Michelle Heyman has proved the never-say-die Matildas’ late, late hero, scoring their 90th-minute winner as they scrapped to a 6-5 victory over Zambia in one of the most extraordinary Olympic soccer matches ever played.

Trailing 5-2 after 56 minutes in Nice on Sunday, Tony Gustavsson’s side delivered a thunderous comeback to earn the madcap victory that’s taken their Olympic dream out of intensive care.

At times they looked perfectly lost at the Allianz Riviera Stadium, thanks largely to a wonderful performance from the great Zambian striker Barbra Banda, who scored her third Olympic hat-trick, including a showstopper after just 40 seconds.

But with the Zambian defence a shambles for long spells, the Matildas kept believing. 

First-half headers from Alanna Kennedy and Hayley Raso, an own goal from the hopelessly erratic Zambian keeper Ngambo Musole after the break, and two late strikes from lion-hearted captain Steph Catley set up the sweet finale.

And it felt fitting that 36-year-old Heyman, a shining symbol of resilience and belief after retiring from international soccer five years ago, should win the day off the bench.

The super-sub kept a cool head in the 90th minute to slot home after being freed by a superb Catley assist with the Zambian defence nowhere.

“We gave it our all and we never gave up. We want that medal,” Heyman told Channel 9 afterwards.

“I just wanted to get on that field and give it my all. I really want that medal, and I’ll do anything to bring it home. I’m just so proud to be part of it.”

Gustavsson punched the air. Never mind the indifferent performance; all he cared about after their 3-0 defeat by Germany three nights earlier in Marseille was the priceless win.

Any other result would surely have condemned them to an early group B exit, and that could still happen if they lose to USA on Wednesday in Marseille, a distinct possibility after the way they were ripped apart by Zambia’s two US-based superstars, Banda and two-goal Racheal Kundananji.

For Banda, it was particularly cruel, after a majestic display that started when she turned away from Clare Hunt in an instant and struck a belter from 25 metres that dipped over Mackenzie Arnold and in off the crossbar. 

Kennedy equalised quickly when, unmarked, she headed home Catley’s free-kick, but Kundunanji beat Arnold with a cute left-footed angled shot, drawing applause from the watching Prince Albert of Monaco, before the Matildas’ keeper also had a shocker with a poor clearance punch that Banda pounced on to slot home.

Raso pulled one back from Kyra Cooney-Cross’s corner, but when Emily van Egmond tried to clear her lines just before halftime, the ball rebounded off Banda into the net for 4-2.

Crisis point came when Kundananji glanced Banda’s free-kick after the break, but with Heyman, one of a triple substitution from Gustavsson, immediately delivering a goalmouth back heel that ended up being bundled into her own net by Musole, it was back to 5-3.

Caitlin Foord had a goal ruled out after VAR ruled Heyman fouled Musole, but Catley got the real gift when her tame free-kick went straight through the hapless keeper’s hands. 

Foord was then ruled by VAR to have been fouled in the box, with Catley coolly equalising from the spot to make it 5-5, before Heyman took the glory in this monumentally mad affair.