Michelle Heyman’s right arm was in the air, feet fast at the edge of the box, eyes behind her back up the field. Waving at Mary Fowler with a brisk assuredness reserved for those who have done something successfully many times before and know they will do it again if they are given the ball.

Waving at Fowler but also waving at Tony Gustavsson. Telling the Matildas coach that the concept of scoring a goal is a simple administrative activity. “If you give me that file, I will put it in the filing cabinet. Give me another and I will slip that one in, too. In Tashkent four days ago. In Melbourne tonight. In Paris five months from now - if you choose to take me.”

Heyman did not score after this particular wave, 27 seconds into the home leg of Australia’s final qualifying tie. But she did pivot expertly and then pass the file to Katrina Gorry, who laid off to Kaitlyn Torpey for a cross that took such a devilish deflection off Dilrabo Shokirboy Qizi Asadova the deficit was 1-0 after 34 seconds.

By the 16th minute it was 4-0 and Heyman had a hat-trick. By the time she was subbed off at half-time she had four. Four files dutifully deposited in their rightful place. Yes, Uzbekistan’s drawer opened pretty smoothly. Granted, the world No.47 opponents did not require much oiling. But if the 45-minute shift the 54,120 at Marvel Stadium witnessed on Wednesday is not considered a fulfilment of all desired criteria then the job description missed the mark.

Michelle Heyman, 35, scored four goals against UzbekistanCredit: Getty

At 35, Heyman does look how she says she feels - 21 again. Any sceptics posing questions about her age or six-year hiatus from the national team needed only watch her play for Canberra United of late. Those who did not have had their queries answered categorically in this even more categorical 10-0 (13-0 on aggregate) win, one which makes official the Matildas’ place at a third consecutive Olympic Games.

“I’m not going to lie, I was hoping for five,” Heyman said. “I told Tony. ‘just wait until I get five and then he can take off’. But he said he was going to save my legs.

“But I just have that confidence in that self-belief now, and I know that I can do that. I can finish. I’m good when I get in the box. My main goal was just make sure I was in the box at all times because then it’s just a tap-in.”

On the plane for sure will be Mary Fowler, who also scored here and became the second-youngest Matilda to have reached 50 caps, having just overtaken Ellie Carpenter two weeks after turning 21. Likewise, another goalscorer in Caitlin Foord. These are names synonymous with this team, and Paris 2024 may be their best chance at a medal yet.