Following the conclusion of the CommBank Matildas’ third training session, forward Hayley Raso joined the media for a virtual media opportunity to discuss match preparation for Scotland, the objectives of the team and her goalscoring form for the national team.
Australia's upcoming games will see them host Scotland on Friday night (AEST) before taking on the reigning UEFA Women's Champions, England, in Brentford to finish off the April FIFA window.
The games provide the team with the opportunity to fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup™, with this the last camp before the pre-camp begins in June.
"Two really good games too tough opposition. It's about preparing for us now making sure that we're getting oppositions in that are tough and will prepare us for the World Cup"
Scotland will be Australia's first opponent for the international window, with Raso all too familiar with members of the side, having played alongside Scottish midfielder Caroline Weir at Manchester City.
"I was actually speaking about her with few of the girls earlier and I was saying she's one of the best players I've ever trained with," Raso said of former teammate Weir.
The midfielder has since made the move to Spain, plying her trade with Real Madrid, with the two facing off late last year as Real Madrid knocked City out of the UEFA Women's Champions League.
"She's an amazing footballer, technically so good. So it'd be really good to have this tough game and to get to play against her."
"It's really good to be coming into form at this point in time because we have the World Cup right around the corner."
With the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ coming to home soil later this year, the forward was asked if she would be ready to make an impact as the tournament nears.
"I feel like when the World Cup comes around, we'll all be ready to go and firing. I hope to be a big player for the team at the World Cup."
Raso featured in two out of three of Australia's Cup of Nations run in 2023, a hand injury seeing her unable to play the final game against Jamaica. Since then she has been back training with her club, Manchester City, explaining the training environment at Gareth Taylor's side.
"I'm in a really high training environment (at Manchester City). I broke my hand, only missed a couple of games from that, but I'm training well, performing well when I'm on the pitch, definitely ready to go."
The forward has often been an impact player off the bench for Taylor, with the coach looking set on his front three of Khadija Shaw, Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly, the last two named to England's squad to take on Australia.
"So, frustrating as it is in club football, not getting as many playing minutes as I'd like, I feel that when I come over to my national team, I'm getting a lot of minutes and doing well."
"As soon as I put this shirt on to represent my country, I am in good form and ready to go."
"I am a confident player, I feel like I've been performing well in our recent games, keeping my training level high every single day. It's nice to have (the ability) where I am able to come on and do something or turn a game around."
COMMBANK MATILDAS MATCH SCHEDULE | APRIL 2023
CommBank Matildas v Scotland
Date: Fri, 7 April 2023
Venue: Cherry Red Records Stadium, London
Kick-Off: 1.15 pm (local) / 10.15 pm (AEST)
Broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
Tickets are available from here
England v CommBank Matildas
Date: Tues, 11 April 2023 (local) / Wed, 12 April (AEST)
Venue: Brentford Community Stadium, London
Kick-Off: 7:45 pm (local) / 4:45 am (AEST)
Broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+