The Matildas are facing a goalkeeper crisis on the eve of the Women's Asian Cup, with coach Joe Montemurro refusing to confirm his final squad, let alone the starting goalkeeper, 24 hours before the tournament opener against the Philippines on Sunday. The veteran Mackenzie Arnold was expected to take the reins after Teagan Micah withdrew from the squad due to concussion issues, but Arnold has not fully trained with her teammates during preparations in Perth.
Montemurro was asked directly on Saturday who would be playing in goal, but he remained tight-lipped, stating that decisions were still being made. "There’s no decisions made yet for anyone playing, so I’m still deciding what my starting 11 is going to be," he said. "We’ve got it in control with our medical staff and we’ll make some decisions in the next 24 hours."
Arnold, a hero of the 2023 World Cup, has been in the media spotlight this week, but her training has been limited to light sessions alongside fellow goalkeepers Jada Whyman and Chloe Lincoln, who have minimal experience with the Matildas. Morgan Aquino, another uncapped keeper, has been training with the squad but is not among the 26 players named for the Asian Cup.
The cloud hanging over Arnold is the most significant of a range of health concerns for the squad, with Montemurro bemoaning the challenging lead-in. "We’ve had to manage a lot of the returns because of the nature of the tournament and a lot of players playing on the weekend," he said. "All of them are on individual scenarios to get right and we’re monitoring it."
Kyra Cooney-Cross has also had a disrupted preparation after returning to Australia from Europe in January to spend time with her mother, who has incurable bile duct cancer. Montemurro said the midfielder’s absence from training on Saturday was "all precaution" and the staff were thinking ahead. "We’re really going to take the opportunities to make sure that players are ready at the right time to be part of the group, but she’s travelling well."
Captain Sam Kerr admitted she is still short of feeling 100% as part of her long recovery from a knee injury suffered in January 2024. "I’m probably about 85 [%] and above, I don’t want to say I’m at 100 [%] yet, I haven’t had one of those games yet where I felt completely myself," she said.
Forward Mary Fowler is another who is recovering from a knee injury. The star attacker said this week she feels "really good" after she started her first match for Manchester City on the weekend after recovering from a serious knee injury last April.
Philippines coach Mark Torcaso, an Australian who has coached in the A-League Women, said Sunday’s match against the Matildas would be a special occasion, and they would not shy away from the challenge. "We’re just going to be there and be annoying and constantly be pushing, and I know that the girls will fight," he said.
But here's where it gets controversial... With so many players dealing with injuries and the team's goalkeeper situation in flux, the Matildas' chances of success in the Asian Cup may be in doubt. Will they be able to overcome these challenges and perform at their best? And this is the part most people miss... The Matildas' struggles highlight the ongoing challenges faced by women's football, including the lack of support and resources for players dealing with injuries. It's a stark reminder that, despite the progress made, there is still much work to be done to level the playing field for women's football.
