Giddy and gleeful and wild, the noise that rippled and crackled around Stadium Australia seemed to be laced, once again, with the magic that has settled on Australia for much of the last three weeks. It all, in that moment, felt destined, as if there was someone, somewhere, writing a script.
Only one thing had been missing from Australia’s World Cup. The last three weeks had been filled with exhilarating highs, exquisite tension, intoxicating hope. The country had fallen, head over heels, for the Matildas, grown unapologetically invested in their story, been captivated not just by their success, but their spirit.
All that remained was for Sam Kerr to fulfill her promise. She had, on the eve of the tournament, said that she wanted to deliver another Cathy Freeman moment, a single instant that would be etched in the country’s collective memory.
And just as she was running out of time…