CommBank Matildas head coach Joe Montemurro has lavished praise on Ninja A-League legend Michelle Heyman after her two-goal haul helped Australia defeat Panama 3-2 at HBF Park on Tuesday night.
Facing Panama for the second time in the space of four days after losing 1-0 on Saturday, the Matildas found themselves a goal down in the 34th minute as Ericka Arauz found the back of the net in style, curling a sublime effort beyond the outstretched dive of Brisbane Roar goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln.
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While they were trailing at the break, the Matildas pulled themselves level early in the second half as Canberra United forward Heyman converted winger Hayley Raso’s cross from close range to make it 1-1 before she then doubled her tally 10 minutes later.
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Linking up with Raso once again, this time Heyman peeled away from her marker inside the box to steer a brilliant header into the far corner to make it 2-1 in the 65th minute.
“When you need her to lift the level and when you need her to work for the team, she’s always there,” said Montemurro when asked about Heyman’s performance after the game.
“She (Heyman) said the ultimate word; selfless, and that’s what we’re looking for in this team. A level of selflessness that we know if we do the right things for the team with (and) without the ball the opportunities will come and the situations will happen.
“But it’s it’s an honour to work with an athlete with a character of this nature.
“I’ve been honoured enough to have worked with some of the best strikers in the world; Ada Hegerberg, Vivianne Miedema, but this character that is Michelle Heyman we should all be proud of. Really.
“We should all be proud of who she is and what she’s contributing to football and to sport in general.”
Now with 82 caps to her name, Heyman took her international tally to an impressive 33 goals for the Matildas.
According to Opta data, the 37-year-old sharpshooter has now bagged 13 goals since her recall to the national team set-up in 2024; nearly twice as many as any other player during that time.
With the game bouncing from end to end, Panama then levelled things up in the 84th minute care of a brilliant strike from Lineth Cedeño but the home side would eventually seal the win in the 91st minute as former Ninja A-League star Charli Grant bundled home the ball from inside the six-yard box to seal a 3-2 win at HBF Park.
