The Matildas know they can’t let Brazil again take the upper hand and physically work over and frustrate them when they face off for a second time in four days.
Brazil won Thursday’s night’s friendly match, which turned into a physical, fiery and spiteful affair, 3-1 at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday.
It only grew in intensity, with Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso particularly incensed by their treatment. The Brazilians ended up with 10 players after Vitoria Calhau was sent off in the 86th minute for a second yellow card offence.
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“It was a super-physical game. We expect that from Brazil, but it definitely was another level tonight,” skipper Steph Catley said.
“Maybe it wasn’t controlled early enough, and it then got a little bit reckless as the game opened up, and people got a bit more tired. So that was a little bit disappointing.
“But a lot of the duels we had, we saw Caitlin and Raso fighting up there and trying to keep the ball and trying to make chances from what we could, and in games like that you just have to ride the wave at points.
“We tried to figure things out at times. We didn’t get it right. And it’ll be something we have to go back and look at.
“We tried to match it and do our best in that area. But obviously, we didn’t do enough.”
Interim boss Tom Sermanni noted Brazil’s pace and physicality early proved the difference, but lamented the lack of authority from the referee.
“I don’t think the referee necessarily determined the outcome of the game, but she certainly determined how the game was played,” he said.
“And with her lack of control and allowing Brazil to basically bully her, it changed the dynamic of the game and made it a little bit more difficult for us.
“So that certainly had, I think, an impact.
“Our players did as well as they could. They showed the frustration to the referee, but they still, I thought, maintained the discipline within the game, and didn’t do anything reckless.
“But it became very frustrating, and it did dictate, I think, how the game was played. We just hope that, obviously, that doesn’t happen in the second game.”
There were huge chunks of additional time in each half, with some Brazil players injured but others regularly going down for treatment for cramp.
Catley noted Australia played into Brazil’s hands and needed to be better on the Gold Coast on Sunday.
“It is frustrating but unfortunately that’s international football,” she said.
“And that’s part of playing against teams like this. They’re very street smart, and we let them get two goals early, and that opens the door to those kind of tactics, and that’s on us.
“If we’re in the game and we haven’t let them score, then they have to score, and they don’t have time to do stuff like that.
“That’s international football. It’s frustrating, but you’ve got to try and keep your head as much as you can and hope that the referees are controlling it and giving us as much of a chance, despite the tactics.”