Women’s World Cup 2023: The Matildas making Tony Gustavsson’s selection calls difficult to make

If Alanna Kennedy, Clare Polkinghorne and Clare Hunt are all fit, three into a defensive two doesn’t go. So who makes way? Robbie Slater looks at the selection calls facing the Matildas.

Alanna Kennedy has given Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson a pleasant World Cup selection headache after her outstanding return to international duty in Australia’s 1-0 win over France.

Plagued by injury for so long, Kennedy didn’t put a foot wrong in Melbourne in her latest comeback, forming a rock-solid central defensive partnership with emerging talent Clare Hunt.

Watching on from the bench for about 80 minutes before replacing Kennedy was Clare Polkinghorne, the Matildas’ most-capped player who suffered an untimely foot injury playing club football in Sweden a few months ago.

Alanna Kennedy’s outstanding return has put her well in contention for World Cup starting selection. Picture: Martin KEEP / AFP

Until then, Polkinghorne was a certainty to be a starter for Australia at the World Cup.

However, her injury, added to Kennedy’s impressive return and the ongoing form of Hunt, now has Gustavsson needing to make a difficult selection decision ahead of the Matildas’ World Cup opener against Ireland on Thursday night in Sydney.

It’s going to be hard for him to drop Kennedy after her display against the French.

Perhaps the decision will be a little easier for him if Polkinghorne’s not ready to play a full match in her ongoing comeback from her foot injury.

But if she is, Gustavsson has to decide whether to reunite the experienced and long-serving pair of Polkinghorne and Kennedy, or choose just one of them to partner the 24-year-old Hunt ­– who plays with composure beyond her age – in the heart of Australia’s defence.

Other than that, Australia’s team for the battle with the Irish picks itself after Friday night’s win.

24-year-old Clare Hunt plays with composure beyond her age. Picture: Martin KEEP / AFP

Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold further cemented her spot as the Matildas’ first-choice custodian by commanding the penalty area and comfortably dealing with crosses.

Katrina Gorry was again superb at the base of Australia’s midfield. She not only has the ability to play a killer pass, but also isn’t afraid to do the dirty and physical work that’s required in that holding midfield role.

And then of course there is the Matildas’ speed. Playing on the counter-attack, they time and again outpaced the French particularly through wide players Hayley Raso and Cortnee Vine.

While Australia’ s final pass or cross sometimes lacked direction and power, the one time the Matildas got it right, it led to the game’s only goal.

Raso’s pass found an unmarked Mary Fowler, who finished in style.

While the immensely talented Fowler didn’t start, her “supersub” role and her versatility in attack will prove vital to the Matildas’ World Cup hopes.

The goal was also scored when neither Sam Kerr nor Caitlin Foord were on the field, showing that the Aussies do have depth, and don’t always have to rely on superstar Kerr to score.

The only sour point of the win was the leg injury suffered by substitute Tameka Yallop. Let’s hope it doesn’t rule her out of the tournament because she deserves better than that after a tough couple of years with injuries.

Originally published as Women’s World Cup 2023: The Matildas making Tony Gustavsson’s selection calls difficult to make