Paris Games 2024: Matildas sent packing after loss to the USA

The Matildas’ Olympic dream is over. The fallout will be considerable — and much of the glare will fall on controversial coach Tony Gustavsson.

Australian defender Alanna Kennedy was distraught after the Matildas lost to the US. Picture: AFP

The Matildas’ Olympic dream is over.

They came to these Olympics publicly declaring their intent to finally secure a medal, and now they have crashed out from the Games.

They are the nation’s darlings but now face serious questions around a disastrous Olympics campaign.

Scrutiny will focus on all facets of the preparation for the tournament, a wide-ranging review is expected into the management of the team and there has been discontent in the Matildas camp about coach Tony Gustavsson.

Gustavsson and his players during their match against the US. Picture: AFP

The Olympics is almost certainly his last campaign given his contract is about to expire.

On Wednesday at Stadium Marseille that hope for their first piece of Olympic silverware was dealt a knock-out blow, when football powerhouse the United States won 2-1.

It was followed by a Canadian victory over Colombia in the later match that confirmed the Matildas had been eliminated from the tournament.

Incredibly, Gustavsson said the Matildas were “ready for this type of opposition”.

But it was too little, too late.

And truth be told, the performance was not impressive.

For most of the US match the Matildas played defensively but at the death, in injury time, they found fight and form.

A brilliant Alanna Kennedy goal one minute into additional time gave Australia great hope – and then she had another attempt to head a goal seconds later that just missed.

They almost pulled off the Miracle of Marseille.

It is all but certain that this tournament will be Tony Gustavsson’s last as Matildas coach. The manager was visibly exasperated at times and he was given a yellow card by the referee just before half-time after the US’s Trinity Rodman scored a goal in the 43rd minute.

Australia's Swedish coach Tony Gustavsson has a rollercoaster ride in Marseille

At Marseille Stadium on Wednesday Gustavsson had the Matildas playing defensively from the get-go and the possession was the Americans’ way from early on.

At half-time goalkeeper MacKenzie Arnold had saved five certain goals.

But soon after her fifth outstanding save, Rodman – daughter of Chicago Bulls’ great Dennis – scored a goal off a corner just minutes before half-time.

Rodman’s 43rd minute goal, however, was contentious. There was concern from the Australians that she was offside, and Gustavsson became animated on the sidelines.

“How,” Gustavsson appealed to the referee. He started furiously shaking his head. He appealed again and it was enough for the French referee Francois Letexier to give him a yellow card.

In a bizarre episode Letexier even spoke to a mysterious official on a phone and donned a headset, before the VAR system pitchside came back on.

A VAR rule reinforced the US goal was good.

At half-time the US had nine shots on goal, seven on target. They had 72 per cent possession, with Australia struggling to get forward at times.

The Matildas’ one shot came from Mary Fowler, who pushed an effort past the left post after combining well with Caitlin Foord and Kaitlyn Torpey down the left.

The Matildas played just as defensively in the second half. The US’s shots on goal kept coming and Korbin Albert found the back of the net in the 77th minute with a long-range strike.

Alanna Kennedy scored Australia’s lone goal

France has been nothing but a messy, bumpy ride for the Matildas.

In reality, the Matildas were built to peak for the 2023 Women’s World Cup on home soil, and thanks to a huge wave of emotional home support – and a mostly stingy defence – they reached the semi-finals in a memorable and record-breaking tournament.

They have had neither in France, shipping 10 goals across three matches.

This Olympics seems a year too far: for many in the squad and especially Gustavsson.

The fact is that Gustavsson would not have been in the position had he managed to get another job after his reputation peaked with that semi-final result last year. He interviewed for the Swedish men’s team job and was considered for the US women’s team.

He got neither, and the consolation prize has been leading the Matildas to the Olympics – in part because he didn’t find alternative employment and also because Football Australia did not want to part with him after the World Cup and pay out the remaining year of his contract.

It has not worked.

Hayley Raso looks dejected after the loss to the US. Picture: Getty Images

The usually affable Gustavsson has been paranoid about the media coverage and clearly has lost the dressing room. As The Australian described, several people involved with the struggling campaign have described it as a “shitshow”.

There was a sliding doors moment in July 2020 when a cash-strapped Football Australia, having won the hosting rights with New Zealand for the World Cup, started looking for a coach to take the Matildas to the big tournament.

Then chairman Chris Nikou had intermediaries approach wealthy Australians with the task of raising $1.5m of the $3m three-year deal needed to lure legendary two-time World Cup winning US coach Jill Ellis. They had 7-10 days but could not raise the money.

Matildas fever was not anywhere near as high then as it is now.

Current US coach Emma Hayes, fresh from a star run as Chelsea coach, was also approached but she reportedly pulled out due to family considerations.

That led to Football Australia appointing Gustavsson.

He made the semi-final but while his motivational skills have been prominent – witness his scarf-wearing moves at the start of each World Cup match – he has never convinced with his tactical acumen.

Originally published as Paris Games 2024: Matildas sent packing after loss to the USA