Before he was a head coach, Tony Gustavsson was a school teacher.
He channelled that energy before the Matildas defeated Brazil 3-1 in their first game back on Australian soil. In his pre-match press conference, Gustavsson brought a whiteboard and markers to illustrate a point to a Zoom meeting full of journalists.
“I use this metaphor,” he said while drawing a circle. He added some arrows, another circle and a squiggly line.
“At any high-performance environment there’s a lot of pressure from the outside,” he explained. There was plenty of that heading into this game.
Women’s football in Australia as a whole has had a dark cloud hanging over it since allegations of historical abuse, harassment and bullying were revealed earlier this month. The revelations shocked the community but also spawned abuse and harassment directed at current and former Matildas.
On top of that, there has been angst about the Matildas’ on-field performance following their loss to Ireland last month. The return home under strict COVID safety protocols added even more pressure.
“In a high-performance environment there’s also a lot of pressure from the inside,” Gustavsson continued.
Athletes and coaches are by necessity highly competitive people who don’t enjoy losing.
Add in the fact that this was Gustavsson’s first game in Australia since becoming head coach, as well as Alanna Kennedy’s 100th game – two motivating factors in any team.
And then there’s the opponent, Brazil. A team the Matildas haven’t lost to in five games. A team with whom the Matildas share an intense rivalry. A team fans and players alike don’t want to lose to.
So all of this pressure, from internal and external forces, coalesced on the pitch at CommBank Stadium.
And that night at least, the Matildas existed in the squiggly line of Gustavsson’s metaphor. The sliver between internal and external forces. The high-performance zone, as he dubbed it.
Before a ball had been kicked, the team were in that zone. For 19 months the Matildas have been deprived firstly of football and then of home crowds.
Since April, the team has lined up on a pitch and heard the national anthem and been the only ones singing it. But today they were joined by 15,270 fans less the Brazilians who made their own noise and added to the atmosphere.
The adrenaline rush of singing the anthem together, of being surrounded by home fans, showed with a frantic opening stanza.
Australia always looked like scoring first and through Clare Polkinghorne they did, whose typically euphoric celebration was matched by the home crowd.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Sam Kerr was a provider, teeing up Polkinghorne for the opener and playing a role in the build-up of the third goal.
Mary Fowler was once again glittering, scoring the Matildas’ second goal. Her ascent from teenage prodigy to bona fide superstar continues at a rapid rate.
Ellie Carpenter showed her quality and was industrious and attacking.
Kyra Cooney-Cross, deployed as the six, put in a shift any domestique would be proud of.
Emily van Egmond, unshackled from the six, played only a half but provided the assist for Fowler and scored a goal of her own. Her value in the front half of the pitch was plain to see.
The use of the back four proved to be fruitful, despite the few shaky moments and the unfortunate error which led to Brazil’s only goal.
It was exactly what the team needed and what the 15,270 people in the stands and the thousands more watching on TV wanted to see.
Round two takes place on Tuesday night and is set to be just as exhilarating but with a little less pressure.
Not that the team will mind. Pre-match, Gustavsson put the whiteboard away and wrapped up his metaphor: “We need to get used to performing under pressure.”
A World Cup on home soil is set to involve plenty of performing under pressure.
Simoc
Guest
That was excellent entertainment. There's always things to work on but if we copy the USA style (attack) from the last World Cup we will be a chance every time. The goalkeeper doesn't make me overly confident and while the defence was better I'm not sure the Brazilians won't expose us tomorrow if they use the quick breaks and understand each other a little better. Carpenter looked dangerous from the start. I don't like this passing around at the back. They have always stuffed up at it and there doesn't look to be enough intent (eg time for a breather). But we're creating chances and converting enough to win. Well done Matildas.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
It was a very good home coming performance by the Matildas. I have been one of Gustavsson's critics of his appointment, but in this match he got it right. Still a lot more needs to be done to match the Swedes and the USA come world cup time. I really would like our girls to look hard at how they can improve their first touch and composure. Too many times we have seen their first touch go astray, which results in giving away silly goals. However, the commitment our girls showed on Saturday night was second to none. The TV ratings at the Olympics and on Saturday night showed they are truly the darlings of Australian sport. Well done Matildas!
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
I understood what you meant. I thought it was a more than fair assessment. No apology necessary.
Marissa Lordanic
Expert
I know a couple of you have picked up on my use of pressure release which maybe wasn't the best choice of words. I meant it in the sense that there is a relief in getting a win, particularly at home after so long away and after the Ireland result. I didn't mean that there's suddenly no pressure on the team or that any of the things I discussed that added pressure to this fixture have suddenly been resolved. Hope that clarifies things a bit.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
I would say this was a blue print not a pressure release for how to play in the world cup and return to the good old days. Its also a shame we didnt see this at the Olympics. The back three has been one of the two massive problems the Matildas have. A lot of their build up play has been fullback and winger interchanging passes in the past. Also the back three resulted in the choice of poor old players. The other massive problem Van Egmond finally not in the starting lineup , her combination of slow lumbering movement in defense, justing standing and staring at players instead of defending,and backward passes has been holding the team back for the last 4 years. I dont accept this was a friendly, that Swedish coach of Brazil is a known maniac of the physical stuff, freed of Van Egmond you finally could see the mobility and intensity the Matildas possess without her. It did result in a lot of brutal physical stuff, Yallops MMA knockout knee to the head, head clashes, late challenges. Cooney-Cross put in the best no 6 performance I have seen for the Matildas. She took the ball under pressure turned and pass forward. Her and Mary Fowler both very capable in this regard and both looked much fitter than in the Olympics. Mary Fowler showed her versatility changing to more attacking positions. Ellie Carpenter finally was free from the shackles of the back three and was all over the park. Ironically Van Egmond came on in the second half in a more advanced position to setup and score a goal. While she is less of a liability in this position even then she hardly made a forward pass in the second half, while other players busted a gut to track back, the slow moving jog was back despite her being a fresh sub. For some reason Sam Kerr drifted wide and setup play which worked quite well, setting up the third goal for Van Egmond.
sportstar111
Roar Rookie
Pressure release? A pressure release will only come when the those behind the alleged toxic culture are held to account. A meaningless friendly win (only their 2nd win in 13 matches) is not a pressure release given the gravely serious allegations. I struggle to believe if this was a male team with comparable allegations that such a meaningless friendly win would be described as a pressure release.
Tigertown
Guest
Nicely done, Marissa. I spent this morning excitedly recounting the Matilda’s epic win over Brazil to my wife. I felt like a kid at Christmas time! Such a nice present to wake up to, acknowledging our success. Hats off to the loyal Brazilians in the crowd. Their chanting & dancing was awesome.