Matildas’ big goals
Laura’s China game wish
EXPERIENCED Matilda Laura Alleway believes Geelong is capable of breaking the attendance record for a Matildas game when Australia hosts China at GMHBA Stadium tomorrow night.
The 27-year-old Victorian, who now calls Torquay home, has her fingers crossed for a start in tomorrow’s friendly match after watching on from the sidelines in her team’s 3-0 demolition job of China in Melbourne on Wednesday night.
The Melbourne Victory defender sits on 49 matches for her country over a career that began in 2010.
Two World Cups followed — in 2011 and 2015 — and Alleway has her sights on another one in 2019.
“It would be awesome,” Alleway said.
“There’s a lot of time between now and then and I have to work really hard to stay in the group of these girls because I’ve been on the bench a fair bit lately.
“I think I was a starter for five years or so and I’m taking on that new role where we share the positions now because we have that much more depth in the squad.
“In every position there’s decent depth, so I definitely have to fight my way to stay in the mix.”
Preparation builds towards next year’s World Cup qualifiers, which start in April, and although tomorrow night’s match is a friendly, Alleway said there would be no love lost against one of the Matildas’ Asian rivals.
“One of the things our coach said to us was to try and instil a bit of fear into the Asian nations, given we have to come up against them soon,” she said.
“To go out there and win 3-0 (on Wednesday) is going to put a bit of doubt in their mind, and the more doubt they have, the more confidence we have.
“If we can do it again on Sunday, that would be fantastic.”
Alleway said it would be a thrill to play in front of a home crowd.
“It is my home away from home. I live in Torquay at the moment and have for the last couple of years,” she said.
“I have a fairly big contingent coming to watch, so hopefully I’m on the field and they get to watch me play, but if not, the girls are going to do a stellar job.”
Alleway has put a call out to Geelong fans to break the 16,829 crowd record set at the Matildas’ match against Brazil in September in Newcastle.
Geelong Region Football Committee chair Jo Plummer also urged local fans to flock to GMHBA Stadium.
“It would be amazing to get close to 17,000 fans piling through the turnstiles on Sunday and really showing the country that Geelong is the next big thing in Australian football,” Plummer said.
A strong attendance figure would also help the push for funding for the fifth and final stage of the stadium redevelopment.
“That shows you the level of interest for our game,” Plummer said. “And with the imminent stage 5 redevelopment of GMHBA Stadium and the ongoing speculation surrounding expansion of the Hyundai ALeague and a Geelong-based Victorian Patriots bid, the ingredients are right for a stunning crowd.”