Kerr’s stirring message which sparked Matildas rout

“Part of the reason why I think that they were so united and performed the way they did is what Sam said to the team, ‘Make sure you win without me so that I can get another week to train and recover and get healthy’, and the team responded and said, ‘Yes, we will. You sit on the bench tonight and we’ll win for you’,” he told the media post-match.

“You can all see that conviction and commitment from the players like, ‘Let’s do it so that Sam gets another week of training’, and having that belief as well as a team with my opinion the best striker in the world, which I think Sam is, (being missing) and still going out and playing the football that we did and scoring four goals against the Olympic champions. I think it’s very impressive.”

Gustavsson admitted after the match that the preferred result for the Matildas had always been to not use Kerr against Canada.

”I’m going to be as honest as I can be here but at the same time respect the integrity of Sam,” he said.

“You asked me yesterday who makes the decision and it’s the medical team and Sam that make the decision. I was informed that she is available but for limited minutes and we agreed together to say, ‘If we can win us a week for her to not risk re-injuring herself, we are going to try to protect her and try to win without her’. That was always the aim.

“If we were in a situation where we would have needed her, she was willing to take that risk and come on. But she was also very clear, ‘Let’s not get to that point’. And we didn’t and I think we’re all happy about that.

“I know this sounds maybe weird to say but … it felt almost like before the game the players were so convinced that we would do it without her that we kind of just said, ‘Let’s focus on that first and then we go with that option if need be’.

“Then it was a plan together with her and the (medical) team with how she should warm up … and trying to determine if she could sit on the bench the whole night.”

Kerr’s message to her teammates proved prophetic, as she was not required in the 4-0 demolition job of the reigning Olympic champions, Australia’s largest ever win at a FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Gustavsson lauded the resolve of his players, taking a swipe at the criticism levelled at the team after last week’s shock loss to Nigeria in Brisbane.

“There is something special about this group,” he told Optus Sport.

“I hope coaches out there get to experience what I have experienced the last three days because it’s unique.

“In the press conference yesterday someone asked us if this is a legacy-defining moment for this team … yes it was, but we didn’t shy away from it.

“These players, the way they performed tonight with all the talk about Sam being not available or available, all the noise outside, they stayed true to who they are. They beat Canada, the Olympic champions, 4-0 in a do-or-die game.

“The Nigeria performance was much better than people said it was, but we didn’t convert. Today we did, with four goals, and we cleaned up some defensive mistakes as well.”

Gustavsson was one of many shaken by the atmosphere inside AAMI Park as the majority of the 27,704 fans in attendance willed the Matildas home.

“Proud and privileged to be a part of an event like this,” he said.

“Just look at the fans, and look at the way they carried the team tonight. To every single fan out there, thank you.”

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Matildas v Canada in pictures: Australian players overjoyed after pulling off great escape; Olympic champs left in tears after World Cup exit