The Matildas have been given a reality check just over 12-months out from the Asian Cup on home soil with their defending in a 4-0 defeat to Japan at the SheBelieves Cup labelled “un-Australian” by interim coach Tom Sermanni.
Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
The gulf in class between the two sides in Houston could not have been more evident as Australia succumbed to its largest ever losing margin to its biggest regional rival.
If they’re to lift the Asian Cup next year then improvement in every facet of the game will be needed. This performance will either prove to be just a bad day at the office or an almighty warning sign.
The only positive from a dire outing is that the flaws have been ruthlessly exposed now when there’s still more than enough time to turn things around.
READ MORE
‘NOWHERE NEAR GOOD ENOUGH’: Matildas hammered in thumping defeat to old rival
‘DIFFICULT TO WATCH’: Matildas torn to shreds over ‘unacceptable’ bloodbath
‘UN-AUSTRALIAN’ DEFENDING
It was tough watching for interim coach Tom Sermanni.
This was the seventh match of his third stint in charge of the national side and it ended with the biggest defeat of that period.
The 70-year-old has a unique way of delivering bad news in a polite way, but even his assessment of the performance against Japan landed like a sledgehammer.
There are few things that hit home more than being labelled “un-Australian,” but there could be no other assessment of the Matildas effort without the ball in his 145th match at the helm of the Matildas.
“We want to be a team that is hard to beat and to be honest today, we really gave up some soft goals,” Sermanni said.
“I just felt some of the goals that we gave up were very poor, and that’s kind of un-Australian.”
A CLASH OF STYLES
The opening five minutes of the match told the story of the entire game.
Japan retained possession with poise, patience and a huge dose of technical skill. The Matildas, in contrast, routinely turned the ball over on the back of a relentless and organised Japan press.
It was 2-0 at half-time but could’ve easily have been more and Japan’s third goal in the 52nd minute came off the back of a free-flowing 14-pass move that culminated with Maika Hamano being able to almost walk the ball into the back of the net.
“Sometimes you just have to sit back say ‘you know what, we were just played off the field today’ and that’s what we were,” Sermanni said.
“They were quicker to every ball, they kept possession fantastically; when we tried to press, they broke out of the press, when we sat back they managed to play through us so sometimes you have one of those games.
“I’d like to give you X, Y and Z as to why it happened, but in reality, they were just very, very good today and we were a bit off.”
Strangely, the Matildas were second best when it came to aerial challenges as well.
Japan’s fourth goal, which came via a Moeka Minami header, was one of many duels Australia lost in the air. It was uncharacteristic to say the least. They’re moments that even on a bad day the Matildas are usually in control of.
“I just felt some of the goals that we gave up were very poor,” was Sermanni’s assessment.
Physicality and intensity are the fallbacks when tactically things aren’t going to plan for Australia, but those attributes are only able to be applied when you can get near your opponent. That was something that proved out of reach.
The Matildas gameplan seemed to revolve around trying to win possession off long balls and playing off the back of that higher up the pitch and out of danger.
Japan produced a masterclass that was in complete contrast.
Their technical ability allowed them to keep the ball for long periods of time, shifting the Matildas defensive formation around until an opening appeared which they exposed with efficiency.
Sermanni, when asked where it all went wrong, didn’t try to deflect or make excuses.
“We were outplayed football wise, we were outplayed physically, we were outplayed, I think, mentally and outplayed in our decision making.”
ONE SHOT FOR THE MATCH
The statistical summation of the game doesn’t make for pretty reading for Australia.
The lone shot at goal came in the 87th minute and off the boot of left back Charli Grant, who was a second-half substitute for captain Steph Catley.
The attempt cannoned into the crossbar, but as spectacular as it would’ve been had it nestled into the back of the net, it still would’ve been little more than a consolation goal.
Grant’s effort came on the end of a nine pass move that followed a near miss-kick from Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold that offered Japan the chance to make it 5-0.
It was a rare moment of cohesion from a side that looked largely disjointed.
Japan finished with 18 shots and 8 on target.
MARY FOWLER
Fowler is one of the most technically gifted players in the Australian set-up but finding ways to get her into the game in green and gold has been problematic.
She came into this tournament with three goals and five assists from her last four games for club side Manchester City. It gave her the honour of being the first player in the history of the Women’s Super League to record at least two goal involvements in four straight matches.
This loss doesn’t fall on Fowler’s shoulders by any stretch, but the question of how to ensure she can have the most impact on matches remains unsolved.
The 22-year-old was able to get on the ball more in the second half, but a lack of possession from Australia more generally, hindered her ability to hurt Japan.
A fully firing Fowler isn’t the answer to all of Australia’s problems, but it certainly is part of the jigsaw.
THE SELECTION TABLE
Sermanni named a full-strength side to face Japan.
If this was the Asian Cup final then the team the Matildas would put out would be almost the same.
There’d be a lineball call on whether Sharn Freier, Kaitlyn Torpey or Tameka Yallop started on the left, but apart from that the starting eleven would be identical if everyone was fit and available for selection.
A performance that led to a defeat like this with an experimental side would be understandable.
This result against Australia’s best possible side is problematic.
“It was a pretty huge wake-up call I think,” Sermanni said.
City sliced and diced by Mbappe hattrick | 02:18
THE NEW KIT
On a day when Football Australia launched its new kit there was a frustrating sense of familiarity to the Matildas’ struggles in possession against a highly technical opponent.
That had nothing to do with the strip of course.
The jersey has been met with mixed reviews online, but Australian football fans might just find it grows on them.
Some kits look better on the field with shorts and socks included than hanging on the rack at your local retail outlet.
This one has the feel of being a collector’s item in 20-years-time, similar to the jersey worn by the Socceroos between 1990 and 1993 which is sought after right now.
Give it time.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Matildas have just three days to learn and move on from this result before running into tournament hosts America in Glendale, Arizona on Monday morning (AEDT).
Sermanni, who is holding the fort while Football Australia continues its search for Tony Gustavsson’s full-time replacement, has his work cut out for him.
“As a professional you need to bounce back after bad results and this will be a good test and probably a benchmark for the team to see if we’re able to do that in the next two games,” he said.
As affable as the interim is, he has left his players in no doubt as to what is now required.
Yuri Mayoral
Read More