The criticism of the team following Australia's shock loss to Italy had clearly made an impact - even though most of the players had tried to avoid reading and seeing what the Australian media were saying, Kerr told reporters in the mixed zone following the game. "Oh look, we haven't been reading it [criticism] but at the end of the day you can feel it from you guys asking questions about it and you know, social media gives people a platform to say whatever they want – so it was good to kind of send a message back home and send a message to the rest of the world." Statement: Matildas captain Sam Kerr had a blunt message for Australia's critics after the victory over Brazil. Credit:ninevms Even when Australia were 2-0 down, the captain and the rest of her team believed that they would claw their way back into it. "Oh for sure, go back and watch the video – we're all saying, 'We're still in this, keep your head.'

"I guess for us, people don't understand the belief we have in this team, they don't understand the confidence we have in each other, the confidence we have in [coach] Ante [Milicic]. "One game's not going to derail our World Cup hopes – and that's why it was so frustrating for us because, instead of the media being we 'can turn this around', it turned negative on us and it only fuelled us, so thank you. Kerr says the team always remained united. Credit:AP "And we knew this would happen, we knew people would be quick to judge but that's football and look what we did today – we had three different goal scorers and outplayed them most of the time." Still, Kerr was reluctant to acknowledge that this might have been Australia's greatest moment.

Loading "I mean, coming back from two goals down with the pressure we had on us, it's pretty special. But there's been some pretty good wins so I'd have to sit down and think about it." But one thing the skipper would agree on - the Matildas had sent a warning to the rest of the competition. "Oh, hell yeah. Brazil's one of the best teams in the world, they've got the best player probably ever in the history of the game [in Marta]. "So if people don't, I guess, keep watching the Aussies, we'll come get you like we did then.

Loading "But I'm so proud of the girls. Honestly, it takes a lot of heart to come back and not turn on each other and I guess in the change room, if you heard us at half-time, we knew that was going to happen; we were so positive, we could feel ourselves overrunning them and I'm so proud that the girls stuck to it. "I'm so happy for Ante that we could get him that win. And just for everyone that's worked so hard – for Lozzie [Laura Alleway] who's missed out – there's so many people that've put so much into this team and it just feels so good to give back to them and we're all pumped." Kerr was involved in Australia's second and third goals, firstly drawing defenders out of the way for Chloe Logarzo's shot to skid past goalkeeper Barbara. Then in the controversial VAR ruling for the second goal after Brazil centre back Monica headed into her own net, officials had to judge whether Kerr was offside or interfering with play.

"It was a goal. It came off the defender – there's no question about it. "I thought I wasn't getting enough of the ball at the start so I moved out with Caitlin [Foord] but I think it opened up and I think that had a good impact. "I don't really care who scores the goals, if I score none - I said that before the start of the tournament – and we win the World Cup. But yeah I'm so pumped, I can't really speak right now." Like her teammates she was not interested in looking much beyond this win, at least for the immediate future.