CommBank Matildas forward Hayley Raso was a second-half substitute in match one of the ‘Til It’s Done Farewell Series in Adelaide, making instant impact and coming close to setting up a goal.
On Saturday, she gave her thoughts on the match, and what the team would bring with them into game two on Monday night in Sydney.
“We pulled up well,” she reflected. “It was a good test for us against a quality opposition. They were really strong defensively. So we’re just doing our recovery strategies today and looking to take some learnings from that game into the next one.
“For us, it’s about just recovering mentally and physically. In the Olympics there are going to be really tight turnarounds for all of the games, so it’s good preparation for us.”
Raso was brought on as a game-changer after arriving in camp late due to club commitments with Real Madrid. Her substitution was one of five – alongside heavy hitters Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter, and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
“Coming on, we knew that we needed to get a goal, or try and win the game,” the winger explained. “So it was about giving everything we could to be able to do that.”
The substitutions had the intended impact for Tony Gustavsson’s side, with Michelle Heyman scoring a 95th-minute equaliser and rescuing a result for the team.
The attention of the team now turns to Sydney. Another sold-out crowd awaits – the 14th consecutive full house for CommBank Matildas' games in Australia – and it is an occasion that Raso will cherish.
It will also mark the final home game of legendary goalkeeper Lydia Williams, who has announced her international retirement post-Olympics.
“We absolutely love playing in Sydney,” Raso exclaimed. “We're really excited to get in front of the fans to have our last game before the Olympics with our family, friends, all of the fans and to celebrate Lydia who’s retiring. I think it will be a special night.”
Match Two
CommBank Matildas v China PR
Date: Monday, 3 June 2024
Kick-off: 7:40pm AEST
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales
Broadcast: 10, 10 Bold (PER), 10 Play and Paramount+