The Matildas finished their match against Switzerland in Zurich with a 1-1 draw in their first game under interim coach Tom Sermanni but a puzzling shift involving Mary Fowler has left fans scratching their heads.
It was the first match since Swedish manager Tony Gustavsson was sacked after the Paris Olympics after steering the Matildas to the final four at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023.
The side has struggled ever since, missing captain Sam Kerr [ACL injury] and crashing out in the group stage at the Paris Olympics.
Scottish manager Sermanni has now been given the keys to the castle for the time being, but Matildas fans may have to be patient.
Despite the new leadership, Sermanni struggled to activate the potential of star forward Mary Fowler, who was largely absent from play.
Sermanni unleashed a new formation, with Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, and Courtney Nevin forming a back-three defence, while Ellie Carpenter and Kaitlyn Torpey joined them when the Matildas were out of possession.
The midfield trio remained unchanged with Mary Fowler, Katrina Gorry, and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
However, Fowler was shifted to the right side, rather than her preferred central role, which limited her impact on the game.
Fowler was moved out of her central position and onto the wing in a move that left Matildas fans puzzled
Interim coach Tom Sermanni has a lot of work to do to turn around the Matildas lean run of form that has extended back to before the Paris Olympics
'Mary Fowler still playing deeper. She was trained as a #9 in her youth, plays as a winger/striker for Man City but the Matildas have a fascination with playing her deeper and wonder why they can’t get the best out of her?' one fan asked.
'Can we play Mary Fowler in her position next game?' asked another.
Sermanni acknowledged the challenge of finding Fowler's best position, saying, 'She's a very talented footballer and still a young footballer so I don't want to over expose her.'
Fowler's time on the field was marked by limited touches and several instances of her dropping back to find the ball.
Caitlin Foord led the Matildas' attack and was instrumental in creating their goal-scoring opportunity.
Her run into the box resulted in a penalty after a controversial dive by the Swiss goalkeeper, which Foord converted confidently.
This put the Matildas ahead but failed to ignite their best form.
Daniela Galic was one of the new faces called up to the Matildas as new coach Tom Sermanni looks to regenerate the side
Caitlin Foord of Australia celebrating her goal with her teammates in the draw with Switzerland
Switzerland equalized in the second half, capitalizing on a lapse in the Matildas' defense. Geraldine Reuteler seized the opportunity, scoring just 18 minutes after the break.
This goal reflected the Matildas' defensive struggle, which Sermanni described as 'very messy defensively from us.'
Despite a mixed performance, Sermanni remains hopeful but has just a few days to refine their setup before facing Germany.
'I thought we were a little off the pace...but in general, we looked fairly solid and fairly safe,' Sermanni said.