Sydney FC bid to become Women's World Champions

Sydney FC will launch their bid to become the best club side in the world when they play their opening mobcast International Women’s Club Championship (IWCC) match in Japan on November 30.

Sydney FC will launch their bid to become the best club side in the world when they play their opening mobcast International Women-s Club Championship (IWCC) match in Japan on November 30.

The Sky Blues qualified for the tournament by winning the 2012/13 Westfield W-League Championship and will face opposition from Asia, South America and Europe.

Chilean club CSD Colo-Colo Femenino, winner of the 2012 Copa Libertadores Feminino (South American Women-s Champions League), have already been confirmed as the South American representatives while Inac Kobe Leonessa will appear as winner of the 2013 Japanese Plenus Nadeshiko League.

“We want to perform at our best,” said Sydney FC W-League Head Coach Alen Stajcic. “A lot of our players have played international football and played for Australia at various levels - youth and senior - and this is just another example of that.

“We-ll be playing against the best teams in the world and you just can-t get a better experience than that. Hopefully we can show them that we are up to matching them.”

Sydney FC will play an opening qualifying match against the runner-up from the Japanese league competition in Okayama on November 30, and face a semi-final against the European representative four days later should they progress.

The final will be held on the December 8th 2013 at Ajinomoto Field Nishigaoka in Tokyo.

“It-s a wonderful opportunity and will be another fantastic experience for us,” said Sydney FC and Matildas- defender Ellyse Perry. “The fact that it is mid-season will be a really great challenge as well.

“To go over there and play in a different environment against different sides will be a really wonderful thing.

“Hopefully there are a lot of opportunities to gain experience and also different ideas about how we play football.

“Just travelling as a group with your friends is always wonderful too,” she concluded.

Before travelling to Japan the Sky Blues will kick off their Westfield W-League title defence away to Melbourne Victory (November 10) and at home at WIN Stadium, Wollongong against Newcastle Jets (November 16, kick off 3pm).

The Sydney FC 2013/14 Westfield W-League Playing Squad is:- Casey Du Mont (gk), Sham Khamis (gk), Danielle Brogan (captain), Alesha Clifford, Caitlin Foord, Amy Harrison, Ellyse Perry, Elizabeth Ralston, Renee Rollason, Teresa Polias (vice-captain), Nicola Bolger, Trudi Camilleri, Samantha Kerr, Chloe Logarzo, Natalie Tobin, Leena Khamis, Emma Kete, Jodie Taylor.