With the CommBank Matildas' AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026™ semi-final opponents, China PR, locked in, Ellie Carpenter spoke with the media about how excited she was to take on the reigning champions on Tuesday at Perth Stadium.
Carpenter said the team are raring to go after their hard-fought 2-1 victory against Korea DPR on Friday evening,
"We pulled up well, we're used to playing congested games at our clubs, which has prepared us well for this tournament. We know it's a quick turnaround and I'm happy that we didn't have to travel [after the quarter-final], but we're looking forward to the game on Tuesday."
The CommBank Matildas are no strangers to China PR, having played them 43 times throughout history. But, they are also familiar with the team's coaching staff, Head Coach Ante Milicic, and Assistant Coach Ivan Jolic, who managed Australia from February 2019 to July 2020.
China PR took on Chinese Taipei yesterday evening, with China PR sealing their semi-finals spot 2-0 in extra time. Carpenter was asked if the team reviewed that match and what they expect from China PR under Milicic.
"We watched their game yesterday. China PR are a strong team, and I think it's going to be a tough game," she said.
"He's a great coach. He and Ivan run a tight ship. With us, he was very structurally organised, and I know he has China very structured and organised in and out of possession. They're a tough team to break down, and they have great attacking threats as well.
"We obviously know their coaches, we were coached by them at the World Cup in France... But I think for us, we just need to focus on ourselves and bring our game plan.
"Anything can happen in this tournament, and we saw that when China PR went into extra time with Chinese Taipei. We're not expecting them to be tired. We need to prepare ourselves and be focused on the game."
Carpenter was asked to comment on the Matildas 'Never-Say-Die' attitude and the fact that China PR also adopt a similar mindset in terms of 'fighting to the death.'
"They're not the reigning champions for no reason," she said. "With Ante as their coach as well, I'm sure he's instilled the belief, the grit, and a Never-Say-Die attitude in China as well.
"They're a great team. They have great depth. They made a lot of changes during their match yesterday, and they're still strong. We know it's going to be a fight, and whether that's 90 minutes or extra time, we have to put everything on the line, because that's tournament football. But I think right now, we're in a really great place as a team with our togetherness and our fight and our willingness to go far in the sport."
Reflecting on Australia's gritty 2-1 quarter-final win over Korea DPR on Friday evening, Carpenter spoke openly about where the team may have fallen short on paper but reiterated that securing the win is always the overarching goal.
"We probably didn't play our best game. The shots on goal and the stats obviously didn't look pretty," she admitted.
"But I think in tournament football, sometimes you have to win games like that. During that game, you really saw the belief in this team, the grit of the Matildas, and how we can still win games while maybe not playing the best football or being the better team on the day."
When asked how the team manage fatigue playing back-to-back games and the potential of going into extra time, Carpenter explained that the simple act of playing for her country unlocks an extra gear.
"It's so special to play for your country, and you just get another level of energy playing for Australia, especially in front of the fans.
"We obviously had a great crowd out there [against Korea DPR] and will hopefully have another big crowd in Perth on Tuesday night to push us to the final.
"For me, it's about the joy of playing for my country. I never take a game for granted. So, when I get the opportunity, I always give my all. Tuesday is a big game for us, but we're ready."
AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ Semi-Final
China PR v CommBank Matildas
Date: Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Venue: Perth Stadium, Perth
Time: 6:00pm AWST/9:00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
Radio: ABC Sport & ABC Listen
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