Australia slump to second defeat to Canada after early promise fades

Three days ago the Matildas were in crisis. There were 320 days until a home World Cup and a 1-0 friendly loss to Canada indicated – once again – that getting anywhere near the trophy was basically an insurmountable task. Tony Gustavsson, the man appointed to steer an underperforming Australia to said trophy, was starting to be seen as less like a nice-natured, slightly quirky man with a very good plan and more like a slick corporate type who delivers interesting TED talks but whose advice is not quite working for those he was hired to help.

On Tuesday night, with 317 days to go, he emerged for the rematch at Allianz Stadium wearing a hospital-white hoodie and white trainers, Matildas merchandise around his neck and an earpiece that had him looking every bit the new-age life coach. He had just told media the previous day that he still had the backing of Football Australia and pleaded with external forces to trust in the process.

For the opening half, at least, it was a case of crisis, what crisis? You could practically hear Sam Kerr scream it from the pitch as she set up Mary Fowler’s opening goal within three minutes and her side spent the next 42 suffocating the reigning Olympic gold medallists into what had all the ingredients of a lopsided scoreline very much in their favour. At the very stadium set to host their opening World Cup group match next July, this was some sort of omen.

But the thing about bright starts when it comes to this Australian team is that they have a tendency to fade. And so it went; three minutes after the break Manchester United’s Adriana Leon equalised for Canada, the Matildas dropped the intensity and Leon ensured it was 2-1 by the time the opening hour was out. There the score stands,