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Opinion
Across the two recent matches against Brazil, the Matildas were outplayed, out-enthused, out-skilled, out-muscled and perhaps most importantly, out-thought.
The visitors were by far the better team in the opening clash last Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium, despite Caitlin Foord pulling a goal back for the Australians after they had fallen two down.
The pattern continued on Sunday night on the Gold Coast when Brazil once again pounced early and established a multiple-goal lead.
It was fortunate for the Matildas that Teagan Micah was in goal and able to make a number of early saves. Otherwise, the 2-0 lead after 40 minutes could easily have been three or four.
Cumulatively, Brazil managed 38 shots on goal across the two games and the Australians just 26. There were also more shots on target despite the home side holding a marginal advantage in overall possession.
It is more than fair to suggest that in reflection, Arthur Elias’ team appeared better prepared to take on a playing group they know well.
It is also fair to suggest that whenever the two nations have met in international women’s football, there has usually been little between them.
That was potentially the source of the passion and some of the spicy stuff we saw in both matches.
The Aussies gave as good as they got but Brazil did appear to get under the skin of the locals and the home fans booed and hissed along at some of the agricultural challenges and the constant injuries being experienced by Brazilian goal-keeper Lorena.
But the fans got it wrong and from their naturally biased position of supporting the darlings of Australian team sport, they felt the Brazilians had played dirty and used every trick in the book to get the win.
Sadly, many of those in the stands are clearly new to football and lacking in a nuanced understanding of how the game is played at the top level.
Alanna Kennedy. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Brazil played two nice games of football. They made the contest physical and scored some lovely goals that exposed the Australians at the back.
There were less dangerous moments heading the other way and as the Matildas continue to slip down the world rankings, it will be interesting to see whether that slide has continued when the next set is announced on December 10.
In a nutshell, the Matildas are 15 in the world with a reverse bullet and probably heading further south. Yet you would not know it considering the fallout following the matches.
Many fans walked away talking about the tactics of the Brazilians, the seemingly over-exaggerated injury delays and some of the cynical stuff that took place in challenges.
Instead, what they should have been discussing is an extremely relaxed stand-in coach Tom Sermanni who looks to be lacking urgency and the fact that the gap between number eight in the world and the Australians seven places lower seems considerable at this point in time.
It was difficult not the think of just how harshly the Socceroos would have been assessed had they been handled with such ease by a team they reportedly believed they could beat.
That happens regularly and, as is always the case, the Socceroos copped a media and ex-player beating after the loss to Bahrain to start the third round of World Cup qualifying.
It continued after a draw with Indonesia, yet since, the team is unbeaten in four and ramping up for the next set of matches in March.
The qualifying pressure has eased a little, and the media backed off somewhat, especially after the gutsy draw with Japan away from home, yet another loss in the new year will have the knives out again and the blowtorch applied.
Not so for the Matildas, it seems. They appear to be able to do no wrong and the rather absurd scenes of young women grappling and begging for player’s shoes after the match suggested to me that some may not even have known the result of the game.
Could it be that brand Matilda is distorting the view of the team’s performances on the pitch, which have been mostly poor since the arrival of Tony Gustavsson, and somehow protecting the coaching team and squad from more intense scrutiny that should be coming their way based on the comprehensive losses to Brazil?
I would argue yes, as uncomfortable as that view might be for some to take.
Had the Socceroos been as thoroughly controlled by what we are told is an equal opponent, the fallout would have been extreme – as it should be if the Matildas do not improve drastically against Chinese Taipei tonight.