“I'm very, very, very happy to get three points in an opening game in the World Cup and get a win and get that first game done,” Gustavsson said. “I'm very happy in that sense and it might be one of those games where we just needed to find a way to win.

“I've been around in tournament football long enough to know that sometimes it's those games where you just need to grind through and find a way to win. That showed some maturity in this team.

“Being able to do it, also, with five debutants that could have gotten really nervous and shaky and been frustrated if we didn't play well enough and lose their heads, but they were in there and playing the moment that was right in front of them. And I'm really happy about that.”

One of those debutants was 20-year-old Manchester City forward Mary Fowler, who stepped in to replace Kerr in attack, but it was Catley who hit the only goal of the game.

Australia’s stand-in captain calmly converted from the penalty spot seven minutes into the second half after Hayley Raso had been upended by Irish defender Marissa Sheva.

Catley’s successful strike was a rare bright spot for a Matildas side that laboured in front of a crowd of more than 75,000 and who were forced to weather a late rally by the Irish.

“We know we can do better in attack,” Gustavsson said of his side’s struggles up front. “I think we showed that in parts in the attack, when we had some good combination play down the right hand side.

“We isolated them while we went on the left side a couple of times and then, in the beginning of the second half, we played faster and had more movement off the ball and played with a little bit more confidence.

“I hope that playing the first game in the World Cup now we've ticked that box. Hopefully, mentally as well going into the second game can help the attack a bit more.”

Irish coach Vera Pauw was encouraged by her team’s performance despite the loss, and was already shifting focus to their upcoming clash with Canada in Perth on Wednesday.

“We have shown that we can play against the very best teams in the world,” she said. “We have now shown that against Sweden and against the USA, now against Australia and the next one is Canada, the Olympic champion.

“We do not fear anyone and these players adapt so quickly that we need to see where we stand again in the next game. It will be clear, like in this game, that we went in for a result, not just to be part of a nice tournament in Australia.”