New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro is convinced that his team will go in the right direction, despite the fact that they saw 1-0 defeat against World No.56 Panama in Bunbury.
Panama surprised the home crowd when they took a 59th minute lead through the 19-year-old replacement Sherline King in the wet and windy collision of Saturday in Western Australia.
Australia pushed hard for an equalizer and it seemed to arrive in the 96th minute when the rescue of a keeper fell at the feet of experienced striker Michelle Heyman.
But her reflex left-foot strike of point-white range sent the ball over the bar, with the players of Panama celebrating wild when you hear the full-time whistles later.
It marked the first loss of Matildas under Montemurro, which had led the side to a 3-0 win and 1-1 draw against Slovenia in his previous two games that are in charge.
Although the loss for Panama came a big surprise and also marked a large wake-up call, the Matildas played a side on a host of their biggest stars.
Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry and Clare Wheeler were all absent in the current international window.
Ellie Carpenter, Mackenzie Arnold, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Sharn Freeier left the team after the Slovenia series, while Amy Sayer and Charli Grant rested for Saturday's game.
Montemurro has implemented a possession-based game style and has quickly warned that there will be problems with teething problems that his players adapt.
The Matildas have produced a number of terrible sales over the past three games while trying to keep the possession, but Montemurro is convinced that the pain in the short term will lead to a long -term profit.
“It will not be a situation where it will change immediately,” Montemurro Paramount said.
'It will be a slow combustion, and I am convinced that we are going in the right direction.
'It is really important that we are on our way, we continue to believe that this is the way forward.
“We are proactive and we are owned, because that is what we should be at the highest level.”
Montemurro brought no fewer than 10 changes to his starting side against the Central -Maricans, with Kaitlyn Torpey the only player in the starting XI who also started in last week's draw with Slovenia.
The day of Panama started on a terrible note, with goalkeeper Yenith Bailey who lasted less than a minute before she became her left knee hypere hyperetending while trying a salvation.
The Matildas controlled possession and territory in the first half, but there were still varying signs.
Defender Natasha Prior had her sliding block to the perfection to deny Panama striker Riley Tanner a shot up close to goal.
Tanner was working on it again in the 41st minute, with her powerful attack from a difficult angle that hit the post.
Between the threats of Tanner, the Matildas, various good opportunities wasted.
King gave Panama the lead just before the hour when she rescued the rebound of Matildas -goalkeeper Teagan Micah's.
The Matildas pushed hard for an equalizer, in which Montemurro unleashed four debutants from the bank, but in the end it was Heyman's missed opportunity that turned out to be that escaped.
Goalkeeper Micah experienced dizziness after dealing with a hit in the second half and doubts the re-match on Tuesday evening against Panama in Perth.
Matildas player Chloe Berryhill said that the team 'nods some nodding'.
“It's not the result we want, but they are building blocks for us,” she told Paramount Plus.
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