Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Matildas World Cup planning took another step forward in Sydney on Tuesday night, with Joe Montemurro saying Australia gained key lessons from their 3-1 friendly win over Mexico.
The Matildas responded to their 1-0 defeat in the opening game of the series, with Caitlin Foord, Alanna Kennedy and an own goal helping Australia finish the international window with a sharper display.
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Montemurro Takes Lessons From Mexico Test
Mexico’s high-pressure approach caused problems across both games, but Montemurro said the challenge was exactly what Australia needed before next year’s World Cup in Brazil.
"There's a lot of positive signs but we know we have to clean things up," he told host broadcaster Paramount.
"And these games are perfect for us.
"Now we have got all this information in regards to these type of teams and now we know how to deal with them."
Official Matildas fixtures and team updates can be followed through the Football Australia website.
High Pressure Gives Australia Clearer Picture
Montemurro said Mexico’s speed and pressing gave the Matildas a close look at the type of test they may face on the World Cup stage.
"These are exactly the games we need: this intensity, this pressure, this continuous 90 minutes of just go, go, go," he said.
Australia will not gather again for another four months, with the next international window likely to include matches in Europe against opponents still to be confirmed.
The Matildas had moments of risk while playing through Mexico’s pressure, but Montemurro said those experiences were needed if his team is to improve in-game decision-making.
"It's going to be risky," he said.
"And we just now need to be smarter in finding the moments when we have to maybe play forward earlier.
"But if we don't endorse that and make the mistakes, then we will never be able to solve those problems, because that is going to be the way to solve problems in-game.
"That intensity, that pressure, that way of pressing - we haven't encountered it before and now we know."