'Definitely an option': Canberra star on verge of shock Olympic chance

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said he was considering his selection options ahead of the second clash against Uzbekistan in Melbourne, with his team all but guaranteed their ticket to the Paris Olympic Games.

The Matildas hold a 3-0 win after their away-leg win on the weekend, with Heyman scoring a crucial goal from the bench after being recalled for the first time in more than five years.

It prompted the question why Heyman didn't start, and now calls are growing louder for the veteran striker to be on the pitch at kick-off in Melbourne.

Given the tight turnaround and travel from Tashkent, rotations appear on the cards as players attempt to press their case for selection in the 18-player Olympic squad.

Asked about the prospect of promoting Heyman or Caitlin Foord, Gustavsson said: "Both of them are definitely options to start, especially considering Heyman's performance.

"You might see a couple of rotations but we also need to remember that I also think consistency and chemistry is key.

"You've seen that over the years and also we don't have that many games before the Olympics.

"We haven't qualified yet. So we need to focus on one game but it's not just the game to qualify. It's also the game to get minutes preparing for a potential Olympics as well."

The upside to starting on the bench according to Heyman was she was able to scope the areas she could exploit once she did get on.

"I think that's one thing about being a game-changer, you get to see what needs to be done to score some goals," Heyman said.

"I could see the pockets and I knew what type of runs I needed to be making to try and get in behind.

"Getting on the field, I knew I was faster than them, so it gave me even more confidence. My main priority was to enjoy it. But, you know, put my best head forward and score a goal."

Now Heyman hopes her efforts get her on a plane to Paris if the Matildas qualify.

"The Olympics mean a lot to every single athlete in the world. It's something that not a lot of people get to compete at so to be a part of it is a very special achievement," she said.

"I was lucky enough to be at the Rio 2016 Olympics and that is something that I talk about constantly because it was a big highlight of my career. That's what I want again, so I will be pushing to get into that team."

Gustavsson's charges felt the bitter aftertaste of finishing fourth in Tokyo, then again at their home Women's World Cup.

One of several key players now over 30, stand-in skipper Steph Catley is determined to make this opportunity count.

"With this group we have come very, very close to achieving something physical; at the last Olympics and the World Cup, we finished fourth - and that's something that sits pretty heavy within this group," Catley said.

"We obviously, are all getting a little bit older now and the opportunities for major tournaments is getting thinner.

"We're definitely very motivated to get something physical, out of the last however many years that we've built this team up to the point that we are now.

"The football we've played, especially over the last couple of years, we're competing with the best in the world consistently. And we want to continue to do that for as long as we can.

"But obviously you look at the core group of this team and we are definitely running out of opportunities.

"We have to qualify for the Olympics first, but we definitely see this as a massive opportunity to get something physical out of what we've done over the last few years - and the passion and desire to do that is definitely there."

That starts with delivering a ruthless performance on Wednesday, despite temperatures of 36 degrees expected at 8pm kick-off.

"We are never going to change our attacking mindset, I tell you that," Gustavsson said. "When we go out tomorrow, we're going to fly forward from second one.

"Even if it's heat, we're not going to hold anything back. We're going to run in behind, we're going to break lines, we're going to regain the ball, we're going to go attack, attack, attack."

Catley also had no concerns about the Docklands Stadium pitch which just four days earlier hosted a Pink concert.

"To be fair, I think it looks good," Catley said. "If you hadn't have told me there was a concert on it, Tony told me as well, I might not have known.

"I'm used to it being that hard, I think that's initially the first thing I think about is what footwear and it's pretty obvious because it is so hard.

"But yeah, it looks like it's in good nick - it'll probably be the opposite of what we've just played on (in Tashkent)."

Wednesday: Australia v Uzbekistan at Docklands Stadium, Melbourne, 8pm