Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson apologises after 3-0 Paris Olympics defeat to Germany
The Matildas’ Olympics campaign is in disarray following a 3-0 loss to Germany that prompted Tony Gustavsson to apologise to the side’s legion of fans.
The Matildas have been struggling since day one of their Olympic campaign. Training in Spain was compromised by half-a-dozen key injuries. Playing gear and training equipment went missing on the journey to France. They reckoned everything was hunky dory on the eve of their first game at Stade de Marseilles, but they’ve had a shocker, prompting coach Tony Gustavsson to say, “I just want to say I’m so sorry to let down the fans back home … I know we disappointed a lot of people.”
Germany 3, Australia 0.
It was a stinking night in Marseilles and the Matildas were a hot mess. Discombobulated for a while now and coughing up their worst performance in recent memory. Their Olympics could be over before it really begins. They’re in a tough group and such a heavy defeat is disastrous for their for-and-against. It’s already a code red. If they lose to Zambia at Stade de Nice on Monday 3am (AEST) they might as well pack their bags and prepare for departure from the Paris Olympics without even getting to Paris.
“Listen, you know what? The one thing I know about this team is that when they’re backed against a corner and there’s a lot of shit thrown at them with curve balls and different ways, a loss three-nil or baggage going missing … they never use these things as excuses,” coach Tony Gustavsson said.
“I want to be very real on that.”
The haphazard preparation showed. Fitness was down. Combinations didn’t click. “When I say things about match fitness and tempo, that is not excuses,” Gustavsson said. “That is just explaining where we are right now. I think it explains a bit on why we lost so many one-one-one duels. This side is so physical normally, we win all the one-on-one duels, there’s aggressiveness there, we’re running and our speed beats teams. But it wasn’t really there tonight.”
Three-nil. Players were ashen-faced afterwards. As if nobody was more shocked by the A-grade shocker than those who produced it. The scoreboard, if anything, flattered the Matildas. They could have lost by half-a-dozen or more. They never stood a chance against a calmer and more choreographed team. They were baited and beaten hook, line and sinker.
“I think we needed that as a wakeup call to say okay, now we’re in it,” Gustavsson said. “Hopefully that was the rusty performance we hopefully needed to get out of the system and then come back against Zambia.”
Where’d Mary Fowler go? The Australian superstar-in-waiting was ebullient before kick-off, belting out the national anthem as if it was the favourite song on her Spotify playlist. She was high-fiving, high-tenning and skipping around like there was no place she’d rather be. Then came the only thing that mattered, the performance, and it was virtually non-existent. In a maze of the Matildas’ soft turnovers, defensive lapses and endlessly clunky attempts to thread passes together, the inability of Fowler to get involved was the most striking thing about the striker. She ran a proverbial mile in search of quality ball. She’s still looking for it.
The rot started in the 22nd minute and stayed there. Caitlin Foord ain’t a shy defender. She went low and hard and took out Kathrin Hendrich, receiving a yellow card for her troubles. Hendrich was still hobbling back into position when the Germans assembled for a corner. They lined up like rooks, queens and bishops on a chess board. Giulia Gwinn’s corner hooked nicely, like a three-wood, and Marina Hegering timed her leap to perfection. She beat Alanna Kennedy hook, line and you-know-what to head home a 24th minute goal.
What a contrast to last year’s World Cup. All those sold-out stadiums for the Matildas, the relentless spotlight and adulation, well-wishers on the street, glowing opinions and praiseworthy analyses. They were the most famous women in the land. In Marseilles they could go down to the fish market without anyone raising an eyebrow. They’re virtually anonymous here and played like they were invisible. If there was a time when the Matildas had to get used to playing in front of cacophonous full houses, now they need to reacquaint themselves with quieter atmospheres and smaller audiences. And galling defeats.
In a killer blow in the 64th minute, Lea Schueller went high like she’d taken off from a pole vault. She found the net with another pinpoint header and Matildas’ shoulders slumped. It was oppressively hot and their faces were ruby-red and the scoreboard was getting out of control and they couldn’t get their act together. Just four minutes later, German winger Jules Brand, the best player on the park, slotted a gimme goal from point blank range and the Australians were cooked.
Germany 3, Australia 0.
A shocker. Hot and exhausted mess. From here, the Matildas basically need to win a game every three days for a fortnight to claim Olympic gold. The tournament has only just begun but the Matildas are reeling. This was meant to be the start of something special. It might be the beginning of the end.
Gustavsson’s full apology was, “I just want to say I’m so sorry to let down the fans back home that put their alarms on a 3am in the morning to get up and support us. It’s just amazing to see the support back home and I know we disappointed a lot of people. Please set the alarm for the next game as well because the players feed off the support they get. Hopefully we can make them proud against Zambia.”
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Originally published as Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson apologises after 3-0 Paris Olympics defeat to Germany
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