In the luck of the draw, the Matildas have been decidedly unlucky. The aim of the game in Auckland on Saturday was to avoid Canada and be placed with lesser contenders from the other pots. Instead, the Australia find themselves in Group B with Olympic gold medallists Canada, a rapidly improving Ireland and African heavyweights Nigeria. It is, as coach Tony Gustavsson, said, “a very, very trough draw”.
The state of play
Ireland in particular shape as a potential stumbling block the Matildas could do without, but Canada is the real problem. The world No 7s have forged a built a level of consistency that makes them favourites to top the group and, should Australia finish second, they will head straight for a perilous first knockout tie with the winners of Group D, looking at this stage to be European champions England. Lose that and it would mean a humiliating early exit from a home tournament.
Should Australia top their group they will face the runner-up of Group D, likely to be either Asian champions China or Denmark, the latter of whom Gustavsson’s side beat 3-1 in a friendly earlier this month. After that, the likes of Germany, France or Brazil potentially await in the quarter-finals.
“For me, there’s a difference between expectations and belief,” Gustavsson said. “I feel that we have the belief from our fans and from a nation and, with that belief and the support, that means we have an extra player on the field.
“Expectations is more about people speculating, what can we expect of this team based off rankings, historical results, the draw and all those things. But I leave that to others and ocus on is the belief.”
The matches
20 July: Australia v Ireland – Allianz Stadium, Sydney
27 July: Australia v Nigeria – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
31 July: Canada v Australia – AAMI Park, Melbourne
The teams
Ireland
Fifa ranking: 24
Coach: Vera Pauw
Best World Cup result: None
Ireland are one of five debutants in the expanded 32-team tournament, alongside Morocco, the Philippines, Vietnam and Zambia, and will mark their first appearance at a major competition on the 50th anniversary of the Women’s Football Association of Ireland. Really, though, the most significant advancements have occurred over the past five years since the national team of 2017 threatened to boycott over paltry wages and resources. Pauw, since taking over in 2019, has prioritised playing high-quality opposition with a view to growth.
A year ago they beat the Matildas 3-2 in Dublin. “Australia were the better team, of course,” Pauw said. “But somehow we managed to win. It was a fantastic game, and that was a turning point in our real belief that we can do something.” They will have to do that something under the intense spotlight of Australia’s opening match in front of home Sydney support. “The more pressure, the better,” she said. “It’s about a task that you have to execute, it’s not about how many people are in the stands. The bigger the stage, the better, because this is what we dreamed for.”
Nigeria
Fifa ranking: 45
Coach: Randy Waldrum
Best World Cup result: Quarter-finals (1999)
Once the undisputed powerhouse of African women’s football, Nigeria are on their worst run of results to date. This month’s 2-0 friendly loss to Japan in Kobe was the Super Falcons’ fifth consecutive defeat and pressure is mounting on manager Waldrum, who took the reins in 2020. At July’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the American oversaw a fourth-placed finish – their equal-lowest and a disappointment for a team who won 11 of the previous 13 tournaments.
Equalling their round-of-16 berth at France 2019 seems a tall task in this group and Australia have the historical upper hand, having defeated them 2-0 in the group stage of Canada 2015. But the quality of this group of players, including Barcelona forward and 2022 Ballon d’Or Féminin nominee Asisat Oshoala, is undeniable.
“Our expectations are to make it out of our group and make a deep run at the World Cup,” Waldrum said earlier in October before the draw. “We feel like we have the talent to do that, and right now we just need time to gather the team and prepare properly.”
Canada
Fifa ranking: 7
Coach: Bev Priestman
Best World Cup result: Quarter-finals (2015)
Canada cemented themselves as a World Cup contender when they won gold at last year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Since then they have further matured under Priestman and are unbeaten in 2022 apart from a 1-0 loss to the top-ranked United States in July’s Concacaf Women’s Championship final. One of their victims this year was Australia, who they beat 1-0 and 2-1 in Brisbane and Sydney last month. Those friendly wins – with an understrength squad – make them clear favourites to top the group.
“That experience will definitely be invaluable for sure,” Priestman said after the draw. “But, at the end of the day, what matters is when they play us in a World Cup. And I think for them, after two losses at home, they’re going to want to come out and show that when it really matters. So we can’t underestimate them. Our group, it could be worse but it could be better. I’m feeling good.”
