Captain Steph Catley admits the Matildas have been given a noisy wake-up alarm at the start of their Olympics quest after being outclassed 3-0 by powerhouse Germany on a stifling, dispiriting night in the south of France.
The World Cup semi-finalists, seeking their first ever Olympic medal, were simply not allowed to find their stride against the accomplished former champions in Marseille on Thursday, on the eve of the Games start in Paris 750km away.
Germany, inspired by their brilliant winger Jule Brand, could easily have won by six or seven and the bruising setback in group B leaves Tony Gustavsson’s side immediately on the back foot in a tough group also featuring the powerful US side.
It means the Matildas, who were fourth both in the Tokyo Games and last year’s World Cup, must win their next match in Nice on Sunday against Zambia – beaten 3-0 by the US later on Thursday – or their hopes of making the quarter-finals could be quickly over.
“It’s definitely a wake-up call,” Catley, who overcame injury fears to lead the team, conceded to Channel 9 afterwards, admitting the performance had not been up to their normal standard on a sweltering evening on the Cote d’Azur.
“That’s tournament football. We’ve got two more games and we’ve got to turn it around quickly.
“We’ve got a lot to learn from here. I think at times we were on top and we let two set-pieces affect the game in a very negative way.”
To suggest her side had been on top for spells felt like stretching credulity as they barely created a worthwhile chance, with their best approach work invariably being scuppered by one poor pass or cross.
The Germans were decisive winners with two headed goals for Marina Hegering and Lea Schueller from corners, before Brand fittingly wrapped up the most comprehensive of victories after a fine team move.
Yet the victory could have been much heavier if not for a touch of profligacy in front of goal from Germany’s forwards.
The Australians, who’d suffered a blow beforehand with injury forcing Tameka Yallop out of the squad, were run ragged by Wolfsburg’s 21-year-old star Brand, who showed why she’s on Barcelona’s wanted list as she constantly carved through the green-and-gold rearguard.
She had already missed one golden chance and Germany could have been two up before they broke through with Giulia Gwinn’s 24th-minute pinpoint corner to the back post being met by a superbly timed downward header by Hegering, who had bullied her way through Ellie Carpenter and over Alanna Kennedy.
Mary Fowler, who had an ineffective night up front, nearly responded immediately afterwards, but was dispossessed when she turned to fire in the box, and the Tillies did have a couple of speculative efforts through Caitlin Foord.
Australia’s defence was again broken down at the start of the second half when Clare Hunt got caught in possession by Brand. She freed Alex Popp, whose shot was brilliantly blocked by Kennedy.
But the Australians were undone again from another Gwinn corner in the 64th minute when Schueller was left unmarked to head home from six metres out.
Brand was then rewarded for her brilliance by tapping home four minutes later after a fine team move, starting from goalkeeper Berger, shredded the green-and-gold defence.
The Germans had a fourth scrambled goal disallowed soon after for offside and threatened to inflict even more damage with the Tillies, who pushed in vain for a consolation after bringing on Michelle Heyman, surviving an even worse fate.
