CommBank Matilda Amy Sayer said that it was exciting to make her AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ debut when she was a second-half substitute against the Philippines on Sunday evening.
Sayer helped Australia to a 1-0 victory in Group A to start the tournament with three points.
She was speaking to the media on the Gold Coast ahead of Thursday evening’s match against IR Iran at Gold Coast Stadium.
“It was my first major tournament debut, and I actually hadn’t thought about it in that way until now. It was really exciting to get on the field,” she said.
While the narrative around Sayer focuses on her journey from the periphery of the national team – battling injuries and non-selection – to her first major tournament, for the player herself, it’s all business.
“Coming through my injury [ACL rupture in April 2024] and everything, a lot of people want to find that big moment that is show-stopping and amazing and makes you reflect,” she said.
“But perhaps I'm not that type of person. I like to just get on with business.
“The position that I have now is really special. Being able to play in a major tournament is exciting for me, and it did take a lot mentally, physically and emotionally to get to this point. It’s all culminated in hopefully some good performances that I'm able to put out.”
She backs Head Coach Joe Montemurro’s style of football as one that is fluid and can result in plenty of goals for the side.
“With Joe now in the mix, we're focused on a lot of possession style,” she explained.
“We know with the Asian teams, they sit in a low block, but with Joe, we're able to move the ball around the field. We have the skill set of everyone on the team who can do that, and then we have some fast and intense players like our wingers and our forwards who can really break through the defence and offer that x-factor.”
“The way that Joe likes to play is quite similar to the way that we all play in Europe - possession style, strong, fast, which also suits the classic Australian football style. There’s nothing too outlandish about the way that he wants to play, and we're all invested in his style of play as well.
“There's not too much of a learning curve. You’ll see as the tournament goes on, we're able to just keep improving our performances.”
She expects the full 26-player squad to be utilised at different points throughout the tournament. For her, it could mean that her role changes throughout – but wherever she is needed, she will put her best foot forward.
“Regardless of whether I'm starting or on the bench, I'm still giving my 110% in every training and in all the warm-ups and everything to make sure that we come away with the trophy,” she said.
It is a challenging time for the team’s opponents on Thursday, IR Iran, considering the current situation in Iran and the effect it may be having on their friends and families. Sayer expressed that the CommBank Matildas felt for their opponents, but would remain focused on football.
“Of course, our hearts go out to them and their families,” she said.
“We're excited and looking forward to the game on Thursday. The best we can do to contribute is to just give them the best game of football that we're able to, to show them the respect on the field, and hopefully the situation improves.”
On the game itself, she was expecting another challenging match against a tough opponent.
“We know that they'll be a tough team to face, as with all the teams in our group. I think they'll be physical, and they'll give us a challenge,” she said.
“We’re getting into the tournament flow. If the chances fall, we will finish them as best as we can, but our focus is to win the games, and if we win all our games in the group, then we don't have to worry about goal difference.”
AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™
CommBank Matildas 1 v 0 Philippines
Date: Sunday, 1 March 2026
IR Iran v CommBank Matildas
Date: Thursday, 5 March 2026
Venue: Gold Coast Stadium, Gold Coast
Time: 7:00pm AEST/8:00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
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CommBank Matildas v Korea Republic
Date: Sunday, 8 March 2026
Venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney
Time: 8:00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
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