PERTH -- A late flurry of goals has flattered Australia as the Matildas defeated Slovenia 3-0 in Joe Montemurro's first game in charge.
Emily Gielnik's opener came just three minutes in after the visitors failed to clear the ball and the Melbourne Victory striker was allowed to tap it in from close range.
What followed was a disjointed performance from the Matildas who fielded a lineup including players who hadn't seen much time on the pitch together as well as players at various stages of their club season.
Slovenia had a plethora of chances but couldn't convert with Teagan Micah coming up clutch, particularly in the second half.
The Matildas eventually found some attacking rhythm and found the back of the net in the 86th minute through Holly McNamara. It was her first international goal and the relief was palpable as she nodded a free header into the back of the net.
Super sub Hayley Raso put the result beyond doubt just a minute later, striking from just outside the 18-yard-box to make it three.
The result means the Montemurro era begins with a win as the Women's Asian Cup inches closer and closer.
This could be the start of something new
How will Joe Montemurro's first game in charge of the Matildas be described in the annals of history?
A 3-0 win? Absolutely. A clunky performance? For sure. The start of something big and successful? Hopefully.
It isn't a game that will live long in the memory in terms of the football that was played. For large swathes of the match, fans were treated to disjointed play, errors, and turnovers. The two late goals really redeemed the overall vibe. But the growing pains of a new system and a new coach were all to be expected.
For all the excitement surrounding Montemurro's appointment, he isn't a miracle worker. It was always going to take time for him to be able to embed the way he wants to play, and for the players to take it on board and apply it.
There were more than a few new combinations up and down the pitch and a playing group consisting of players in the middle of seasons, some who haven't played since the A-League Women season ended in May, and others who just finished European seasons. And the performance showed it.
Nevertheless, Montemurro was undeterred and quite pleased with how his first game in charge of a national team went.
"It was a nice little test to see how we'd go after three sessions. I've never been in this situation where I've had three sessions with a team and having to play a game," he said.
"It was a perfect game for us to really learn and grow and take a lot out of."
He noted that for every two or three good pieces of play, there were three of four poor ones. But he was pleased that his messages were already beginning to take root. He saw the players trying to solve problems with the ball at all costs.
He conceded that Slovenia had a lot of chances, but they were chances that came from Matildas' errors and could therefore be fixed by tightening up their own play.
The players are buying in
While the Tom Sermanni interim era contained plenty of positives, the team was always a a bit directionless -- and understandably so. You saw it on the pitch, you heard it in the players' answers to questions.
Montemurro's appointment has given the playing group a map once again.
"It was a good game, we're trying a new style and brand so I thought it was good passages of play. We gave them some chances there so if we tidy those up, we should be a lot better hopefully moving forward," Micah said post-match.
When asked about playing out from the back, she joked that she liked it because she wasn't having to kick the ball 50 yards. But she also noted the necessary flexibility required; sometimes a proactive, purposeful long ball is the best option.
"You'll probably see us playing out more but then also if it's not on, be effective," she said.
Hayley Raso, who returned to the fray after a quad injury saw her sidelined for the last chunk of the Women's Super League season, was also excited about Montemurro's game plan.
"That's definitely a way I like to play, as a forward and as somebody who likes to press. It suits my style of play a lot," she said.
"I think it also suits our team really well because we're a team that like to do that. We have high pressing players and we want to win the ball back in good areas and then counter attack teams."
"There's a lot for us to work on because we're just starting off this new chapter but I think when we get there, we'll reach new heights."
A goal at last for Holly Mac
There's a lot of affection for Holly McNamara across Australian football and a burning desire to see her do well following a torrid injury run.
Since making her return to the Matildas, she has been tasked with leading the line and has done so many good things but had yet to find the back of the net. And when your main job is the only one you aren't successfully doing, things can get frustrating.
It looked as though this game against Slovenia would be another night where McNamara was denied her first international goal. There was a brilliant save from Zala Meršnik and some unselfish layoffs to teammates that she could've taken herself.
But finally, in the 86th minute, McNamara was unmarked in the box, begging for a cross in the general vicinity of her head. She connected with the ball, saw the net ripple, and fell to her knees. Finally.
Montemurro praised the Melbourne City forward post-match.
"She's a player that's very, very smart in arriving in space. What I mean by that is she makes her runs very, very late, which is very, very hard to mark.
"You can't coach that, it's a feeling."
Emily Gielnik, who was back in green-and-gold for the first time since December 2024 and also on the scoresheet, lauded McNamara too.
"She's extremely versatile, playing against her in the A-Legaue and seeing her form in the A-League, she's brought that in here. You can see that she's a dangerous player.
"I think we haven't even seen the best of her. That's what's exciting and that's what's promising for her and her future."