MATILDAS PUT FAITH IN CROWD TO FIRE THEM UP
ONCE – that is how many times the Matildas have finished ahead of the world-class USA women’s football team in the past 31 clashes but goalkeeper Lydia Williams said the predicted record crowd could make all the difference.
Team USA has not played in Australia since winning silver at the Sydney 2000 Olympics – making it the first time this crop of Matildas have taken on their rivals on home soil.
The 2000 Olympics was also when the Matildas crowd record of 33,600 was set.
Current ticket sales show this record is likely to be broken at Stadium Australia this afternoon.
Williams, 33, set to make her 94th appearance for Australia, has played in front of massive crowds in some of the world’s biggest stadiums – but nothing will ever beat playing at home.
“Especially when the other team’s supporters start cheering and making their voices known and the crowd gets behind us – it is always a bonus and I’ll be encouraging that cheering throughout the whole match,” she said.
“The crowd, the game itself, the electricity that will be behind the whole thing is going to make it one of a kind.”
While the match is the first of two friendlies to be played in Australia, neither side will be going out chasing anything but a win.
“We are going to be playing in front of family and friends and we want to go out and perform,” Williams said.
The match will fall inside Indigenous Football Week, which is celebrated from November 22-27.
The Matildas made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics when they posed behind an Aboriginal flag ahead of their first match.
Williams grew up in Western Australia, her father Ron was an Indigenous tribal elder of the Noongar mob. She said playing a match of this calibre, in front of a record home crowd, during Indigenous Football Week made it extra special.
“We’re all playing for each other and the jersey and the badge and we want to go out and play the best we can and take home (the win),” Williams said.
Team USA has left some of its big-name players behind including star striker Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, Crystal Dunn, Megan Rapinoe and Kelly O’Hara.
Williams said with a playing roster with as much depth as the Americans it would be a tough game regardless of who was or wasn’t on the pitch.
The Matildas will be vying to impress coach Tony Gustavsson and earn their spot in the squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in India in January.
“It’s a cup and a trophy and medals and ultimately we want to get the silverware,” Williams said.
The Matildas will play the USA women’s team at 3pm (AEDT) today at Stadium Australia.