Women’s World Cup: Australia can win the World Cup without Sam Kerr, says Robbie Slater

Despite all the talk, the Matildas managed to top their group without Sam Kerr playing a minute, and Robbie Slater believes the Aussies can go all the way without their star skipper.

Sam Kerr didn’t play in the group stage of the World Cup. Picture: WILLIAM WEST / AFP

That was a statement performance from the Matildas.

It was a performance that will scare the other teams. Not just because it was a win against the reigning Olympic champions Canada, but it was an emphatic 4-0 win. A truly complete performance. And it was done without Sam Kerr.

It was a night for unsung heroes like Alanna Kennedy, a coming of age for young star Mary Fowler and a coaching masterstroke by Tony Gustavsson.

There wasn’t a bad performer in the team. This is the Matildas team we’ve come to know and love.

This is a very open World Cup, but that victory was as good as any we’ve seen so far.

We’ve seen Japan beat Spain and the USA will always be there, but this tournament is wide open and we’ve got an exciting three weeks of football ahead.

Sam Kerr didn’t play in the group stage of the World Cup, but the Matildas topped the group. Picture: Getty Images

I think the Matildas, the way they dealt with the pressure tonight, they’re a team that can go on and win this thing.

What a night for Australian football. That was a game none of us will ever forget.

TONY’S RESPONSE

I’ve been critical of the way Gustavsson had performed so far in this tournament. The decisions he’s made have been questionable and the performance of the team until now had not been up to the level we know the Matildas can play.

Nobody was under more pressure going into this game. His job was on the line.

Tony Gustavsson was a happy coach after the 4-0 win. Picture: AFP

Despite all the noise, he turned that team around from the disappointment of the Nigeria loss last Thursday to come out with the expectation of the nation riding on them and execute brilliantly when under the most extreme pressure imaginable.

The team he put out was nothing like the team anyone really picked, it was a brilliant performance tactically from the coach. He backed his experience and it opened the door to our attack.

Hayley Raso and Mary Fowler will get the headlines, and rightly so, because the big difference tonight for Australia was in our front third.

Against the Republic of Ireland and Nigeria we didn’t look like we were troubling them, but with Caitlin Foord on the left and Raso on the right, we were a constant threat.

He put players like Raso, Fowler and Emily van Egmond in their natural positions and it paid off.

Alanna Kennedy was a rock in defence. Picture: Mark Stewart

THE UNSUNG HERO

Alanna Kennedy is not the captain, but she played a captain’s role at the back and was the player that stood out most to me in her performance.

Everyone expected her to be rested on the short turnaround given what she has been through in the past 12 months with injury. I thought Clare Polkinghorne would come into the team, simply not to risk Kennedy because there were just three days between games and she has had very limited game time leading into the World Cup.

Then there were also those mistakes with Mackenzie Arnold against Nigeria where they got confused for that third goal which was the killer.

But Kennedy bounced back and alongside Clare Hunt she was defensively superb.

If you look at possession, Canada had something ridiculous like 62 per cent of the ball, but Australia just defended with a block and Alanna was central to that set up.

Mary Fowler played one of her best games for the Matildas. Picture: Michael Klein

FOWLER AND THE ATTACK

With Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter full of energy from the back, Australia was able to set up the block and beat Canada with their deadly transition.

It was the Gustavsson game plan and Australia played it to perfection.

Raso was obviously the star, as was Caitlin Foord, but I thought the impact Mary Fowler had in the middle was just fantastic.

She was composed on the ball, she put herself in the right positions to score crucial goals (although one was ruled offside) and played as well as we’ve ever seen her for Australia.

The beauty of that performance for Gustavsson is he doesn’t have to rush Kerr straight back for the round of 16 game.

He knows - and now the world knows too - Australia’s got a team that can win the World Cup without the star striker.

Originally published as Women’s World Cup: Australia can win the World Cup without Sam Kerr, says Robbie Slater