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“It was an amazing feeling and amazing experience and something that none of us are going to ever forget.<\/p>\n
“There was a lot of nerves against Ireland. We’re a bit rusty and we had mixed feelings, mixed emotions.<\/p>\n
“But at the end of the day, we got that penalty and it helped us win.”<\/p>\n
The crowd was the largest ever for a Matildas game and the ninth-biggest for a women’s football match anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n
Australia’s tournament continues against Nigeria in Brisbane tonight before a heavyweight clash with the world’s sixth-ranked team Canada in the final group game in Melbourne on Monday, July 31.<\/p>\n
The Matildas will hope to welcome back star striker Sam Kerr for Canada game, following the captain’s shock late omission from the team last week due to injury.<\/p>\n
But Cooney-Cross this week remained tight-lipped on Australia’s most talked-about calf muscle.<\/p>\n
“Sam’s doing our own thing to get back as quick as possible, and that’s important. But we just need to focus on Nigeria.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MATILDAS midfielder and former Torquay student Kyra Cooney-Cross says she and her teammates will never forget the feeling of playing in front of a sellout crowd at a home World Cup in the team’s tournament opener. Australia got its campaign off to a perfect start last Thursday night, with a Steph Catley penalty securing a […]<\/p>\n