Former Football coach Phil Moss has praised retiring Matildas star Clare Polkinghorne but also suggested the timing of the pre-match tribute had an influence on Thursday night’s 3-1 loss to Brazil. 

The 35 year-old defender took the field for the 168th time at Suncorp Stadium, but declared pre-match it wouldn’t be her last, as she would play out the remaining three friendlies against Brazil and Taiwan in this international break. 

The veteran Matilda holds the record for the most international appearances as a Matilda, and featured in five World Cups – including the landmark 2023 edition hosted in Australian and New Zealand.

In the pre-match ceremony, Polkinghorne was farewelled in front of over 47 thousand fans in another sold-out Matildas home match, as her family and teammates formed a guard of honour, and NRL legend Darren Lockyer presented her with a playing shirt to commemorate her career. 

“Polks deserves every accolade that comes her way. She’s been an incredible player, 168 games and counting,” Moss told SportFM.

“I think she’s still going to be involved in the next three, but just a wonderful person first and foremost, but ambassador for our game. She’s been an incredible role model through a very tumultuous time for women’s football and women’s sport that’s gone to a whole new level. 

“Thanks to people like her for drawing a line in the sand and making sure she leaves a legacy on the pitch and off the pitch for many, many years to come.”

However, many, including Moss have questioned the timing of the tribute, wondering if it would have been more appropriate to host it post match. 

Many of Polkinghorne’s teammates were visibly emotional throughout the ceremony which may have flowed into the start of play. 

The Matildas allowed two goals from Brazillian forward Amanda Gutierres to find the back of the net within the first 13 minutes, before they finally hit the scoreboard through Caitlin Foord in the 43rd minute. 

“By doing a celebration like that for Polks before the game, it certainly raises the bar to a different level of emotion. You could see all the players in tears for their teammate,” said Moss. 

“What that does to your emotions when you’re trying to keep your game face on, I think we saw in the first 13 minutes, we just didn’t settle. 

“We can see the very, very soft first goal, very naive defending to get not pressure on the ball in the first place and then got caught flat at the back.” 

It was a heated match up between the two sides, with Australian coach Tom Sermanni claiming the referee ‘allowed herself to be bullied’ at some points in his post match conference. 

In the first half, no cards were awarded to either side, however, Brazillian Vitória Calhau was sent off after receiving two yellows cards after fouling Ellie Carpenter. 

Additionally, numerous scoring attempts from the Matildas were shut down by some physical defending and manhandling, with Foord and Hayley Raso being the main recipients. 

Moss disagrees with claims the referee was bullied.

“Overall, I thought the Brazilians were probably that touch hungrier to get the result and they’re very streetwise Brazilian players and they showed that last night,” he said.

“I wouldn’t like to suggest that the referee was bullied. But Tom, he knows his football and if that’s what he believes, then he’s got reason for saying it. 

“But still, I think if you just look at the quality in the key moments of the game, Brazil probably outpointed us.

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