Poletti 
The Matildas huddle before their game against Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. Photo: Trask Smith/ Football Australia
The Matildas ended their SheBelieves Cup campaign with defeat to Colombia, falling 2-1 on the final Match Day in San Diego, California.
Rocking their new black away kit with green and pink littered throughout, the effort from Tom Sermanni’s side was every bit as uninspired as the kit is stunning.
The defensive frailties of the Matildas were on full display once again, who were under pressure from the opening whistle and caught out several times in transition, with Teagan Micah being forced into a massive save early, mirroring her efforts against the USA just days prior.
Unfortunately for Micah, her next opportunity to showcase her skills left her with absolutely no chance to do so, as Katrina Gorry turned the ball over in midfield, and Colombia struck on the transition.
With Wendy Bonilla finishing off the quick-hitting move, the Matildas failed to do so at the other end when they were offered multiple chances in the first half, winning the ball near the 18-yard box on two occasions, with Heyman failing to get a shot away, and Kyra Cooney-Cross missing to the left.
The second half saw the Matildas put pressure on Colombia, but were still unable to generate a shot on target until Hayley Raso scored in the 69th minute, with a deflection on the way through, before Catalina Usme was also the beneficiary of a deflection four minutes later as Colombia re-took the lead.
With the Matildas ending the SheBelieves Cup without a point, only two shots on target (resulting in two goals), and three squad line-ups and tactical approaches that left us with more questions than answers, one has to question the overall point of the window.
Stalwart Hayley Raso played every minute of all three games, and one can suspect the same could have been said of Ellie Carpenter had she not been substituted in the first half with a suspected injury.
Did we learn anything new about the Matildas? No, except that Teagan Micah should clearly be the number one goalkeeper going forward.
Were any of the line-ups inspiring for the future as the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup draws closer? No.
Did the Matildas advance forward? One could actually argue they went backwards.
It felt like a window in a holding pattern of Sermanni’s time as interim coach, with the coach unable, or perhaps unwilling, to shake up the status quo as Football Australia continues its search for a full-time coach, with time continue to tick away before the Asian Cup.
Football Australia CEO James Johnson confirmed on Thursday that Sermanni would remain in charge for the April window, leaving only five windows at most for whoever the new coach is to analyse the available players, implement their tactics, and select a squad for World Cup qualification.
Given that the U-17 and U-20 sides are also without a coach, with Kory Babington acting as interim U-20 coach during the recent window for the Young Matildas, the holding pattern will continue for a bit longer, and one has to wonder if the national team will run out of fuel and crash-land before they find a way out.
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