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Emily Van Egmond Goal Helps Matildas Draw With China

A Curling, Swirling Thing Of Extreme Beauty And Awesomeness
Channel 7

The Matildas just keep on delivering memorable moments in the Asia group Olympic qualifying tournament.

Their latest trick: a beautiful curling, swirling goal by midfielder Emily van Egmond to secure a 1-1 draw in their match with China overnight.

Just look at it.

Emily Van Egmond Wonder Strike

What a CRACKER! A blinding shot from Emily Van Egmond to seal the top spot in the Asian Olympic qualifiers for the Matildas

Posted by SBS Zela on Wednesday, 9 March 2016

This was the last match of an extremely important and successful tournament for our national women's football team. Just two of six top Asian teams would qualify for the 12-team Rio Olympics tournament, with each team playing each other once.

Australia started the tournament brilliantly, beating Japan 3-1 and sparking some rather wild celebrations on the team bus.

This is what it's all about! One down, four to go!Bring on Vietnam on Wednesday.

Posted by Matildas on Monday, February 29, 2016

They remained unbeaten throughout, sparking even more enthusiastic outpourings of emotion, aided by -- what else? -- a dash of Peter Allen.

Awesome, just awesome!Let the celebrations begin!

Posted by Matildas on Monday, March 7, 2016

Coming into Wednesday night's match, the result was important. Australia was playing China, who had also qualified for Rio. The two teams were well ahead of the pack. But you know what they say in sport. Pride was on the line here, people. And with the Matildas 1-0 down with just six minutes to play, van Egmond did this.

It was one of those shots that had to be perfect, and was. This was a one-touch thing of beauty which viciously curled away from the Chinese keeper. Gooooooooooooooooooaaaaaalllllll!

The goal meant that Australia topped the qualifying table, and will no doubt serve as one of those little confidence-boosting moments which bonds a tight-knit team even closer.

Van Egmond is a skilful midfielder from Newcastle in NSW who at just 22, has already plied her trade at home, in Denmark, the USA and (her current base of) Germany. If you'd like to know a little more about her, here's a thing she did with her former US club a couple of years ago. Spoiler alert: she's into puppies and Justin Bieber.

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