Matildas’ spark was gone and coach Tony Gustavsson must carry some responsibility

Much has already been dissected about the comparative lack of squad rotation throughout this tournament, of Gustavsson’s reluctance to utilise his bench and apparent lack of trust in the full list he selected and which inspired his “It’s going to take 23 in ’23” mantra.

But it is worth contemplating what might have been possible had he been open to a little more variation. To trusting his…