Why worry? Matildas boss unfazed by Asian Cup countdown

Perth Now

08-07-2025

Just under eight months separates Joe Montemurro's Matildas from the Women's Asian Cup on home soil — more accurately, it equates to two international windows and four games.
But having signed off his first window in charge with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Panama at HBF Park on Tuesday night, Montemurro was adamant it was more than enough time to adequately prepare the Matildas for a title tilt.
Sans eight players who would be considered first choice, Australia overcame a resolute Panama thanks to two Michelle Heyman goals — both assisted by Hayley Raso's right foot — and a late Charli Grant goal.
Australia were without a coach for 10 months after Tony Gustavsson's post-Olympics departure and while the hesitancy to pull the trigger on a replacement eventually allowed Football Australia to secure Montemurro, it has left him with limited time to prepare for a pivotal tournament.
'I've had less time to prepare teams for big tournaments. It is what it is, I can't change it,' Montemurro said.
'But the reality is, we've created enough these last 20 days, to really have a base of the underpinning group that that can go away and now understand what it is to be part of the squad for the Asian Cup.'
With the Matildas set to return to Perth to kick-off their Asian Cup campaign on March 1, attention now turns to the October and November windows, which will give more of an idea into Montemurro's squad composition for next year's tournament.
Montemurro said ideally, Australia will play European opposition in the run-in to minimise travel for his squad, most of whom are based on the continent.
For the looming Asian Cup, Matildas should regain Sam Kerr, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Clare Wheeler, Katrina Gorry and hopefully Mary Fowler, while Ellie Carpenter, Alanna Kennedy, Mackenzie Arnold and Kyra Cooney-Cross all left the current camp after the first two games against Slovenia.
The fluctuating personnel between matches caused problems for the Matildas, who showed only glimpses of the fluid, possession-based game Montemurro has demanded of them.
Despite the win over Panama, the 55 year-old was quick to bemoan his side's mistakes and admonished them for not realising they only had 10 players on the pitch when they turned the ball over and Panama equalised in the 82nd minute. Joe Montemurro addresses his team after Tuesday's win. Credit: Paul Kane / Getty Images
'We fell into the trap of wanting to rush the play when we needed to slow it down, and slowing it down when we needed to go quick,' he said.
'That caused a lot of technical errors, because people weren't in position at the right time, weren't in their right zones at the right time and every time we turned the ball over, Panama looked like they were going to hurt us.
'We put ourselves in in trouble a few times, and I was a little bit disappointed because there were things I thought we got rid of over the last three games.'
But on the whole, Montemurro said there were plenty of positives to work with and take into the October window. Joe Montemurro watching on at HBF Park. Credit: Paul Kane / Getty Images
'They're an amazing bunch of athletes that really love representing their country and love being in camp, that's the first thing,' he said.
'The second thing was to instill a direction through a base of what we believe will be a team that will win major tournaments.
'We've taken away a lot of tactical snippets, we now know where we need to solve problems because the opposition were tricky.'