by Ben Gilby (25/2/24)
Above: Michelle Heyman speaking yesterday. Image: Football Australia.
It was a moment in Australian football history that will be remembered and talked about for years to come. Seven minutes after stepping onto the field for her first Matildas cap in six years, Michelle Heyman put her country into the lead in Tashkent.
It was a goal that brought the Australian women’s football family to its feet yelling that bit louder than normal. An iconic moment for a legend of the game. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world to be back playing for Oz, back playing with the girls. Scoring is something I love to do, and to be able to get one in was a dream come true!” Heyman beamed.
“I’ve worked so hard over the last four years to get back on the field with these girls. It’s hard to put it into words. I couldn’t stop smiling out there. It was like being a kid again. I really felt so happy.”
Michelle Heyman.
Prior to making her return to the international fold, the Canberra United striker revealed the advice that head coach Tony Gustavsson gave her: “He literally just said get in the box, do what you do, and score a goal, and the only thing I wanted to do was just that – get out there have some fun, smile, and do what I do best.”
Heyman did just that, scoring her first goal for Australia for just under eight years. “I just remember that was my position in the set up was to get in front of the defender, and I was taller than her, so I felt, ‘OK!’ and I was pretty confident with myself. As soon as I saw the ball come in, I knew I could get my head to it and just feeling it clip-on was an incredible feeling! To score the goal that opened it all up for the rest of the team is just an incredible feeling and I feel so proud to be given a second chance.”
It’s now a rapid turnaround for Heyman and the Matildas ahead of Wednesday’s second leg which involves two flights, totalling almost 18 hours from Tashkent to Melbourne via Dubai with very little time to prepare for the game itself.
In terms of the priorities for getting in the best possible shape, the striker said: “Number one thing is to eat really well, have some rest, and look after my body. I know we will have ice baths when we get back to Australia, and I can’t wait to be there.”
If gaining a first international cap in six years, and a first international goal in almost eight years wasn’t enough, Heyman now has the prospect of playing for her country in front of a pumped sell-out crowd of 50,000 fans in Melbourne on Wednesday. A state of affairs that is something that the Canberra United star is still trying to get her head around.
“I had tears in the stands watching the girls in the World Cup. To have the chance to get out on the field in front of my friends and family. It’s going to be a surreal moment, and I’ve never had that – have all my friends and family come watch me, so it will be really special – all my friends from school, and my mum!
Follow Impetus ’71 on social media –
Twitter (X): @impetusfootball and @impetus71 TikTok: @Impetus71 Facebook: @Impetus71
Instagram: @Impetus_71 Threads: @Impetus_71
impetusfootball.org 