Wiggles blamed as Matildas gamble backfires in U.S. defeat

Josh Thomas

•
Wiggles blamed as Matildas gamble backfires in U.S. defeat image

The Matildas were made to pay for a poor start against the United States as they were handed a 3-0 defeat in a friendly on Saturday. 

A goal after 24 seconds for the visitors gave Australia an immediate hill to climb with two key factors contributing to that early set-back. 

Elsewhere, a massive crowd did give the Matildas something to smile about as the USWNT reminded everyone why they are ranked first in the world. 

Here's what we learned from the Matildas first friendly against the United States...

The Wiggles blamed for disastrous Matildas start

After delivering some pre-match entertainment at Stadium Australia, The Wiggles then lined up in front of the Matildas as they sung the national anthem. 

The bizarre sight followed a typically passionate U.S. anthem with Australian players in comparison left laughing rather than fired up by their rendition. 

The Matildas were then caught cold on the pitch with the USWNT scoring after just 24 seconds following a quick break forward. 

Though a rookie centre-back pairing also played its part in the goal, some felt The Wiggles should also share some of the blame. 

National anthems can really set the tone for a match and unfortunately Australia's favourite children's musical group may not have been the right choice for a side looking to take down the best team in the world.  






Centre-back gamble backfires

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson made the bold decision to start teenagers Courtney Nevin and Jessika Nash as the side's two centre-backs on Saturday. 

At just 17, Nash was making her debut against the world number one team, while 19-year-old Nevin had only played twice prior for the senior side. 

While there's nothing wrong with giving youth a chance, particularly in a friendly, filling both positions with such inexperienced players was a gamble and one that quickly backfired. 

The USWNT made the most of some early nerves and hesitancy to score after just 24 seconds as they carved through the Matildas back-line. 

Australia's defence failed to deal convincingly with a bouncing ball and were out-muscled by a hungry U.S. attack that continued to run riot in the first 10 minutes. 


The Matildas and their young defenders would grow into the game but the decision not to field at least one experienced centre-back meant they were forced to chase the game. 

Ellie Carpenter was also eventually switched to centre-back for the second half with Nash subbed off as Gustavsson seemingly conceded he got his starting side wrong. 

Both Nash and Nevin seem to have bright futures but were thrown in the deep end against a side that was always going to pounce on any slip-ups. 

Depleted USWNT highlight their depth as record crowd left disappointed

They were missing superstars Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan but the United States still managed to show their quality across the pitch. 

Debutant goalkeeper Casey Murphy was impressive between the sticks, while Ashley Hatch scored her first goal for the team in just her third appearance. 

The USWNT also managed to shine in the face of a record home crowd for the Matildas with 36,109 fans showing up at Stadium Australia despite some lingering rain. 

While they could only finish third at the recent Olympics, it's clear the U.S. still have a quality squad with plenty of depth and promising players coming through. 

Australia, meanwhile, must go back to the drawing board on the pitch, but their support on home soil has never been stronger and bodes well ahead of the 2023 Women World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. 

Josh Thomas