Mackenzie Arnold: "I don’t think you can really describe how it feels to be playing at home."

Mackenzie Arnold is back.

Back doing her thing with West Ham and back on home soil, shot-stopper Mackenzie Arnold is raring to go ahead of the Commonwealth Bank Matildas' friendly series against the USWNT.

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“I don’t think you can really describe how it feels to be playing at home, especially after being away for so long. We are already so excited to be back on Australian soil but then to have the fans welcome us back like they do is a feeling you can’t put into words," Arnold said of being back on home soil.

Like many of her teammates, she hasn’t been able to see loved ones in months. Even though she has years of practice of being away from home on international tours and playing abroad under her belt, the pandemic has added new layers of difficulty.

 

“It’s been hard being away from family for so long, especially during the unknown when you weren’t sure of the end date but we’ve all been doing this since we were teenagers and all of our families have always been so supportive of that,” she explained.

“Going overseas is what we believe makes us better footballers and sometimes they’re just the sacrifices you have to make. I think once international borders and quarantines have stopped, it will make being away a lot more bearable than it has been recently.”

READ: Milestone woman Tameka Yallop can't wait to face the USWNT

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ULTIMATE GUIDE: CommBank Matildas v United States

With Newcastle already achieving a new record for Commonwealth Matildas' ticket sales for their upcoming match on Tuesday, Sydney isn't too far behind.

“It would be incredible to be able to break that record for both us and the fans. I think we have all come a long way together since the Sydney 2000 Olympics [when the original record of 33,600 was set] and the fans have played a massive part in that so to be able to break such a long-standing record like that with them would be incredible.”

The year 2000 was not only when the record-breaking attendance was set but it was the last time the Commonwealth Bank Matildas' opponents, the US Women’s National Team, played in Australia.

The sides are very familiar with each other having already played twice this year at the Olympics. For Arnold and the team, playing against the number one ranked team in the world is always enjoyable.

“Playing the US has always been such a competitive game for us to play and I don’t think the upcoming ones will be any different.”


Both teams have selected squads which combine youth and experience. Arnold now finds herself in the latter column, having been a part of the national team set up for almost a decade after debuting in 2012.

“It’s almost a weird feeling having new young players come through because for so long you were looked at as ‘the young one’ and then one day you’re not.

“It’s cool though, it’s a nice feeling knowing that some of these players coming through have looked up to you and now they get to live out their dream alongside you as well.”

Match details

Commonwealth Bank Matildas v U.S. Women’s National Team
Saturday, 27 November 2021
Venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney
Kick-Off: 3.00pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Live and free on 10 and simulcast on 10 Play
Ticketing: www.ticketek.com.au

Commonwealth Bank Matildas v U.S. Women’s National Team
Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Kick-Off: 8.05pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Live and free on Network 10 and simulcast on 10 Play
Ticketing: www.ticketmaster.com.au