CommBank Matildas forward Hayley Raso said she is feeling refreshed and confident as she continues her preparation for her second Olympic Games.
She spoke to the media from the squad’s training camp in Spain, ahead of the team’s International B Fixture against Canada on Sunday morning (AEST).
“I’ve had a nice little rest and refresh but whenever I come into the Matildas team, I’m always fit and raring to go,” she began, “so that’s no different this time around.”
Raso made her Olympic Games debut in Tokyo 2020™ and is excited to reprise her role as an Olympian in Paris.
“Being an Olympian is such a special feeling,” she explained. “It’s something you dream about from being a child, and it’s something I did. So to be here, to be at my second, to be able to represent Australia and hopefully go one better [than finishing fourth in Tokyo] is something I’m looking forward to.”
A pre-tournament International B Fixture with Canada is fast approaching. The team is a familiar foe to the CommBank Matildas, having played across two windows – plus a group stage game at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ - in the last two years.
Raso said that taking on the Tokyo 2020™ gold medallists will serve as perfect preparation for Australia’s own medal hopes heading into the Games.
“It’s important to play a strong team in Canada,” she explained. “We know that in the Olympics there’s no easy game. All the groups are tough, all the opponents are tough because there’s not that many teams.”
“We need to go into this game working on what we need to do. We’ve been training quite hard this week. So it’s about going into that game, just freshening things up, working on things, and we’ll peak come the Olympics.”
Both captain Steph Catley and defender Kaitlyn Torpey will be unavailable for the fixture due to injuries. Raso was unconcerned about the impact of player unavailability on the squad’s preparation for the tournament as a whole.
“Injuries are a part of football,” she outlined. “It’s very normal to have players in and out. We’ve built a good, strong, solid squad. So no matter who is in the team, or who’s out of the team, we know that whoever’s playing in the moment will step up.
“It’s the same in training. It’s very normal these days, so we’re just training hard, working hard, and whoever’s fit and ready to go on the day, they’ll be playing.”
When these two teams met at the World Cup last year, it was an all-important group stage game where the winner advanced through to the Round of 16, while the loser went home. Raso scored twice in that game and has rightfully developed a reputation for delivering vital goals in green and gold.
In a tournament as crucial as the Olympics, the forward known as ‘Ribbons’ will continue to leave everything on the park.
“Playing in the World Cup, we were able to feel what it’s like to play in these pressure moments, to play in these big tournaments,” she explained, “so we know where we’re at with that – we know we can play under immense pressure coming into the Olympics.”
“As a striker, [scoring] is something I want to do. Playing for the national team, I’ve been able to do that a lot recently. I think it’s really important in these moments, in these pressure games, in these high-intensity games that I’m able to do that.
“Having players out, other players have to step up, and I think a few of us have done that. But I hope to be able to continue that form and get my first Olympics goal.”
MATCH DETAILS
Australia v Canada
Date: Saturday, 13 July 2024 (local) / Sunday, 14 July 2024 (AEST)
Time: 9:00pm (local) / 5.00am (AEST)
Venue: Marbella, Spain
Broadcast: Paramount+
AUSTRALIA | MATCH SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024™ OLYMPIC GAMES
Germany v Australia
Date: 25 July 2024 (local) / 26 July 2024 (AEST)
Kick-off: 7.00pm (local) / 3.00am AEST
Venue: Stade de Marseille, Marseille, France
Australia v Zambia
Date: 28 July 2024 (local) / 29 July 2024 (AEST)
Kick-off: 7.00pm (local) / 3.00am AEST
Venue: Stade de Nice, Nice, France
Australia v United States
Date: 31 July 2024 (local) / 1 August 2024 (AEST)
Kick-off: 7.00pm (local) / 3.00am AEST
Venue: Stade de Marseille, Marseille, France