Catley stars in stunning Olympics comeback

Steph Catley produced an incredible performance with two goals and two assists as Australia came from 5-2 down to beat Zambia 6-5 at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday.

Barbra Banda gave Zambia the lead in the first minute of the match before Catley got her first assist for Alanna Kennedy to equalise.

But Zambia were firing on all cylinders in the first half, Racheal Kundananji getting on the scoresheet before Banda netted her brace to make it 3-1.

Kyra Cooney-Cross then got the assist for Hayley Raso to pull one back but Banda restored Zambia’s two-goal cushion with her hat-trick on the brink of half-time.

Kundananji got her second in the 56th minute as Zambia went 5-2 up, seemingly in full control.

But an incredible turnaround began in the 58th minute with a Ngambo Muscle own goal and, after Caitlin Foord had a goal disallowed by VAR, Catley reduced the arrears once more.

Then, with 12 minutes remaining, captain Catley scored from the penalty spot to equalise, before she sent up Michelle Heyman for a 90th minute winner.

“It was a very eventful day,” Catley said after the game. “We obviously wouldn’t want it to go exactly how it did. But I think the way that the game ended says so much for the heart and spirit of this team. I think we were five-two down in the 55th minute and we didn’t drop our heads once. At the end of the day we needed to win, and that’s what we did.”

Australia will conclude the group stage on Wednesday against the United States. The Matildas can guarantee progress to the quarter-finals with victory over the Americans; a draw or even a loss might be enough, as the top two third placed teams progress.

As for USA, they beat Germany 4-1 on Sunday, with Emily Fox playing 92 minutes.

Sophia Smith opened the scoring for Emma Hayes’ side before Giulia Gwinn got the equaliser, but goals from Mallory Swanson and Smith saw USA go into the break with a 3-1 lead.

Lynn Williams made sure of the result with a fourth goal in the 89th minute.

Elsewhere in the Olympics, Mariona Caldentey played 90 minutes of Spain’s 1-0 win over Nigeria, as Laia Codina was an unused substitute. Alexia Putellas got the winning goal with a looping free-kick in the 85th minute as Spain qualified for the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Cloe Lacasse was an unused substitute for Canada’s 2-1 win over France.