Why it’s time for the Matildas main Paris rivals in the USA and Germany to start worrying
More energy, attacking and aggressive is what Tony Gustavsson promised from the Matildas and that’s what we got on Monday night. ERIN SMITH breaks down why our Olympic rivals should be getting nervous.
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More energy, more powerful, more attack focused and aggressive - that was what Tony Gustavsson wanted to see from the Matildas in their final competitive hit-out before the Olympics and they delivered.
As promised Gustavsson started his full strength team - giving fans a taste of what his core squad for the Olympics will look like, with the exception of veteran keeper Lydia Williams playing her last home game with the Matildas and injured forward Caitlin Foord.
On paper the 2-0 win probably won’t have their Olympic rivals USA and Germany too nervous.
But they should be.
Because the Matildas pulled that off while out of form.
Most players are coming off lengthy seasons, have travelled from across the other side of the globe and some haven’t played in more than a month.
China are no slouches either.
They are the reigning Asian champions and sit just seven rungs below the Matildas on the FIFA Women’s World Rankings.
The Matildas are also missing Katrina Gorry with her ankle injury and Foord is sitting out with a hamstring issue.
Matildas did take a bit to settle into the game - the disciplined Chinese defensive set up making it tricky to attack.
But once they found a way through they were able to surge forward again and again.
Firing off seven shots in the first 20 minutes.
A huge difference from the zero shots in the opening half in Adelaide.
Michelle Heyman seemed to find a new level. She was pressing, made clever runs and when she had the ball at her feet was almost unstoppable.
She should have had a goal at the 40 minute mark after beating two defenders with some fancy footwork - but she sent the ball wide of the net.
Kyra Cooney-Cross was far more involved - though Mary Fowler still looked a little lost out on the wing.
Heyman was pulled off at half time to give Cortnee Vine some minutes and Emily van Egmond made way for Clare Wheeler.
Gustavsson said the number of injuries plaguing the Matildas front line was disappointing but also showed the depth of elite footballers in Australia.
It was the reason he was able to replace Heyman with Vine in the second half seamlessly.
“You have two very different player types, with Michelle being more of a straight up No.9 and a strong aerial presence in the box and Vine is more of a runner in behind with pace.
“The amount of wide options that we have now with Torpey playing wide in a good way as well like she did against Uzbekistan and coming in today.
“Mary can play wide on both sides.
“I think we forget Sam Kerr is out injured with an ACL and then we have Holly McNamara out with an ACL that could be a forward option for me, Amy Sawyer is out with an ACL and there were players that haven’t really come back to where the ones were because of ACL like Kyah Simon and Chloe Logarzo.
“We need to remember the investment into the depth and being able to do this with four or five six attacking options selected for today”
A perfectly timed header just moments after coming on the pitch, sent the 76,798 fans in the crowd wild and possibly booked Wheeler a ticket to Paris.
Wheeler, 26, has been a fringe player with the Matildas since making her debut in 2021.
It gave the Matildas a needed spark.
With Hayley Raso making a brilliant driving run forward and calmly slotting the ball past the Chinese keeper to put the Matildas 2-0 up just minutes later.
Yes the score could have been much higher . There were missed chances. But as captain Steph Catley pointed out pre-game they aren’t hitting their peak yet, they expect “growing pains”.
So the 1-1 draw and 2-0 win might not have their Olympic rivals stressing just yet but if the Matildas can deliver those results while fatigued and out of form - imagine what they can do come Paris.
Once they have had a break, followed by a three-week camp. No jet lag, no tired legs.
That mixed with their never say die attitude and desperation to win a medal will certainly make them contenders in Paris.
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