After securing their spot at the Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, the Matildas are set to play two additional home games against the People’s Republic of China.
Match one will take place in Adelaide on Friday, May 31, and match two at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Monday, June 3.
Sadly Sam Kerr, Katrina Gorry, and Aivi Luik have been ruled out of playing due to respective ACL, ankle, and hamstring injuries.
The international friendlies will provide an opportunity for Head Coach Tony Gustavsson to keep testing his squad.
“When I started with the CommBank Matildas we identified a need to continue challenging ourselves against different types of [soccer] styles, and opponents and experiencing high-quality matches that allow us to strive to get one day better,” he said when the three matches were first announced.
“Every match we schedule is deliberate and is key to our bigger picture of preparing the team for global tournaments and to take on the best teams in the world.”
Fans will be able to tune into the live coverage of the games on Channel 10 and Paramount+.
Prior to playing Mexico in April where they won 2 – 0, the girls won 10 – 0 against Uzbekistan in February. In December 2023, they lost both matches of their two-match friendly series against the Canadian Maple Leafs – the reigning Olympic champions from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
With the next FIFA Women’s World Cup not until 2027 – a lot can happen in the meantime.
“We have to play at our club. We have to play well and stay injury-free. There might be a few more babies maybe. I don’t know. Four years is a long time but I hope the core group is still together,” Sam told reporters ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup third-place play-off match against Sweden.
However, Sam hopes to retain some of the core members returning in 2027.
“I hope to be here. I am only 29. I think most of us will still be here if we have the opportunity,” she said at the time.
“Of course, there will be people who come into the side and take someone’s position and people that might not want to keep playing but at the moment I haven’t heard talks of anyone retiring [apart from Lydia Williams].”
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