Matildas fans had to endure a tough 90 minutes after waking up early to watch their team’s miserable Olympic defeat to Germany.
A packed crowd of fans rose at 3am to tune in to Australia’s opening Group B match in Marseille, where Tony Gustavsson’s side will face a tough challenge from their world number four opponents.
And the Matildas were no match for the Germans, who won comfortably 3-0 and left the Australians’ Olympic campaign hanging in the balance at this early stage.
Fans were less than impressed with the team’s poor performance in France and took to Reddit to voice their concerns for the team.
“Ahhhh Tillies, it’s hard to watch this at 4:30 in the morning,” said one fan when the third goal was scored.
Another said: “Not exactly what you expect when you wake up at 3am to see it.”
“This is tough for 4.30am,” said a third fan.
Other fans pointed out the World Cup semi-finalists’ lack of energy, an uncharacteristic trait for Gustavsson’s team.
Matildas fans react after Australia’s terrible Olympics opening match
Tony Gustavsson’s side fell with a whimper to Germany in Marseille
“The Matildas are so out of shape they’re not even funny anymore,” said one fan.
Another added: “This is the worst I’ve seen them play in a long time.”
But for most fans, there was only one person to blame for the Marseille team’s poor form.
“Tony Gustavsson has rarely put a foot wrong in major tournament matches during his tenure, but this one is up there with Nigeria’s nightmare,” wrote one fan on X. “Wrong tactics with high pressing and therefore starting the wrong players.”
“Tony Gustavsson is the Brad Fittler of women’s football,” said another fan. “He’s holding our team back.”
The Matildas barely created a valuable chance, any decent approach work was thwarted by poor build-up, and the Germans were decisive winners with two headed goals from Marina Hegering and Lea Schueller from corners, before Brand fittingly completed the most comprehensive of victories.
The Australians, who had suffered a major blow earlier with an injury that forced Tameka Yallop out of the team, were quickly alerted to the danger of the excellent Brand, who managed to fire home in the fourth minute after Kyra Cooney-Cross was robbed in midfield.
Shortly afterwards, a quick and terrific pass from German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger found Brand again, who cut back to Katrina Gorry and should have scored, but shot high and inelegant.
The Matildas contributed to a lively first quarter but their high line left them vulnerable to counter-attacks, and Cortnee Vine had to make a key interception to prevent Giulia Gwinn from volleying in to put the Germans ahead.
However, by the 24th minute the opening goal looked inevitable when Gwinn’s pinpoint corner to the far post was met by a perfectly timed downward header from Hegering, who had pushed her way past Ellie Carpenter.
Mary Fowler, who had an ineffective night in attack, almost responded immediately afterwards but was dispossessed as she turned into the fire in the box, and the Tillies had a couple of speculative efforts through Caitlin Foord.
The Germans could have gone even further before the break, however, but Sjoeke Nusken was halted by an excellent save from captain Steph Catley, who had won her fitness battle.
Luck was on the side of the Australians and their defence was again torn apart early in the second half when Brand took the ball from Clare Hunt, which set up Alex Popp, whose shot was brilliantly blocked by Alanna Kennedy.
The Australians were again undone by a Gwinn corner in the 64th minute, when Schueller was left unmarked and headed in from six metres.
Brand was rewarded for her brilliance by scoring four minutes later after a superb team move, started by goalkeeper Berger, tore through the green and gold defence.
The Germans had a fourth goal ruled out for offside soon after and threatened to inflict further damage on the Tillies, who pressed in vain for a consolation goal after introducing Michelle Heyman, surviving an even worse fate.