The CommBank ParaMatildas have won the IFCPF Women’s World Cup 2024 following a famous 6-2 victory over the USA in the Final at Salou, Spain.
The historic triumph means the CommBank ParaMatildas are the first-ever Australian national football side to win a World Cup and maintain their ranking as the Number 1 Women’s CP Football team in the World.
CommBank ParaMatildas goalkeeper and captain, Katelyn Smith, guided her side to the momentous victory by recording a hattrick with her boot and continually denying the USA attack with her gloves.
The CommBank ParaMatildas completed the tournament without losing a single match and finally felt revenge for the heartbreak of losing the 2022 World Cup Final to the USA at the same venue.
After falling behind by two goals early in the first half, Kelly Stirton’s side showed tremendous resolve to fight their way back into the match before taking the lead for the first time with 12 minutes remaining.
The high-quality cumulation of the two-week tournament was fought out in front of a packed grandstand at Futbol Salou with the chanting heavily favoured towards Australia.
As the referee blew the whistle to commence the 2024 World Cup Final, the intensity rose from the very first second as both sides fired early shots at goal.
The former World Cup Gold Medallists, the USA, would strike first opening the scoring in the fourth minute before scoring a second just two minutes later giving the Americans a 2-0 advantage.
Goalkeeper Katelyn Smith was proving immense in between the posts as she repeatedly turned the USA attack away, but it was her brilliant solo moment shortly before halftime which broke the match wide-open.
Smith sent the ball into the air from inside her own goal with enough precision to find the back of the USA net, opening the scoring for the CommBank ParaMatildas.
Trailing by one goal, Australia had a chance to equalise before half-time through a spot-kick, but Katelyn Smith was unable to convert, leaving the USA side ahead 2-1 at the break.
The second half commenced with a ‘let’s go Aussies’ chant ringing around the venue that proved to have a positive effect on the CommBank ParaMatildas, who shot out of the blocks as they chased down the lead.
With 20 minutes remaining, Katelyn Smith was offered a chance of redemption and took it with both hands, as a second penalty was awarded to Australia and this time Smith made no mistake of leveling the scores.
Smith completed her hattrick and put Australia in the driver's seat in the 33rd minute when she once again successfully shot from inside her own goal to give the CommBank ParaMatildas the lead for the first time in the match.
Celebrations started early for the Australians as they continued to rack up the score late in the match with Annmarie de Uriarte and Georgia Beikoff joining in on the action and scoring three goals between them.
As the final whistle bellowed around Futbol Salou, the CommBank ParaMatildas erupted with emotion as they were officially crowned World Champions for the first time in Australian history.
Match Summary
Australia: 6 (6. Katelyn Smith 17’, 30’, 33’, 10. Georgia Beikoff 38’, 49’, 8. Annmarie de Uriarte 46’)
USA: 2 (2. Cassidy Leake 4’, 8. Kaia Spencer 6’)
Australia: 3. Tahlia Blanshard (4. Rebecca Jones 42’), 6. Katelyn Smith (GK) (C), 7. Eloise Northam, 8. Annmarie de Uriarte, 10. Georgia Beikoff (1. Carly Salmon 50’)
Substitutes not used: 2. Trinity McPhie, 5. Lainee Harrison, 9. Rae Anderson
USA: 2. Cassidy Leake (C) (3. Annie Wickett 26’, 6. Isabella Stankunas 48’), 7. Catarina Guimaraes, 8. Kaia Spencer (4. Michelle Cross 48’), 10. Jesslyn Kuhnel, 12. Leah Glaser (GK)
Substitutes not used: 1. Rebecca Ostrander (GK), 5. Joey Martin
