This was classic backs-to-the-wall Matildas – and that was the problem

The world turns quickly. On this day 12 months ago, the Matildas revived their fortunes in a home World Cup after a shaky start with a 4-0 demolition of Olympic champions Canada in Melbourne. Again needing a result this night to keep a toehold in this Olympic tournament, the Matildas succumbed 2-1 to the US, their forever nemesis.

In the Melbourne game, the Matildas were bold and were rewarded for it. In Marseille, they set out to gum up the Americans’ works, but could not. It was an unprepossessing way to go out.

Though at the final whistle the Matildas stood a slim chance to proceed courtesy of the six points Canada had been docked for cheating, their glum faces and downcast poses as they communed with the few fans who made it to Marseille suggested that they knew they had disappointed and that even if they somehow advanced, it would have been a travesty. Then Canada won through anyway.

The least consequence is that the Tony Gustavsson era is over. He’s been a good coach, and wretchedly unlucky not to have the great Sam Kerr for most of last year’s World Cup and none of this Olympics campaign. Much as we like to put fancy constructs on sport, there’s no substitute for having better players.

But as best can be judged from the outside, his message has dulled. The Matildas still have many accomplished players, but the total is less than the sum. Yes, they almost squared their circle this night. Almost. But bravely coming short has an early use-by date.

The one-year time frame is not unimportant. The Matildas have long been a good and in so many ways inspiring team, albeit cursed in major championships, but in the home World Cup exploded into the nation’s consciousness and affection as never before. It seemed then that a corner had been turned, never to be turned back. They were heady days, footy days too; anything seemed possible then.

As an encore, this was all a bit blah. The Matildas won’t lose fans, but they won’t win them by the school-ful as they did with this kind of soccer and this kind of outcome. Soccer in Australia won’t turn away fair-weather fans, but they need more for all seasons.

The Matildas console each other on the pitch after their 2-1 loss to the USA.Credit: AP

The US this night would always be a daunting proposition. The countries share a robust rivalry on one level, but not on the balance sheet; the Matildas have only ever beaten them once.

The first half of this match played in a radically different shape and tempo than the roller derby that was the Zambia game. Australia’s Plan A was to defend deep and in numbers and escape with a 0-0 draw and the point that would have guaranteed to put them through to the knock-out rounds.

But a plan to minimise risk is itself a risk. So it proved. The US fashioned seven shots anyway to Australia’s one, and then another case of frailty against a set piece, this a corner, allowed Trinity Rodman to poke home what would normally be called a simple goal, except that a ridiculously long VAR review stretched confirmation out over five minutes and led to a yellow card for the exasperated Gustavsson.

It was low farce, to match the low energy of the match.

Compelled to move to Plan B, the more urgent Australia played better than they have in the tournament, but the balance of the many more chances fell to the Americans, and in due course, 20-year-old Korbin Albert’s wonder strike from outside the box reinforced their lead. Sophia Smith’s deflected strike so nearly made it three; it hit both posts.

Desperate now, Australia hurled themselves at the Americans. Alanna Kennedy latched onto a header from super sub Michelle Heyman to snatch back a goal, and in the next play nearly made it two with a glancing header. But the equaliser would not come.

It was classic backs-to-the-wall Matildas, and that’s the problem. The Matildas’ never-say-die attitude masks questions about why they keep finding themselves in mortal danger. In the long run, do-or-die is not enough. You have to do for its own sake, not just to avoid dying. The downside of dying is pretty terminal.

Arguably, the Matildas are victims of their own excellence. They helped to propel women’s soccer into the front row of world sport, while some of the game’s traditional powers looked down their patrician noses. As recently as 2017, the Matildas were ranked fourth in the world. Now they’re 12th – for now.

Spain had never even qualified for a World Cup until 2015. In 2023, they won it, and now rule as No.1. Even the once unassailable Americans lie a lowly fifth, though under new coach Emma Hayes look a rejuvenated team.

Not so long ago, it would have been impossible to imagine the 64th ranked women’s team taking a 5-2 lead over the 12th ranked team. Here they did, and although the Matildas defibrillated themselves out of that near-death experience, either side they could not lay a glove on two teams ranked in the top five. So an Olympic campaign sputtered to the end.

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