vanna, the forgotten player this W-League season, who has grasped her opportunity to impress her new coach with both hands. That attacking threat should still be enough to strike fear into any opposition coach at the World Cup. With three months until the Matildas kick a ball in anger in France, if some of the defensive issues can be ironed out on the training paddock, the Matildas and Milicic should be able to look ahead to the World Cup with some confidence.<doc-sep>Despised by club coaches as season interrupters, endured by bone-weary players, and met with something often scarcely warmer than indifference by fans, international friendlies, and by association friendly tournaments, have long been maligned in the men’s football calendar. But given the paucity of official internationals in the women’s game, friendlies hold significantly more value. And in the context of what has recently transpired within the Australian game, this Cup of Nations tournament could not be more welcome – or more important. In the month since the shock sacking of Alen Stajcic the lack of clarity surrounding the process that informed that decision has given rise to a torrent of negativity, suspicion, shadowy accusations and general “brand damage” for one of Australia’s most beloved sporting teams. While many around the team environment – journalists, administrators, former players and staff – have had plenty to say, those at the centre of what has made the Matildas so highly respected – the players themselves – have been largely silent. On Thursday, for the first time in this whole sorry charade the players themselves will finally do their talking. On the pitch. South Korea, New Zealand and Argentina may not be massive names in women’s football, but as pre-World Cup invitational tournaments go, this is a well-considered schedule – and as such praise should go to organisers and the governing body for committing the time and funds to such a competition. All three opponents are bound for France in June. Instead of squads of players thrown together last minute with nigh on nothing to play for, the Matildas will face three sides scrapping for every inch of match fitness, and every potential advantage over teammates-cum-rivals vying for World Cup spots. The matches will be as close to non-friendlies football as you can find. In styles and brands of football the three opponents will also offer unique challenges. The technical quality of South Korea, the physical style of New Zealand, the street-smart and tactical approach of Argentina. If you’re looking for potential blueprints for the challenges of Italy, Brazil or Jamaica – Australia’s Group C opponents in France – they’re all there. More than that, gaining a close familiarity with three World Cup attendees also gives the Matildas’ technical analysts a base for comparison against potential knockout stage opponents. How Argentina fare against England or Japan, how New Zealand compete with Canada or the Netherlands, or how South Korea hold up against hosts France during the group stages in July will be tested against a wealth of performance data gleaned during this tournament. If even just one weakness in a cup-challenging rival is identified through this process, the Matildas are ahead. In the context of all the negativity of the past few months, the tournament provides a reset for fans and players to enjoy each other once again. The Matildas played on home soil just three times last year; four the year before, and just twice in 2016. For legions of young girls and boys, families and supporters of women’s football, the Cup of Nations is a great opportunity to watch and support these tremendous athletes, up close and personal, before they depart for France. Necessarily, there will be huge interest as well in how the Matildas will look in their first competitive games under new coach Ante Milicic and his staff. In his first squad, Milicic has suggested a preference for continuity rather than wholesale change – with the 23 named in camp almost to a player the squad likely to have been selected by Stajcic. It tells us one thing straight away – that Milicic is prioritising rebuilding group harmony and team spirit among his squad over blooding new faces. In Brisbane this past week, Milicic will have impressed upon his chargers the broad outlines of his footballing vision – his preferred tactic systems, key philosophies, and perhaps even basic rotations or patterned movements. With limited time on the training ground before the first match, however, the performance of the Matildas against New Zealand on Thursday will likely tell us more about the players than the new coach. Of course they’ll look to impress – after all, potential World Cup spots are on the line. But it’s also a chance to exorcise some frustrations – to show the public that the Matildas themselves are as focused, committed and united among themselves, in spite of the whispers of factions and divides exacerbated by the public playing-out of the Stajcic sacking. Playing group leaders such as Sam Kerr and Lydia Williams have spoken publicly about the strength of resolve and the mentality of the group to play for themselves and each other. And while all and sundry have passed judgement from the outside on this incredible crop of players, at last, on the grass of Leichhardt Oval, Suncorp Stadium and AAMI Park, the players themselves will have their say.<doc-sep>You only have to look at the Matildas’ opponents at the World Cup to realise why Wednesday night’s Cup of Nations closer with Argentina is significant. This June, Australia will play Brazil and Jamaica at the global showpiece, making the AAMI Park match a key tune-up against a nation from the same region. The tournament has been designed to simulate a group stage at the World Cup; with three matches in a short time. CAPTAIN’S KNOCK: KERR GIVEN GREEN LIGHT TO ENTERTAIN JOINT BID: EXTRAORDINARY WWC PARTNERSHIP FLOATED STRIKE POWER: GIELNIK EMERGES AS MATILDAS’ WILDCARD So far, Australia have passed the test, with wins over top-20 nations South Korea and New Zealand. A final clash with another World Cup-bound Argentina awaits, with Clare Polkinghorne saying there was an emphasis on finishing strongly. “We’ve got to back up again. In tournament football you’ve got to back up,” she said. “Ante has rotated the squad a little bit as well so we’ll have fresh legs on Wednesday. We have to bounce back and put in another performance.” Polkinghorne, who has started both matches and could well be due a spell given coach Ante Milicic’s emphasis on squad rotation, saluted the scheduling of the South American nation. “That’s been the purpose of these three games. To emulate what we’re going to come up against in France,” she said. “It’s definitely going to be a good yardstick of where we are against a South American team.” While Australia can seal the Cup of Nations by avoiding defeat, Argentina are set to finish last, losing 5-0 to South Korea and 2-0 to New Zealand. Emily van Egmond said they weren’t expecting a Wednesday stroll. “They’re got some really good technical ability and some really good flair,” she said. “Where women’s football is going, every game is a hard game. “We just need to keep building under Ante and the girls are extremely excited about that. “The World Cup is going to come really really quick and we’ve only got a certain amount of games. Every game is important.”<doc-sep>Sam Kerr nabbed her first goals as Australian captain and Lisa De Vanna erased any doubts about her worth to the Matildas in Sunday night's 4-1 defeat of South Korea in Brisbane. The Matildas are set to win the Cup of Nations after a second morale-boosting result of Ante Milicic's tenure, sealed by a super strike from Emily Gielnik. At Lang Park, pace was the difference. Kerr stole in front of Korean defenders twice in the first half, winning a penalty for an early opener before racing onto a poor backpass to blast into the net in stoppage time. Loading Lisa De Vanna's back-post finish was also the result of hard work — bustling runs through the middle from Hayley Raso and Tameka Butt before the veteran arrived to tap home a saved shot from Butt. The goal ended a run of 12 internationals without a goal for De Vanna, Australia's all-time leading scorer. De Vanna was sharp but, on Kerr's performance, it won't be long until the Western Australian, nine years her junior, takes over her mantle. The Matildas superstar was a constant menace to the Korean defence and, courtesy of Emily van Egmond's superb lofted deliveries, also had headed chances to add to her tally. "She's a leader by her actions. She's growing into her role," Milicic said of his new captain. "On the world stage, she doesn't get the recognition she deserves. "Tonight, she was very active; scored her goals well. She looked dangerous. "The World Cup is a fantastic stage for her to show herself. She's a big-game player." Milicic made six changes to his team who defeated New Zealand 2-0 in Sydney on Thursday without a major performance drop-off, although Alanna Kennedy's absence with calf tightness left Australia's defence wanting on a couple of occasions. That was evident when a communication breakdown left Ellie Carpenter conceding a free kick just outside the box for South Korea's goal. Chelsea stalwart Ji So-yun, who scored a double in South Korea's 5-0 rout of Argentina on Thursday, produced a curling strike from the deal ball that beat Mackenzie Arnold. There was no shortage of chances in the second half, although it wasn't until Milicic made his sixth substitution that the Matildas added a fourth. Gielnik, in career-best form, dummied her marker and unleashed a strike from wide that left Kim Jung-mi no chance. The emphatic result means Australia need only to avoid defeat against Argentina on the final match day to claim the tournament. The South Americans, the world number 36, lost to New Zealand 2-0 in the opening match at Lang Park. AAP Read back on how the action unfolded in our live blog:<doc-sep>
The Matildas have claimed the Cup of Nations with a 3-0 win against Argentina sparked, once again, by captain fantastic Sam Kerr. The Australian skipper rose bravely and superbly to give her side a lead after less than four minutes, ensuring a Matildas win was never in doubt on Wednesday night at Melbourne's AAMI Park. Alanna Kennedy doubled Australia's advantage from Elise Kellond-Knight's corner from the other flag on the half-hour mark, with Caitlin Foord completing the rout with an injury-time penalty. It was far from being the overpowering win that many were predicting, with the South Americans butchering several chances to score their first goal of the tournament. But it was more than enough to claim the trophy ahead of South Korea, which earlier defeated New Zealand 2-0 at the same ground. The Matildas claimed three wins in Ante Milicic's first week in charge; beating New Zealand 2-0 in Sydney and South Korea 4-1 at Lang Park on Sunday. Sam Kerr scored the opening goal for the second straight match. ( AAP: Daniel Pockett While all three opponents are bound for June's World Cup, none have serious designs on winning the tournament like Australia does, making the Matildas' triumph an expected result. But given the Matildas' month of struggle that followed coach Alen Stajcic's firing and Milicic's hiring, there was plenty of merit in their toil. Coach Milicic made nine changes to the side that ran away from South Korea in Brisbane and was rewarded with some strong performances. Kennedy was strong on her return in defence, as was Steph Catley, who deputised for Laura Alleway at centre-back after she was injured in the first half. Amy Harrison was bright on her first national team start in two years, as was her half-time replacement Aivi Luik. Up front, Kerr and long-time strike partner Foord were fleet of foot, keeping Argentina's defence honest all night. ABC/AAP Relive all the action in our live blog below.