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No backing down for Milicic's Matildas

3 minute read

The stakes have been raised at the Women's World Cup and Matildas coach Ante Milicic is confident his side will rise to the challenge.

Australian assistant coach ANTE MILICIC looks on during the Australian Socceroos Training Session at the Gloria Football Club in Antalya, Turkey.
Australian assistant coach ANTE MILICIC looks on during the Australian Socceroos Training Session at the Gloria Football Club in Antalya, Turkey. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Ante Milicic and the Matildas might be staring at the World Cup abyss but they won't be changing their ways against Brazil.

After losing their tournament opener against Italy, the Matildas must now get results against Brazil and Jamaica if they are to guarantee progression to the next phase.

The gung-ho, confident, attacking gameplay is here to stay and Milicic believes it will deliver Australia the breakthrough the team needs against the South Americans.

"Not now after one game that we're thinking we need to tweak things," he said.

"It's up to these girls in the next two games to really show what they are made of and I am confident.

"I really believe in them as characters and I am sure they are going to put on a good performance in the next two games."

While Brazil are unsure whether playmaker Marta - hailed as the game's best ever female footballer - will play after she sat out the 3-0 defeat of Jamaica on Sunday.

The Matildas also have injury concerns with Caitlin Foord, Ellie Carpenter and Lisa De Vanna all picking up issues of various descriptions against Italy.

With Elise Kellond-Knight and Mary Fowler also on the comeback trail, Milicic will wait until matchday before picking his team.

Australia can at least fall back on a four-match winning run against the world No.10s, with two engrossing meetings at the last two international tournaments.

At the last World Cup, Australia edged Brazil in the last 16, when Kyah Simon's goal made the Matildas the first senior team to win a knockout game at the tournament.

A year later at the Olympics, Brazil edged a penalty shootout in the quarter-final after a scoreless draw.

Defender Alanna Kennedy said she reached out to Marta, her NWSL club teammate, to ask whether she'd be playing.

"I did speak to her and try to get it out of her. She did text me back and said 'I'm fine and good luck'," she said.

"No matter what she's going to have moments where she will absolutely shine because she's a world class player."

While Australia has been criticised for losing to Italy and Brazil snapped a nine-game losing streak against Jamaica, the Matildas are still confident of triumphing in Montpellier.

Milicic, a meticulous coach with a focus on preparation, has reviewed the tapes and - for the most part - liked what he saw against Italy.

"We dominated possession. We dominated shots on goal and we dominated territory," he said.

"In the end we created enough chances to win the game but unfortunately we've made an error in build up. That happens.

"I really feel like we deserved something from the game but that's the World Cup. We got nothing."

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