On Tuesday night, with 317 days to go, he turned up for the return leg at the Allianz Stadium wearing a white hospital hoodie and white trainers, Matildas merchandise around his neck and a headset that looked every bit the new-age life coach. He had just told the media the day before that he still had the support of Football Australia and asked outside forces to trust his process. For the first half, at least, it was a case of crisis, what crisis? You could practically hear Sam Kerr screaming it from the pitch as he set up Mary Fowler’s opener inside three minutes and her side spent the next 42 suffocating the gold medalists in what had all the makings of a lopsided scoreline in their favour. . . In the very stadium that will host the opening World Cup group game next July, this was an omen of some sort. But the thing about bright starts when it comes to this Australian team is that they tend to fade. And that’s how it went; three minutes after the break, Manchester United’s Adriana Leon equalized for Canada, the Matildas lost momentum and Leon made it 2-1 before the opening hour. There the score is stable, Gustavsson’s record is now eight wins and 13 losses from 26 games in charge and his team, after all, is in crisis. And mostly because that record includes just one win from 18 matches against the world’s top 20 teams. Gustavsson acknowledged his team failed to compete well enough in the second half, but pointed to the first as proof they can “dominate a top team, not just compete with them,” even without regular starters Alanna Kennedy, Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso and Steph Catley. “I hope you understand that maybe a year and a half ago, if we were playing Canada with six starters injured, we wouldn’t have been able to dominate them like we did,” he said. “I don’t want to sit here and protect myself, but that’s how I see it. This is an improvement. “But we still have a way to go in terms of the World Cup, which means we have to put in a good 90-minute performance together. If all the players are available and we are fit, maybe we can see a complete performance for 90 minutes.” If we are to trust his process, there are positive signs to take in the next window and beyond. Australia commanded space against a physical Canada. In the first 45 minutes they worked well in transition, were smart off the ball and won it back at will. There was also strong evidence of the difference staff can make. Cortnee Vine was great in every way. Sly, clever and quick to follow, she ran awkwardly down the right alongside Ellie Carpenter’s right-back Charlotte Grant. Perhaps due to the constant attention she received from the opposition, Vine was replaced at half-time by Emily Gilnick. Katrina Gorry brought out the best in midfield and at times came out strong – she was booked after the break for a sliding challenge on Janine Beckie. The attacking spirit of Kerr and Fowler showed in the first goal when Kerr took a poor clearance from goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and set off a classic transition. Vine teed up Kerr on the right and her next cross found Fowler on the penalty spot. The 19-year-old Manchester City signing scored his eighth international goal in a manner that suggests plenty more to come. Caitlin Foord also played her part and shone on the wing before half-time before leaving the field seemingly injured. And when Kerr, running alone towards Australia’s would-be second goal, was deftly thwarted by Jade Rose, it was a sign of things to come. The Canadian defender was outstanding throughout, timing her tackles to perfection and pinpointing the through ball that Leon would run onto to complete her brace. By then the Matildas had all but evaporated, all their early promise scattered to pieces around Sydney’s glittering new stadium and their defense disintegrated enough times that when the goals came they were given ample warning. Canada, a picture of power, almost had a third when Nichelle Prince scored only for the offside flag to rule her out. Australia regained a sense of urgency as the clock ticked down, but by then there was no time left to reverse the damage that had already been done.
