An Australian football great has declared the Matildas have a Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler problem after crashing to another loss on home soil.
The Matildas lost captain Steph Catley in the warm-up before falling to a 2-1 defeat to Brazil in a pulsating international friendly on the Gold Coast.
After losing to the Brazilians 3-1 in Brisbane three days earlier, Australia were left with plenty to work on as they target playing their best football at the 2026 Asian Cup on home soil.
Despite a Hayley Raso strike getting the Matildas on the board, a lack of potency up front was once again exposed by Brazil.
The team is sorely missing captain and striker Sam Kerr who has been out of action with an ACL tear since January while fellow strike weapon Mary Fowler has withdrawn from the recent friendlies because of mental health concerns.
Former Australian football star and commentator Andy Harper said the Matildas were the stronger team in creating chances, but were not converting them, with the absence of Kerr and Fowler having a huge impact.
The Matildas have been missing Sam Kerr up front for almost a year after she tore her ACL
Mary Fowler also recently announced she is taking a break from the national side to manage mental health concerns
‘The difference between the teams is the quality in transition,’ Harper said in commentary for Network 10.
‘Australia have had a greater share of good circumstances but haven’t made the Brazil keeper be excellent.
‘Brazil have had fewer chances and they’ve made (Matildas keeper) Teagan Micah be excellent. And I think that’s the story.’
Fellow commentator Grace Gill said it was a worrying sign after a number of genuine chances went begging.
‘After what looked like a really promising attack with five yellow shirts streaming ahead, just the three blue Brazil shirts to defend,’ Gill said.
‘Just couldn’t get that pass right in that final moment, that final bit of execution that quality the Matildas need in that final third is not there at the moment and it’s hurting them.’
Interim coach Tony Sermanni agreed that finishing had let them down.
‘With a little bit better decision-making and more finesse in the final third I think we would have got something out of the game,’ Sermanni said.
Hayley Raso was strong for Australia, but it was not enough to secure a win against Brazil
‘I felt quite positive in the end. The second half of the second half I thought we dominated in the end. I thought the changes we made added energy and quality to the team.’
Playing in her home city on the Gold Coast, Raso was outstanding. Apart from her goal she was up to her teeth in everything in front of 25,297 fans. Defender Ellie Carpenter also made several scything runs from the back to try to ignite the attack.
The Matildas will play two more friendlies in this international window against Chinese Taipei, with the first in Melbourne on Wednesday followed by a clash in Geelong on Saturday.
