- Tony Gustavsson was unhappy with a goal conceded by the Matildas
- The VAR intervened, but the referee on the field allowed the goal anyway
- Matildas coach was shown a yellow card for his protests
The Matildas’ stubborn defense was finally broken in the closing minutes of a thrilling first half against Team USA on Wednesday.
But we can say that Tony Gustavsson was not happy about it.
Trinity Rodman fired the ball in from a corner at the far post, but VAR asked the referee to look at the monitor because of an offside infringement in the run-up to the goal.
However, the man with the whistle decided not to go back on his decision and awarded the goal to the Americans.
Gustavsson, whose future at the Matildas is uncertain, was left completely distraught as he stood on the touchline, so angry was he about the decision.
Just before half time he received a yellow card for this.
Tony Gustavsson was furious about a refereeing decision that went against the Matildas
Mackenzie Arnold was at her best, holding the US at bay for much of the first 45 minutes, putting Australia’s place in the tournament on the line.
The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout stage, as will the top two third-placed teams. The Matildas are in third place, behind the USA and the Germans, so they will need a positive result to have a real chance of qualifying.
They failed to do so, as the US won 2-1.
Gustavsson’s team were dominated by four-time champions United States on Wednesday night in the sweltering Stade de Marseille, finishing third in Group B with just three points.
The Matildas face an agonising wait to discover whether their Olympic campaign is over
The Australians therefore had to wait a long time for the outcome of whether they would reach the knockout stage as one of the two best third group qualifiers.
Their fate will not be known until the final two games in Group A are completed later on Wednesday. If Canada beats Colombia, the Matildas will be on their way home.
Whether they deserve a place in the last eight is another question after a thoroughly unconvincing campaign that began with a 3-0 defeat to Germany in the same stadium in Marseille.
