The Czech Republic have a habit of holding highly ranked sides to 0-0 draws. Last year they did it to the United States and England, the world’s No 1 and 4 respectively. What do Australia have that they – arguably two of the World Cup favourites – do not? Nothing at all before half-time, and after that quite a bit of Hayley Raso, a little bit of Sam Kerr and a record-breaking Clare Polkinghorne, with the help of some well-used substitutes.
What a 4-0 win means for the Matildas in the next six months is completely open to interpretation, so difficult is it to glean meaningful takeaways from friendly tournaments such as the Cup of Nations. This one, being in a World Cup year, has been dressed up as a practice run for the real thing in July. Tony Gustavsson will not stop saying “rehearsal” and “tournament mode” – he may well have been muttering these words into his ever-present headset on the sideline.
