Chloe wants Japan put to the sword
FOOTBALL: One word springs to mind when Matildas midfielder Chloe Logarzo visualises playing Japan tomorrow. “Revenge,” she said. “Revenge for the Asian Cup. That would be really good.”
It’s been more than three months since the Matildas fell 1-0 to Japan in April’s Asian Cup final in Jordan.
With heartbreak soon replaced by a burning desire for retribution, Logarzo and the rest of coach Alen Stajcic’s squad line up against the Samurai Blue in Chicago.
Win by enough goals and the Matildas will successfully defend their Tournament of Nations crown. They’ve already beaten Brazil 3-1 last Friday, but Monday’s 1-1 draw with the US leaves the four-team tournament in the balance, with America and Brazil both still in contention and set to face off hours later.
And last-placed Japan will be fixed on avoiding a third consecutive loss and salvaging some pride against a Matildas contingent they’ve long had the wood over. Australia also lost 1-0 to Japan in a 2015 World Cup quarter-final, and by the same scoreline in the 2014 Asian Cup.
“We play Japan all the time – we just need to learn how to break them down and defeat them every time, because they’re such a technical team and if you give them a chance or two, like in the Asian Cup, they score,” Logarzo said.
“We need to convert on our chances, that’s definitely one of the biggest things we took out of the Asian Cup final.
“Sam (Kerr) has been on fire in the last two years but we can’t just always rely on Sam to be scoring our goals.”
Tomorrow: Australia v Japan TV: Fox Sports (505), 7.30am