If the experimental side is that Matildas coach Tony Gustafsson Choose against Canada It was about evaluating the depth in AustraliaThe team, the coach has some problems before next year’s Olympic Games in Paris. The Matildas – who missed a host of World Cup champions either through injury or being left on the bench – were thrashed 5-0 on Saturday. soccer A friendly match against Canada, which avenged its 4-0 loss to Australia in the group stage of the World Cup.
Wounded were missing from the Australian side this time in British Columbia Sam Kerr And Mackenzie ArnoldWhile Gustafsson chose to sit on the bench from the likes of Mary Fowler and Katerina Jori, Alana Kennedy, Hayley Raso, Keira Cooney Cross And Emily van Egmond after choosing the new look to start in the starting lineup. Whatever the reasons for the selection shock, it backfired spectacularly on an inexperienced Australian side who found themselves 2-0 down at half-time.
“Unsustainable”: Phoenix star Chloe Knott is retiring from football in a surprising move
Discussion cue: The football world is divided over plans for a controversial new rule
What year: Mary Fowler graces the cover of the magazine as the Matildas score a big win
Having already qualified for the next stage of Olympic qualifying with dominant victories over China’s Tabby, Iran And the FilipinoThe match was an opportunity to set some things straight for Gustafsson and his team. However, in a rhythm-free first half, the Matildas failed to get any shots off the ground Nicole PrinceTwo goals put the home team ahead 2-0 at the end of the first half.
Things didn’t get much better in the second half as Fowler’s final introduction coincided with the Australian’s first shot on goal in the 74th minute. By that point, the Canadians were leading 5-0 thanks to goals from Chloe Lacasse in the 49th minute, off a shot from Simi Ojo Six minutes later and the final goal Adrian Leon In the 62nd minute to complete the defeat.
Matildas experience ‘very disappointing’
Veteran Australian commentator Andy Harper was among those who criticized Gustafsson’s selection decisions during and after the match, claiming he had hung several inexperienced players out to dry. Harper described the scenes as “very disappointing” and questioned why the Matildas coach had not supplemented some new faces with some of the more established Matildas stars.
“It begs the question when you go to do a trial, what exactly is the point of the trial?’ Harper asked on Channel 10 commentary. “It’s very clear that a lot of the players in the first half were quite exposed. Is this what he wanted from this? Which will come through.
“And then you run the risk of having someone who might feel a little poor after 45 minutes, and you pull them in and exacerbate the problem. Somehow we hung the girls out to dry in the pouring rain.”
“I don’t know why we had to go down this path. It’s very disappointing. I don’t understand why Claire Wheeler She couldn’t play alongside Kyra Cooney-Cross, or Sarah Hunter couldn’t play alongside Katrina Jury. It’s almost like cannon fodder. Use the two toys to mix and match.
I strongly agree with Harps. I really hope Tony G doesn’t make too much judgment on people because of this. No chemistry, no weather, no surface – what chance do they have? This is partly why people are demanding more gradual rotation in tournaments.
– Vince Rogari (@VinceRogari) December 2, 2023
The starting XI should have been a mix and not a lineup of 3 experienced players and 8 more new players #Matildas
– Teresa (@augusvalin) December 2, 2023
Tony Gustafson defends choices
Speaking after the humbling 5-0 loss to Canada, the Matildas coach defended his controversial team selection. Gustafsson noted that the second friendly match against the Canadians on Wednesday afternoon (AEDT) will feature the strongest possible lineup after the Australians’ heaviest defeat since a 7-0 loss to the Aussies. Spain In June 2022.
Charlize Rolle and Sarah Hunter made their debuts for Canada and were among six players to have less than 20 caps for the national team. However, Gustafsson felt there was enough experience alongside those new faces in the first half in the form of Claire Polkinghorne, Ivy Lueck, Mika crowns, Courtney Nevin And Claire Wheeler.
“We had a lot of discussions and discussions, and I listened to my experts around me in sports science and physiologists about load management on players,” the Matildas coach said. “If for example you have a player who only plays one game, what game will we play (with him)?
“If we mix it up, we might get a couple of strong performances but also at the expense of perhaps continuity in the potential starting XI. Maybe the age and number of caps the players don’t have enough experience, but there’s still enough to feel.” We had balance and structure.
In addition to their lack of elite attacking skill, the Matildas were also poorly exposed in defence, conceding three of the five goals after being denied the ball in their own half. Despite the painful nature of the defeat, Gustafsson was adamant that his young players would be better off after their harsh baptism into international football.
He said: “Some of the players said it immediately after the match: This is exactly what we need.” “It’s not about throwing a player under the bus because they were stripped of the ball in their own half in the build-up against Canada away from home – that’s on me, to ask them to do that and learn.
“We need a safe space in this environment where they can learn from mistakes. The biggest mistake we can make is to stop trying and they really tried tonight and that’s the best thing they can do.”
With August
Newsletter Subscription And score the biggest sports stories of the week.
