Adelaide University’s WNPL Golden Boot, Chilean international Maria Jose Rojas says playing at Hindmarsh Stadium is a dream
Popular Chilean women’s football international Maria Jose Rojas is hoping her personal Hindmarsh Stadium hex will be gone when Chile face the Matildas at the venue in November.
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There's a good chance Chilean star Maria Jose Rojas will get a rousing reception almost as good as Matildas iconic captain Sam Kerr at Hindmarsh Stadium on November 12.
Whether Rojas, 31, plays in front of a familiar SA audience will depend on ridding a Hindmarsh hex as Chilean coach José Letelier is currently focusing on depth providing less experienced players with playing opportunities.
She scored 65 goals in two seasons in SA’s women’s national premier league with Adelaide University but never got to taste Hindmarsh.
“It’s a dream and something that we always wanted to happen and now that I found out it’s going to be in November in Adelaide it’s very exciting, it’s like playing at home,’’ Rojas said from Santiago.
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Rojas’ popularity is on the rise via her 129,000 Instagram and 10,600 Twitter followers as Chilean women’s football is making huge inroads.
She now is easily recognised in the streets of Santiago after helping Chile to its maiden FIFA women’s World Cup appearance in France this year.
“This never happened before, one time I had 20 people all at the same time that saw me and wanted to take photos with me, it’s great that women’s football is growing so fast in Chile,’’ Rojas said.
Rojas represented Chile twice in Australia last year.
Chile upset Matildas 3-2 before Australia claimed the second match 5-0 in NSW and after winning a short-term contract with W-League outfit Canberra it looked like her Hindmarsh dream was about to come true.
However Rojas didn’t make the trek for the clash.
She was released by Canberra just before the FIFA transfer window closed last November as she was signed as short term cover for US defender Paige Neilson who was finishing a season in South Korea.
Rojas was however re-signed in January and played out the remainder of the season with Canberra.
She remains the top striker for Chile with 12 international goals but she wasn’t included in the nation’s recent four nation tournament squad in Brazil.
Chile beat Costa Rica 1-0 and Brazil on penalties in Brazil and face Uruguay in two friendly matches next month.
“This Chilean football generation is very good, we have a lot younger emerging players raring for opportunities to play and it’s great José Letelier is giving them a go on the big stage,’’ Rojas said.
“I’m also trying to focus on my club and we’re going to the Copa Libertadores, that’s huge for my club and for football in Chile.
“My goal is to play in the Olympics, I really want to make it, I want to go to Tokyo 2020.”
Chile can qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time if it wins a playoff against a yet-to-be determined nation from Africa next year.
Rojas made a huge impact when she arrived in Adelaide in 2015 after playing in Chile, US, and Germany.
She earned two Golden Boots with Adelaide University and then played for clubs in Japan and Czech Republic before signing for Santiago Morning after the World Cup in France.
Rojas burst onto the Chilean league scene with two goals and two assists winning a best player award on debut for Morning with subsequent stellar performances.
She is excited to feature for Morning in the Copa Libertadores — essentially South America’s champions league — where the club would play all their games in Ecuador next month.
Morning is the current Chilean club champion.
“My club is very professional, I am very happy and we have really good staff and they are very professional too,’’ Rojas said.
“The league here is very strong.”
“I had options to play in other countries after the World Cup.
“But I don’t think I will have another opportunity to play in front of my family in Chile again.
“I’ll be returning to Australia … I have big plans for football in Australia too.”