A few minutes before the Matildas’ final Olympics qualifier against China kicked off on Thursday night, a small ceremony was held in the middle of the Bankwest Stadium pitch. A group of officials from Football Federation Australia, Fifa, and the Chinese Football Federation stood side by side as Matildas skipper Sam Kerr offered China captain Wu Haiyan a bouquet of flowers and a stuffed koala. A message flashed across the big screen nearby: “We Stand In Solidarity.”

It was a solemn reminder of what China’s women’s team had to overcome in the lead-up to these qualifiers. Originally scheduled to take place in Wuhan – the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak – the past week’s matches were hastily moved to another Chinese city, and then out of the country entirely, when the severity of the virus became fully known.

Matildas 1-1 China: Olympic football qualifying tournament – as it happened Read more

The Steel Roses, who had spent several weeks training in Australia, had travelled to Wuhan a fortnight before the outbreak in order to acclimatise and prepare to host Australia, Thailand, and Taiwan in Group B. As the virus spread, however, so too did news of the team’s dilemma: their approximation to the epicentre meant they could be carrying the virus themselves. Once the team had arrived in Australia following the rescheduling, they found themselves holed up in a Brisbane hotel for two weeks; the mandatory quarantine period implemented by state and federal health authorities.

This quarantine period meant the team couldn’t train. Images emerged of players stretching and foam-rolling in hotel corridors. Games were pushed back 24 hours to allow China at least some opportunity to stretch their legs on a training pitch before their opener against Thailand last Friday. And the team itself had taken a hit: a handful of their most experienced players, including 2018 AFC Female Player of the Year, Wang Shuang, and World Cup veterans Zhang Rui and Yao Wei, didn’t travel to Australia at all.

In what may be the understatement of the century, China head coach Jia Xiuquan has repeatedly referred to these pre-tournament disruptions as “difficulties”. Rarely has a team experienced so many difficulties in preparation for a major tournament, and rarely has a team come out the other side looking all the more impressive.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest It was only a draw but it felt like a win for the Matildas as they topped their group in Olympics qualifying. Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Because China’s performance against the Matildas on Thursday night – the match that decided who would top Group B – was, in the context of the last few weeks, remarkable. Even though they barely touched the ball, China looked to be the team in control from the opening whistle. Set in a tight, disciplined four-four-two and pressing whenever Australia moved the ball out from their own defensive line, China were able to disrupt the Matildas’ free-flowing, pro-active style that saw them score 13 unanswered goals in their first two games. Despite having almost 70% possession, Australia struggled to break down the physical and well-drilled Chinese defence that saw them manage just three shots on target all night.

While the Steel Roses seemed to wilt towards the end of their previous two games, the opposite occurred against Australia. In fact, China registered more shots on goal in the second half than the Matildas did, including three one-on-one situations with goalkeeper Lydia Williams. But for poor finishing and an incorrect offside call, the visitors could have taken a comfortable lead before Emily Van Egmond’s stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out stand-out attacker Tang Jiali’s 85th minute strike. Although they completed roughly one-third of the passes Australia did, China ended the game with 19 shots to the Matildas’ 15, including seven on target.

All of this begs the question: how might China have performed had they been at full strength? How much better could they have been without their disrupted preparation? While the Matildas were undoubtedly not at their best, it’s a result that nonetheless hints at where another seismic shift is happening in the women’s game: Asia.

As our gaze has been turned towards Europe, lured by the glamour and history of the world’s biggest and most storied football nations, China has been quietly investing in women’s football. It’s part of the nation’s 35-year plan to become the sport’s new superpower, which includes revolutionising youth development through a USA-style college system and streamlining national team pathways. One of China’s biggest companies, Alipay, has promised to invest 1 billion yuan into women’s football over the next decade.

This is how China’s national team has been able to train in Australia for the past several weeks, flying W-League teams up to the Gold Coast to play friendlies. They did it last year, too, and Thursday night’s result was a glimpse of what such investment can mean on the pitch. As Matildas head coach Ante Milicic said: “Of course they’re gonna get better. Of course they’re gonna be more organised, of course they’re gonna be fitter, of course they’re gonna have two or three different ways of playing. Because they’re always together.

“We have to do the same otherwise we’re going to fall apart. The only difference that we may have is girls being in professional environments in their clubs. If girls are playing and training weekly at a high level, it’s easy as a national team coach. That’s normal because the data is there, the stats are there, the match minutes are there, the different styles of football are there. That’s how you get better. Simple. The women’s game isn’t what it was four years ago. Some countries not investing, sleeping … everyone’s awake now. That’s the difference. And it’s moving at a rapid rate.”

Australia’s anxiety over the rise of Europe on the women’s football stage has distracted us from the rise of it in our own backyard. If Thursday’s result is anything to go by, the Matildas ought to address where they are now before they can focus on where they go next.