Sermanni: We always enjoy coming to Canberra
Interim Head Coach Tom Sermanni heaped praise on the nation’s capital ahead of the CommBank Matildas second game of the international window against Argentina on Monday evening.
He was speaking to the media alongside defender Tash Prior on Sunday at GIO Stadium, where the team is expecting a sold-out crowd for the occasion.
“I always enjoy coming back to the nation's capital, and particularly where women's football is involved, because women's football in Canberra has been one of our strongest states or territories in the women's game,” he said.
“To come here tomorrow night and see it full, mostly with green and gold - and the type of support, the fanaticism, of the people who come along and support the team - is just amazing. It’ll be great to see the stadium full tomorrow night.”
Michelle Heyman is a player who will be a hit among the home fans. She has made the majority of her over 200 A-League Women’s appearances for Canberra United and is beloved by fans.
“I've had a chat with her this morning. I told her I'm expecting at least a goal,” he smiled.
“She's playing in front of her home crowd. She will play tomorrow night, at some stage in the game - that's 100% certain - and she’s a terrific player. She’s a player who's gotten better and better as she's gotten more mature.
“When you look at her experience and her ability, she's so important for the team. She's critically important for women's football in Canberra, and she's one of our real stalwarts of the game.”
Prior is a former Canberra United player – albeit for a short stint – and has fond memories of the city.
“I've experienced Canberra in its coldest and its hottest summer - but I've only got good memories back in Canberra,” she said.
“I remember playing at McKellar Park, it was always close to a sellout. That’s a testament to the community. Tomorrow is a sellout. So hopefully that energy [from McKellar Park] is quadrupled.”
Prior said that the game was an opportunity to continue building towards the AFC Asian Cup 2026™.
“The big keyword that's been pushed around in camp is momentum,” she said.
“Every game we're building towards that Asian Cup. Every camp, every game, every training session, is just a step closer to that and a chance to get better as a team and as individuals.”
The seven-cap CommBank Matilda will be hoping to build on her experiences in the national team on Monday evening.
“The more minutes you play, the more comfortable you get as a team and as an individual,” she said.
“It’s still quite new to me, playing in front of 40,000 people and a sell-out crowd. So I think the more minutes I get under my belt, the more comfortable I'm going to feel.”
CommBank Matildas v Argentina
Date: Monday, 2 June 2025
Kick-off: 7.30pm AEST
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
TV Broadcast: Paramount+ exclusive
Radio Broadcast: ABC Listen App
Tickets: matildas.com.au/tickets