Australia v Canada results, scores, kick off time, program, entertainment, tips, odds, how to watch
How would you sum up the Matildas first game against Canada last week? Hard to watch.
Tony Gustavsson, fresh from overseeing a historic home World Cup semi-final run and a trio of Olympic qualifying wins in Perth, sought to use this international window to test young players.
On Saturday, Gustavsson’s version of giving young players a chance was throwing a second-string XI (barring perhaps Clare Polkinghorne, Aivi Luik and Tameka Yallop) in the deep end and asking them to show him what they can do with little on-field support or direction.
From an outsider’s perspective, it appeared somewhat futile. It is hard to gauge the potential of debutants Charlize Rule and Sarah Hunter when neither are debuting in circumstances that might be considered typical of the Matildas, both in personnel and playing style. One can only imagine how it might feel for the players themselves who, instead of gradually building minutes within a stable, slightly altered XI, have all been sent out with each other. Against the Olympic champions.
