The Westfield Matildas take on world champions Japan in a match between Asia’s two biggest women’s football teams on Wednesday evening.
The Westfield Matildas take on world champions Japan in a match between Asia-s two biggest women-s football teams on Wednesday evening.
With a host of players recently making their Westfield Matildas debut against New Zealand, and two further players in Katrina Gorry and Emily Gielnik likely to make their debut against Japan, the team is beginning to take shape again around a very young demographic.
With the team acclimatising to the 30+ degree Tokyo summer and producing some excellent football in their training sessions the match against Japan will be both exciting and a huge challenge for the side.
Westfield Matildas- head coach Tom Sermanni is looking forward to testing some of his new players as he starts his preparations for the 2015 FIFA Women-s World Cup.
“It-s a huge game for them and a big game for us and it-s also an opportunity for us to blood some players to have a look at some players against a very strong and confident Japanese team,” said Sermanni.
“It-s also an opportunity and challenge to us for the first time that we-ve brought in players from all sorts of different countries. Normally we get together as a team in Australia, travel to the game and play the game now we-ve got players coming in from Europe and America and so that a new challenge for us.
“I know it sounds a long way off but this is really the start of our preparation for 2015 which is really just around the corner.”
2010 AFC Women-s Player of the Year, Kate Gill, will hope to make her return to the Westfield Matildas side and as a senior player work with the squad to develop the next phase of Westfield Matildas.
Following over a year out with injury the star striker hopes is looking forward to the test against Japan, a team she scored the winning goal against in 2010 to qualify the team for last year-s FIFA Women-s World Cup.
“There-s nothing like playing the best in the world, it-s great to be here and to be back involved in this game,” said Kate Gill.
“I think we-re blooding a few players at the moment, I think from the Westfield Matildas point of view we-re in that phase of development and it will be interesting to see what we get out of the game.
“I-m really looking forward to being back and playing again.”
The Westfield Matildas play Japan on Wednesday evening at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
Catch all the action via live stream on this website from 6pm Wednesday.
Westfield Matildas v Japan Wednesday, 11 July 2012 Local kick off: 5.10pm (6.10pm AEST) National Stadium, Tokyo
Head-to-Head: P19: W5-D7-L7
Goalkeepers Melissa Barbieri (c) (Box Hill United) Brianna Davey (Melbourne Victory)
Defenders Laura Alleway (Brisbane Roar / Lincoln Ladies) Danielle Brogan (Sydney FC) Stephanie Catley (Melbourne Victory) Thea Slatyer (Sydney FC) Brooke Spence (Brisbane Roar / Colorado Rapids) Servet Uzunlar (Sydney FC / Pali Blues)
Midfielders Teigen Allen (Sydney FC) Tameka Butt (Brisbane Roar / Boston Breakers) Katrina Gorry (Melbourne Victory / Ottawa Fury) Alanna Kennedy (Newcastle Jets)
Attackers Ashley Brown (Melbourne Victory) Caitlin Foord (Sydney FC) Emily Gielnik (Brisbane Roar / Liverpool) Kathryn Gill (Perth Glory) Kyah Simon (Sydney FC / Boston Breakers) Sarah Walsh (Sydney FC)