The Matildas staged a spectacular comeback as Australia overturned a three-goal deficit to beat underdogs Zambia in a do-or-die clash at the Olympics

Michelle Heyman has proved to be the Matildas’ unfailing heroine in the final minutes, scoring the winner in the 90th minute as they battled to an incredible 6-5 victory over Zambia in one of the most extraordinary Olympic football matches ever played.

Trailing 5-3 with 25 minutes remaining in Nice on Sunday, Tony Gustavsson’s side staged a stunning comeback to claim an incredible victory that put their Olympic dream out of intensive care.

They looked beaten and all but eliminated at the Allianz Riviera Stadium, thanks in large part to a wonderful performance from Zambian great Barbra Banda, who scored a brilliant hat-trick, her third in Olympic annals, including a spectacular goal after just 40 seconds.

But with Zambia’s defence in total disarray for long periods, the Matildas got their comeuppance thanks to two late goals from captain Steph Catley, a strike from Alanna Kennedy, a header from Hayley Raso and some help from erratic Zambian goalkeeper Ngambo Musole, who was involved in a farcical own goal.

But in the end it was Heyman, the 36-year-old star who returned to the field and won the day off the bench.

The super-sub kept a cool head 90 minutes in to score past Musole after being released by a superb assist from Catley when the Zambian defence had once again been absent.

Gustavsson punched the air with glee, although his performance was once again far from convincing.

But all that mattered after the 3-0 defeat to Germany three nights earlier in Marseille, just down the road on the Côte d’Azur, was the priceless victory.

This still gives the Matildas a chance of advancing to the quarter-finals, but they might still need to pick up a point against the mighty USA team in their final match to secure a place in the last eight.

There is nothing wrong with the collective heart of this team, however, as three times in the match they faced a two-goal deficit, but they simply did not give up.

But there were also tears for the Zambian team, which had been inspired by its two US-based superstars, Banda and Racheal Kundananji (the world’s most expensive player), who scored twice, but were still denied their first Olympic victory.