A-League All Stars v Arsenal: Cortnee Vine ready to test herself against Matildas teammates
The chance to test herself against Matildas teammates Kyra Cooney-Cross, Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley is just one reason Cortnee Vine is excited about the A-League All Stars’ clash with Arsenal.
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Cortnee Vine has played alongside Arsenal trio Kyra Cooney-Cross, Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley plenty of times for the Matildas but the chance to go toe-to-toe with them in a world first exhibition match has the speedy winger itching to get on the pitch.
Vine, still on a high from winning the A-League women’s championship with Sydney FC, is one of 19 players in the inaugural All-Stars team.
They will take on English powerhouse Arsenal in an exhibition match at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.
To Vine the match presents several big opportunities.
The first to play on the world stage again, another to test herself against Matildas captain and one of the world’s best left backs, Catley.
The final one is possibly the most important – a chance to show Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson the magic she can create with striker Michelle Heyman.
“I think a lot of people will tune in to watch the game, we are versing a team that is in the WSL so there might be a coach over in England that you want to impress – you never know what a game like this can do,” Vine said.
“I think other clubs will be watching. I think every time you play, you never know who is watching so I think it will create massive opportunities for people that decide to take the opportunity by the horns.”
If placed in her preferred position on the right wing, Vine would line up against Catley.
“I’ve never come up against her so it would be very weird,” Vine said.
“The only times I ever play against them is in camp when we do a bit of an internal scrimmage but that’s nothing like an actual game, so I’m interested to see how I go.”
Canberra United striker and league golden boot winner Heyman has also been named in the squad. Her impressive efforts on the field coupled with the unfortunate injury to Matildas striker Sam Kerr opened the door to Heyman to revive her national team career this year.
But Vine has played limited minutes with Heyman on the field. The Sky Blues winger said this match could create an opportunity for the duo to show Gustavsson what they can create in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics.
“I think Michelle is a quality nine player and I would love to play a full 90 minutes with her,” Vine said.
“So hopefully that happens during this All-Stars game.”
Those decisions will be up to coach Joe Montemurro.
Vine has never worked with the highly successful Australian coach before – who hand picked Catley and Foord for his Arsenal team back in 2020.
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about Joe as a coach and as a person so I’m very excited to work under him and see what he is like,” Vine said.
“Hopefully he can teach me something new in the few sessions we have with him.”
Arsenal are yet to name what team they will bring Down Under – though Cooney-Cross, Catley and Foord are all expected to be in the squad with the Matildas gathering the following week.
Vine said regardless of what team Arsenal travelled with it would be a tough game.
“They have a lot of big names, they’re very successful,” Vine said.
“I hope it’s all the big players they bring so the crowd gets a great show, either way there is going to be quality, it’s going to be very hard.”
Working against the All-Stars is the fact they will only have a limited number of training sessions, compared to Arsenal who have played an entire season together.
The A-League Women’s All Stars side will play Arsenal at Marvel Stadium at 8pm – following the All-Stars men’s match against Newcastle FC.
Tickets for both matches are available via Ticketek.
Originally published as A-League All Stars v Arsenal: Cortnee Vine ready to test herself against Matildas teammates
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