Scotland-born Tom Sermanni named as interim coach of Australian women’s soccer team

By The Associated Press

FILE - New Zealand coach Tom Sermanni listens to national anthems prior to the Algarve Cup semifinal women's soccer match between New Zealand and Italy at the Bela Vista stadium, in Parchal, Portugal, March 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Armando Franca]

SYDNEY (AP) — Scotland-born Tom Sermanni has been named interim head coach of the Australian women’s soccer team, his third time in charge of the Matildas. Soccer Australia did not renew Tony Gustavsson’s contract after the Matildas failed to make it out of the group stage at the Paris Olympics. It announced Sermanni’s appointment on Tuesday while the federation searches for a new head coach. Sermanni was head coach of the U.S. women’s team in 2013-14, was an assistant for Canada’s women’s team in 2015 and led the New Zealand women’s side from 2018 until the end of the Tokyo Olympics.