As the Matildas prepare for their final friendly against New Zealand in Adelaide on Tuesday night, all eyes are on star striker Sam Kerr, who is on the verge of returning from a calf injury. Coach Joe Montemurro has emphasized that the team’s vision remains incomplete, regardless of Kerr’s participation, as they gear up for the Asian Cup next March.
Kerr, who missed Australia’s dominant 5-0 victory over the Football Ferns in Gosford last Friday, has been training with the squad and is in contention for her first home-soil appearance in two years. “She is in the mix,” Montemurro confirmed to reporters on Monday. “She is training with us, she has been in the last two camps.”
Strategic Preparations for the Asian Cup
The upcoming match against New Zealand is more than just a friendly; it’s a critical opportunity for Montemurro to test various scenarios ahead of the Asian Cup. “We’re obviously looking at a lot of different scenarios leading into a tournament … we have to be prepared for many, many different scenarios,” he explained. “And Sam’s a component of that, like every other player.”
Montemurro acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead, particularly as Kerr and her teammates will return to their clubs after the friendly. “We’ve obviously got all the statistical data,” he noted. “But as far as we’re concerned, just with every player, we manage every player accordingly and they’re all at different levels and they’re all at different scenarios.”
Building a Cohesive Team
Despite the logistical hurdles, Montemurro remains focused on building a cohesive team capable of executing their strategic vision. “We need them here, to paint the pictures for the scenarios at the Asian Cup,” he said. “We’ve been building an idea of football because we believe it’s what we need to go ahead, not just to the Asian Cup, but as a nation and also as an elite national team.”
The coach highlighted the progress made in their recent match in Gosford, though he admitted there’s room for improvement. “We saw signs of it,” he said. “Do we need some more continuity? Absolutely. How we’re going to find that continuity when they all go away tomorrow night, it might be difficult.”
Potential Changes and Tactical Adjustments
Looking ahead to the friendly, Montemurro hinted at potential changes to the starting lineup, though he didn’t provide specifics. “There’s a couple of things — to use the expression of ticking the boxes — tactically, I still need to see a couple of things that will then give us all the scenarios and ammunition ready for the Asian Cup,” he stated. “There’s a few technical things I want to see, a few technical combinations, so there could be some changes.”
“The thing that I’ve said from day one is to get some key messages on what we believe is the best way to approach games, and we saw a good base the other night.”
As the Matildas take the field against New Zealand, the focus will not only be on Kerr’s potential return but also on the broader strategic adjustments that Montemurro is keen to implement. The outcome of this match will provide valuable insights as the team continues to refine their approach ahead of the Asian Cup.
With the tournament on the horizon, the Matildas are poised to leverage these preparatory matches to solidify their tactics and foster team cohesion, ensuring they are well-equipped for the challenges that lie ahead.
