It has been a long time in the making, but after 396 days and a new coach, we finally saw the Matildas return to international football. The 5-2 loss perhaps wasn’t the result many hoped for, but it served its purpose.
Thing 1 – Debutantes
COVID has a way of giving, mostly horrible, but if there’s a silver lining for some, it’s that we saw debuts from Beattie Goad, Indiah-Paige Riley and Alex Huynh. Also making a debut was Head Coach Tony Gustavsson, with his first appearance at the helm.
It’s a Matildas debut for @StanfordWSoccer legend @beattiegoad! https://t.co/bumTzdf06W
— College Matildas (@CollegeMatildas) April 10, 2021
Goad made her debut in the 15th minute after an injury to Karly Roestbakken.
Covid also saw late impacts to the German squad, with four players ruled out.
Germany player test positive and in insolation. I swear if there is an outbreak… #GERvAUS #Matildas pic.twitter.com/bLsrum2Puc
— Nads (@nads_cas) April 10, 2021
Gustavsson’s highly anticipated debut allowed fans to hear his vocal style, taking every moment to coach the team.
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Here’s how we line up against @DFB_Frauen in #GERvAUS!#WeAreMatildas #GoMatildas pic.twitter.com/nCYkLNy3vH
— Westfield Matildas (@TheMatildas) April 10, 2021
Thing 2 – Benchmark
The strategy from Head Coach Gustavsson to play the toughest opposition possible provided a valuable opportunity to benchmark the Matildas, but a confronting experience for fans and perhaps players alike.
While no-one can challenge the Matildas’ commitment, accuracy was an issue, with turnovers destabilising the attack under immense pressure from world number 2 ranked Germany.
Australia’s best moments were in the opening minutes of the game where they dominated early possession and looked threatening. As the game progressed, Germany’s technical skill overshadowed Australia’s intent.
Thing 3 – The Result Doesn’t Matter
Of course, in almost every respect, the result does matter, but in this case, the game should be seen for what it was – an opportunity to measure ‘ourselves’ against the best teams in the world.
There will be plenty to learn from the experience, and this is now the opportunity to see what Gustavsson does next with a talented squad in need of game time and more.
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