- Analysis
- Sport
- Soccer
- Australian soccer
‘Exactly what we needed’: Matildas learn plenty from Mexico showdown
By Vince Rugari
Tony Gustavsson learnt a lot in San Antonio, Texas on Wednesday morning (AEST). For starters, he learnt who the other team in the Matildas’ group at the Paris Olympics will be, with Zambia clinching the last remaining spot at approximately half-time of his side’s friendly against Mexico.
He also learnt more about how his team would cope with a high-pressing, high-energy opponent - like Germany and the United States, their other Group B foes – which turned out to be possibly better than he expected as they ran out comfortable 2-0 victors, solving the problems posed by the Mexicans on the fly.
“That’s exactly what we needed,” Gustavsson said post-match. “And now the next step is, can we now do this against a top-ranked opposition? Which we haven’t tested yet.”
He learnt a bit about what his team might look like in Paris if injured stars Katrina Gorry and Clare Hunt don’t make it, testing out newcomer Kaitlyn Torpey at left-back while shifting Steph Catley to centre-back, and putting Clare Wheeler in midfielder next to Kyra Cooney-Cross for her first extended run in months.
He learnt that Ellie Carpenter continues to flourish as a more inverted full-back and a dependable outlet when playing through a press, rather than the dashing touchline-hugger most fans would have seen her as.
He learnt how others like Mary Fowler, Emily van Egmond and Caitlin Foord would manage to deal with rotating through different roles during a game.
He says he cycled through as many as 10 different variations in the Matildas’ formation, and would have learnt a lot through all of that.
And then he had some things confirmed that he probably already knew - like that Hayley Raso can still perform brilliantly for Australia despite being frozen out of first-team action by her club and that Foord remains criminally underrated in global terms.
Raso has played more at Real Madrid this campaign than she did at Manchester City last season, but still much less than she or Gustavsson would like. But as she proved at the Women’s World Cup, it doesn’t matter if she turns it on every time she wears green and gold. She got Australia off to a terrific start with the opening goal in the ninth minute with a clever strike from the top of the box.
“She had maybe her best major tournament in her career, coming from a club where she played very, very little minutes. Same thing now,” Gustavsson said. “You could potentially lose confidence when you don’t get playing time ... but every time she comes in here she manages to perform and be confident. Hopefully, it’s because of the environment we create in here as well. She can come in here and be Raso, 100 per cent.”
The Matildas ran out 2-0 winners over Mexico.Credit: AP
Foord scored a stunning goal seven minutes into the second half, cutting in from the left flank as she so often does before finding space to curl the ball just inside the right post.
Why her name is not more often raised in conversations about the world’s best players is one that Gustavsson can’t quite work out.
“She’s starting to slowly get the credit that she deserves,” he said.
“I see a smart player, a technical player, but the one thing that she has that some smart and technical players doesn’t have is the commitment to defend. Look at her slide tackles, her off the ball work - she is committed like no-one else. Combine those two ... it’s rare, especially at the top, top, top level. And then look at her playing week-in, week-out in one of the best clubs in the world as well. I definitely think she’s one of the best ones.”
Tony Gustavsson has a lot to think about when it comes to his 18-player squad.Credit: Getty
Wheeler, he said, probably deserved to start on the strength of her Women’s Super League form for Everton, but seemed to tick the requisite boxes after coming in the second half.
Torpey was solid at left-back - not her usual position, but one she might be asked to play at the Olympics if she makes the cut for Australia’s 18-player squad. She’s surely firming to do just that.
The machinations for the Paris squad remain as difficult as ever for Gustavsson, and to a large degree are subject to the diagnoses for injured players like Gorry and Hunt, who remain very much in doubt.
“Obviously the injury situation is a big question mark,” he said. “I’ll just tell every player to be as good as they can, and be ready, and knock on the door and make it difficult for me.”
Australia has only two more games locked in - friendlies against China in Adelaide and Sydney - before their Olympic campaign begins.
Watch every match of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League on Stan Sport. All the action streaming ad-free, live and on demand, with select matches in 4K UHD.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.