Injury concern for Caitlin Foord, Matildas struggle to impress in audition for Paris Olympics as late goal seals draw with China
Tony Gustavsson is unlikely to be any closer to handing out the final four tickets to Paris after the fringe Matildas struggled to impress against a well-drilled Chinese outfit and injury concern for a key striker.
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Coach Tony Gustavsson is unlikely to be any closer to handing out the final four tickets to Paris after the fringe Matildas struggled to impress against a well drilled Chinese outfit and there is significant concern around the fitness of Caitlin Foord.
China were considered the underdogs going into the friendly game with former Matildas coach Ante Milicic taking the reins just three weeks ago.
The visitors were in control for most of the match – carrying a 1-0 lead through to the 92nd minute before a late wonder goal from Michelle Heyman locked the game at 1-1.
Going into the game Gustavsson said there were just four spots left on the plane with the rest of the squad, pending Katrina Gorry’s fitness and hoping that Foord was only taken off late in the game as a precaution but the coach was left questioning whether he should have played the match weary striker tonight.
Foord, who said she ‘felt something’ in her hamstring during the clash and already a lock in the Olympics team, has had a busy week- finishing in the WSL then flying to Australia to play for Arsenal against the A-Leagues All Stars last Friday in Melbourne.
She went down late in the second half- not long after coming on. In a good sign she walked off the field but coach Gustavsson isn’t convinced Foord will play in Sydney on Monday night.
“I’m a bit concerned as well,” Gustavsson said. “And I’m looking at myself a little bit here as well because some of the players like I said came in very tired, both mentally and physically and had a couple of niggles.
“(Foord) hasn’t been trained fully until yesterday. We’ve always had long meetings my team and look at recommending minutes or can we protect players.
“Sometimes it’s easier to say as a coach like that is like should I really have used them today or should I let her rest like that that’s you know, as a coach, I always think that way.
“She felt something, if it had been a World Cup game I think she would have tried to play on but at this point there’s no way that I take that risk. Hopefully it’s not too serious but I can say now that if it’s the slightest risk, there’s no way I’m going to play a player like that in the second game because it’s all about getting out of this camp with us now and preparing for the Olympics as well.”
A core group of players started the first of the two-game farewell series with China on the bench -partly for load management reasons but mostly so Gustavsson could have his final look at the last chess pieces on the board for Paris.
With just 18-players able to be named in his Olympic team and the Matildas set to face Germany, Zambia and USA in their pool games – every single player in the squad needs to be able to play their role perfectly.
The Matildas who helped the team to their historic World Cup fourth placed finish have all but got their spot on the plane.
Gustavsson’s plan to give the fringe players a chance – opting to start Charli Grant, Clare Wheeler, Cortnee Vine and Kaitlyn Torpey – had one major flaw – it was just too far from the top flight team.
Sure Grant and Torpey impressed – playing alongside A-grade centre backs Alanna Kennedy and Clare Hunt lifted their game and gave them a chance to shine.
Wheeler was given 60 minutes on the pitch but spent most of it playing alongside Tameka Yallop and Emily van Egmond – with Fowler moving from her usual midfield role to winger for the first half.
The midfield lacked its usual energy and Wheeler struggled to make an impact. It was a big ask considering, if she is granted a spot on the Olympic team she is more likely to take the field alongside Kyra Cooney-Cross, Gorry (if fit) or Fowler.
Fowler was given a brief stint in the midfield after China struck the first blow and managed to create some combination plays with Wheeler.
It was the first time A-League stars Cortnee Vine and Michelle Heyman had been given decent time on the field together.
The combination yielded plenty of positive chances but will certainly need fine tuning if it is a duo Gustavsson plans to use in Paris.
Heyman had several chances to at least get a shot off and struggled to get control of the ball – chances like those will be crucial at the Olympics and can’t be left untaken.
She did manage to get in the exact right place in the 95th minute to put the Matildas on the board. But she could have had even more to celebrate with a little more composure.
The 52,912 fans at Adelaide Oval hoped to see Gustavsson go to the bench at half time to inject some spark into the Matildas’ attacking efforts but they were left disappointed – forced to wait until the 60th minute.
Gustavsson made five big changes – putting close to what could be imagined as the core Olympic team on the pitch.
Vine, Torpey, Grant, Wheeler and Yallop made way for Hayley Raso, Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter.
The substitutions created an intensity lift – not just on the pitch but from the fans as well.
Brisbane Roar standout Sharn Freier was given her second Matildas appearance, replacing Foord in the 77th minute.
Foord left the field with a possible hamstring injury after going down late in the second half – not long after she came one.
The Arsenal star has had a busy week finishing the WSL season and flying from London to Melbourne for the All-Stars clash a week ago.
She walked off the field okay suggesting her substitution was more of a precaution.
Gustavsson used every minute of the match to experiment – even sending Kennedy up to the front line in a bid to level the scores with the clock fast winding down.
Unused substitutions Courtney Nevin, Clare Polkinghorne and Winonah Heatley could rightly be rather nervous about their chances of landing a spot in the Olympic squad.
Matildas will next play China in Sydney at Accor Stadium on Monday at 7.40pm.
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