Matildas earn coach’s praise

MATILDAS coach Alen Stajcic praised his players’ resilience after they earned a thrilling 4-3 win over Norway in their opening match of the Algarve Cup in Portugal yesterday.

It was the Matildas’ eighth consecutive victory but they left it late when Larissa Crummer headed home the winner deep into stoppage time.

Stajcic has six high-profile players out injured, including Caitlin Foord, Kyah Simon, Steph Catley and Hayley Raso, so he was delighted with the result.