The Matildas are set for their toughest test yet in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™, confronting defending champions China PR in a semi-final clash at Perth Stadium on Tuesday, with the added complexity of facing a strong opponent bolstered by a coaching staff featuring several Australian insiders, including their former head coach Ante Milicic.

A Familiar Foe on the Opposition Bench

Australia's national women's football team, the Matildas, will step onto their home turf knowing a deep tactical challenge awaits, not just from China's storied squad, but from the opposition bench. Leading the Chinese charge is Ante Milicic, a man intimately familiar with the Australian setup, having coached the Matildas at the 2019 World Cup. His tenure with Football Australia spanned seven years, during which he also served on Ange Postecoglou’s staff when the Socceroos famously won the Men’s Asian Cup in 2015. He knows how the Matildas play, what their players do, and how they think.

Milicic's obsessive about preparation and structured play, so he'll use what he knows about individual Matildas players—their habits, their favorite moves, where they break down. He's coached Kerr and van Egmond, so he knows how they think under pressure and where the team can be hurt. His previous stint saw the Matildas adopt a more possession-based, attacking style, which he might now seek to counter with precision.

Matildas coach Joe Montemurro didn't mince words about the threat. He warned that Milicic “is going to throw some things at us,” acknowledging the strategic advantage his counterpart possesses. “We could talk about the football on the pitch,” Montemurro remarked on Tuesday. “But there’s also going to be a tactical battle that I need to be prepared for, off the pitch.” Not just Milicic. His coaching staff includes three other Australians, led by assistant Ivan Jolic. Having former Australian teammates on his staff turns this into a chess match—every decision gets picked apart. Milicic himself expressed the significance of the occasion, stating it was a deeply personal yet professional challenge.

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China's Form and Tactical Approach

China's defending champions, and under Milicic they've been tough to break down and deadly on the counter. They won their group by frustrating teams with a tight defense, then hitting them fast on the break. They've barely conceded, which makes them a nightmare for any attacking team.

Key players like dynamic forward Wang Shuang and influential midfielder Tang Jiali helped with their campaign, providing the creative spark and goal-scoring threat necessary to break down defences.

Milicic's built China to be organized defensively and lethal on the transition. That's the opposite of how the Matildas play—they press high and flow forward. China will try to mess with Australia's midfield, shut down their attackers, and punish any defensive mistakes on the counter.

The Matildas' Path to the Semi-Final

The Matildas have been strong, with plenty of attacking options and good squad depth. Their journey to the semi-finals has seen them overcome various challenges, demonstrating their ability to score from multiple sources and their relentless pressing game. Captain Sam Kerr has, as expected, been a pivotal figure, leading the line with her prolific goal-scoring and tireless work rate. But van Egmond and Foord have shown the team's got real depth. They're great going forward, but they've had defensive wobbles that Milicic will definitely try to expose.

Playing at home in Perth gives the Matildas a real advantage—the crowd will be loud and behind them. That home crowd can swing momentum when things get tight. The prospect of reaching the final on home soil adds another layer of motivation for Montemurro's squad.

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So the Matildas face China's best squad and a coaching staff that knows Australian football better than almost anyone. It'll come down to tactics, talent, and who keeps their nerve—the winner gets to the final.

This article was created with AI assistance.