With FIFA World Cup qualification secured, Matildas coach Tom Sermanni believes his team goes into Sunday's women's Asian Cup final with the pressure off.
The victory over the more fancied Japanese came when striker Kate Gill pounced on some calamitous defending to stroke home from the edge of the penalty area just before half-time.
Despite Japan dominating possession, Australia limited the Blue Samurai to half chances with captain and goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri pulling off a couple of acrobatic, second-half saves to maintain her clean sheet.
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And despite Sunday's match against either China or North Korea giving Australia a chance to land itsfirst Asian Cup, Sermanni felt there would be less pressure on his players than in Thursday's match.
"It means a big night tonight," Sermanni told AAP of World Cup qualification.
"It means the pressure's off for Sunday and the team now and the staff can start planning ahead for 2011.
"It's just a tremendous boost for everybody.
"It'd be a nice way to finish the tournament (to win). We've played in three Asian Cups, got to the final in one of them and this is now our second final.
"Two out of three and it'd be nice to get the result on Sunday and I think we can go into that game without the pressure that was on today."
Japan started the match well and hit the post inside the opening five minutes before going on to dominate the first half.
But Gill's strike just before half-time, which came after Japanese 'keeper Kahori Ayumi made a hash of claiming an Australian cross, proved to be a match-winning boost according to Sermanni.
"We had really been under the pump for virtually all of the first half and only had a couple of scrimmages up front," he said.
"To actually get that chance and put the opportunity away was a great boost to us.
I think it knocked a bit of steam out of the Japanese and gave us the boost to hold on and go on to win the game."
The Matildas will play the winner of the second semi-final between North Korea and China at the Chengdu Sports Centre on Sunday from 9.30pm (AEST).
