Matildas coach Joe Montemurro admits tired performance in loss to Panama was due to high-intensity training

New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has admitted he probably overworked players in training ahead of their 1-0 loss to Panama in Bunbury — but makes no apologies for it. Montemurro suffered his first defeat as national team coach after the Matildas produced an ordinary performance in front of 10,272 fans in their historic first match at Hands Oval. But while Australia headed back from their first trip to the South-West licking their wounds after being unnerved by a physical Panama side, who claimed the win off the back of Sherline King’s 59th-minute strike, Montemurro said the process was paramount in his first international window in charge. When asked whether his high-intensity training sessions off the back of last Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Slovenia were necessary, Montemurro replied “probably”. “But we have to make the high rhythm, we have to make the high intensity part of the DNA, because this is what top international football is about,” Montemurro said. “They have to get used to this rhythm, they need to taste it, they need to feel it, so they know they can gauge that, being at the highest level. “They have to play at a high rhythm, they have to play at a rhythm that’s beyond what they’re used to. We needed to introduce that during the camp.” It was not a full-strength side that took to Hands Oval, with the Matildas sans stars Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter and Alanna Kennedy, among others. Clare Hunt, Amy Sayer and Charli Grant, who have remained with the squad after impressing last Sunday against Slovenia, were also rested, and four debutants (Chloe Lincoln, Grace Kuilamu, Jacynta Galabadaarachchi and Alexia Apostolakis) graced the pitch. “I’m pretty clear in where I want to go, where this team needs to go and if we don’t use these sort of games to look at combinations, possibilities, new players, we’re just going to be continuing to do the same thing all the time, and just pretending to make a change,” Montemurro said. “We want to do it with winning games also, we don’t want to be losing while we’re doing it, but the reality is, you’re going to have these situations when there are new faces, new combinations, new ideas, new situations. “The magic word is continuity, and when you introduce it with five or six training sessions, you’re going to have that little bit of a dip.” Whereas Slovenia pressed Australia high up the pitch in their two games in Perth, Panama set deeper and were able to unsettle the Matildas physically, slowing the game down both legally and illegally. Montemurro said it was important for his side to experience a variety of defensive set-ups early in his tenure. “A lot of the work was done under pressure, man-on-man against Slovenia and the personnel probably helped that,” he said. “They were trying to get us on the blind side when we tried to change the point of attack, dropping off a little bit more. “We just need to learn how to understand all different types of approaches. The more we get exposed to that the more I can give players that, and the more we can use our base to go forward, we’ll be better for it. Goalkeeper Teagan Micah came off after a couple of heavy knocks, and Montemurro said they would monitor her ahead of Tuesday night’s clash against Panama at HBF Park after she complained of dizziness.