Doors opened for supporting actors to make their mark before the Paris Games
Tony Gustavsson adds that Australia will use a game in Texas “as learning.”
In Short
- Tony gustavsson’s australia faces mexico in a game where experimentation with new formations and strategies takes precedence.
- Injuries to key players have prompted a need for adaptation and selection challenges ahead of the paris olympics.
- The match serves as a crucial learning opportunity for australia’s team development.
TFD – Dive into the thrilling live coverage of the Mexico vs Australia match on Guardian Australia’s blog. Experience the excitement as the Wednesday’s kickoff at 10 a.m. AEST marks the clash between the two teams in a highly anticipated football showdown.
Tony Gustavsson adds that Australia will use a game in Texas “as learning.”
When the Matildas play Mexico on Tuesday in Texas (Wednesday am in Australia), they might not look the same since Tony Gustavsson’s team is experimenting with new formations and strategies during the extended one-game international window.
After the World Cup, the team appeared to be reasonably settled, but injuries to key players forced repeated changes. Now, the coach has just three games left to finalize his plan before the Paris Olympics start in July.
Gustavsson described the Florida training camp as “a massive opportunity for us to try different things, different players, different tactics, different game management stuff in a closed-door environment.”
This camp’s training has largely consisted of us trying out stuff we’ve been meaning to improve for the Olympics. We’re going to try a number of different things tomorrow and see where we are at in the process; I don’t like the word experiment too much.
“We’re going into Mexico to use the game as a learning tool, not just to go out and win the game.”
The Olympic football teams have merely sixteen outfield players and two goalkeepers, as opposed to twenty and three for the World Cup the previous year. This means Gustavsson will have a difficult time selecting which players to bring to France.
The Swede claimed that he was forced to view the camp as a chance to “look at some other players and test our depth in the roster, and also look at some players in different positions” because so many players were missing.
Sam Kerr’s recovery from an ACL tear will prevent her from competing in the Olympics, and there’s no guarantee that center-back Clare Hunt and midfielder Katrina Gorry will fully heal in time for selection.
As a late substitute, Emily Gielnik was called up; however, she had a calf injury in training and had to return home; Aivi Luik was forced to withdraw due to a hamstring problem; Courtney Nevin and Chloe Logarzo were not available due to hip issues.
The Matildas’ performance in the 2023 home World Cup came largely from their center combinations of Alanna Kennedy in defense and Gorry and Kyra Cooney-Cross in midfield.
During this most recent seven-day training camp, the squad tested a number of different options in the backline, according to Gustavsson.
According to Gustavsson, he was debating whether to switch up their formation and use three at the back, like they did at the Olympics in Tokyo, or to stick with four in the backline in place of Hunt.
“We’re not just trying to play the greatest team we can against Mexico tomorrow; we’re also trying to find answers. We have to be brave enough to do that.”
Along with seasoned athlete Michelle Heyman, relative newbies Clare Wheeler, Amy Sayer, Kaitlyn Torpey, and Cortnee Vine will be fighting for a berth on the Olympic roster.
Although Mexico, which is rated 31st in the world (Australia is ranked 12th), did not make it to the Olympics or the World Cup last year, encouraging recent performances indicate that they are capable of competing against teams with higher rankings.
Gustavsson stated, “I think it’s going to be an extremely good test in terms of Mexico’s pressing style.” “How will we attack such a pressing team? How will our offensive strategy be structured? They will be a very structured and competitive team, so how can we dismantle them or make advantage of the areas they provide us?
“They recently defeated the US there, demonstrating their ability to compete against very strong opposition, and that will be a huge test for us.”
Watch the match live on Guardian Australia’s blog as it happens vs Mexico. Wednesday’s kickoff starts at 10 a.m. AEST.
Conclusion
Witness the evolution of Australia’s football strategy as they face Mexico in an experimental match. This game not only tests new formations but also prepares the team for the upcoming Paris Olympics. Tune in to Guardian Australia’s live blog for real-time updates and analysis of this exciting encounter.
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