The Matildas enter the France game with a fitness problem no other side in the World Cup has experienced – here’s why coach Tony Gustavsson isn’t worried
France have enjoyed the luxury of rotating their team. The Matildas hardly changed teams.
But, insists Australian coach Tony Gustavsson, when the legs get heavy at the end of Saturday’s Women’s World Cup quarter-final at Suncorp Stadium, his forwards are fit enough to prevail.
It could be the difference between a World Cup jaunt, or the chance to pursue greater glory and legacy on home soil.
Opta stats indicated that Gustavsson has so far only allowed 19 minutes per game to substitute players in the tournament, less than any other team, while no team has used fewer players in total than Matildas’ 17.
Eight players – Caitlin Foord, Ellie Carpenter, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Katrina Gorry, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Steph Catley and Mackenzie Arnold – have played 300 minutes or more.
Clare Hunt (15), Katrina Gorry (19) and Ellie Carpenter (21) had each played more than 300 minutes at the World Cup leading up to the game against France
Aussie coach Tony Gustavsson (pictured with Sam Kerr) has sent just 17 players into the paddock during the World Cup
The lack of substitutes, although Sam Kerr should step up her minutes on Saturday, is in stark contrast to Gustavsson’s long-standing rhetoric that it would take ’23 in 23′ to succeed in the World Cup.
But he is adamant that even if Saturday’s game goes into extra time, his players can perform.
“The total meters is one thing, of course, but what’s really interesting is the high speeds and the sprints and they were off the charts compared to some of the other competitors,” said Gustavsson.
We are fit, we are fast, we know that. If you look at the schedule that the players play now, it is no different in terms of matches and the number of weeks from what they do in club country.
“The funny thing about this team is that every time we shorten the time between games, they reinforce the fast game there.
“So the most intense game they’ve played so far in terms of sprints and high speeds was the one where they had less recovery time. So they bounce back extremely well.
“That’s also a matter of mentality, but it’s also thanks to the fans. The way the fans support us during the games and how loud they are, they carry us.’
French counterpart Herve Renard has used 21 of the 23 players, with only his two reserve keepers not seeing a minute.
Kyra Cooney-Cross (pictured playing against Ireland in the World Cup group stage) has also been used heavily during the tournament, but Gustavsson says the workload for his stars is similar to that of club football.
French coach Herve Renard has taken a completely different approach to his players’ fitness, having used 21 of his 23-man squad so far
Only Kadidiatou Diani and Grace Geyoro have played more than 300.
“Yeah, it could be the difference at the end of the game for the last 20, 15 minutes, you never know. We’ll see what happens tomorrow,’ Renard said.
“But it was also our games – I was able to do this because we almost qualified against Panama, because we did very well against Brazil.
“And it was important for some of the ladies in the squad to participate because they put in a lot of effort every day to be in the first eleven and it’s not easy to spend your time on the bench for so many games, even though they will all be happy if the French national team goes very far.
“But in terms of team spirit, it’s very important.”