CommBank Matildas defender Steph Catley said that she could see the determination in the team after they secured their place in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™ final with a hard-fought win over China PR on Tuesday.
The team will face either Korea Republic or Japan in Sydney on Saturday evening.
“I'm really proud of the girls,” she said after the semi-final.
“We scored when we needed to, and we held it together, and we defended as a unit. The Never Say Die attitude is amazing in this team.
“Sometimes we’re not going to play the prettiest football. There are so many good teams in the world now that are going to put you under pressure, that have good players, that can really match you with the ball. Sometimes you have to grind it out, and you have to defend for your life, you have to be proud to represent your country and not let any goals in.
“That’s something that we have in spades. You can see it in everyone's eyes, in the last moments of games like that, that everyone's on the same page, everyone's fighting for the same things. Sometimes, that's what gets us over the line.”
She spoke about the ways that the team adjusted to the challenge of taking on China.
“The game ebbed and flowed,” she said.
“In the first half, we were trying to build up a little bit better and maintain the ball at times, and we didn't quite get the positioning right in between the lines, to try and break through their press.
“We spoke about it at halftime. We had a couple of better moments in the in the second half, but then once we scored, they threw numbers forward, and then it becomes ‘fight for your life’ a little bit, and you're just trying to get pressure on the ball and clear the box and clear your line. That's tournament football.”
She started in this game after missing out on the quarter-final due to symptoms of concussion.
“It's holding up really well,” she said.
“It was a bit of a scary one. They always are. But I was looked after by the best medical team in the business, and we made sure we covered all the steps and ticked every box. I'm back to 100% and raring to go again for the next one.”
She had high praise for both Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord, who found themselves on the scoresheet in this match.
“We’re so lucky to have them in our team for so many years now, and they continue to do what they're doing and be weapons for us up forward and win games for us,” she said.
“That’s what you need in a team that's going to be successful, especially in tournament football - you need your best players to take in those moments, and they absolutely do every single time for us. I'm so proud of them.
“Sammy was immense, even pressing - probably the stuff that the public don't see - and Caitlin always does the same as well. They were both massive for us.”
Torpey came into the side last time out to replace Catley at left-back, and this time they played alongside each other, with Catley slotting into the centre of defence. Torpey told the media at the time that Catley was someone she is inspired by.
“Sometimes you don't really consider stuff like that - I'm just who I am as a person and as a footballer,” she said.
“Torps has been part of this team for a while now. She's grown so well into her position here in the Matildas, and she's gone from strength to strength. She’s playing overseas and doing really well, and it's amazing to hear [her praise] - but she's incredible in her own right, and she's proved that this tournament. Hopefully, she can continue that form and take it into the final.”
AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ Final
Japan or Korea Republic v CommBank Matildas
Date: Saturday, 21 March 2026
Venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney
Time: 8:00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
Radio: ABC Sport & ABC Listen
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