To see the Matildas arrive home at Sydney Airport today...
      

The Matildas not only qualified for the 2011 World Cup but made history by being the first Australian team to win a FIFA tournament in Asia after defeating DPR Korea 5-4 on penalties (1-1 after extra time) on Sunday in China.

Defender Servet Uzunlar (pictured right) was still coming to grips with the stunning achievement but said the pressure was now on their male counterparts to provide the nation with more inspirational results.

"It feels amazing and very surreal," the Sydney FC championship winning defender told au.foufourtwo.com.

"To be truthful the goal there was just to qualify [for the World Cup]. I mean, last  time we didn't even qualify so that was the main goal.

"But once we found ourselves in the final we thought, 'why don't we go ahead and take this?'"

Uzunlar now believes  the Matildas have now lifted the benchmark of success for the Socceroos.

"Yeah, they definitely have to get out of the group stage now!" she said. 

Matildas striker Leena Khamis added:"Hopefully we've got them excited for their journey and hopefully they come back with the goods like us."

Uzunlar, a rock in the centre of the Aussie defence, said she felt this is an Aussie side is on an upwards trajectory, with a very bright future ahead.

"I reckon we can win the World Cup too. We've got a new squad with young, youthful players who are really mobile and dynamic," she added.

One of those players is her sky blue teammate Kyah Simon. It was the 18-year-old's superbly struck penalty that won it for Australia following four brilliantly composed penalties by the Aussies that laid the platform for success. 

However, she was playing down comparisons with John Aloisi's famous penalty against Uruguay in 2005.

 "It was a relief knowing we'd already qualified for the World Cup so it was not another Aloisi situation," she said. 

"Mark Jensen, our media manager, said it's a bit like that but I feel it's a different scenario."  

The Matildas now have a year to prepare for the World Cup which kicks off in Germany late June, 2011.

And with Olympics 2012 qualifiers as well as the start of the W-League later this year, there should be plenty of opportunities for the team to improve.

"It will be tough," added Uzunlar of the coming two years. "But we're a tough team." 

Tp see the Matildas arrive home at Sydney Airport today...