Women’s Asian Cup: Matildas confident of living up to their world-class billing in Jordan
INJURY has shattered her dream, but Matildas striker Caitlin Foord insists there’s no deviating from her team’s bid to win the Asian Cup in Jordan starting next week.
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INJURY has shattered her Asian Cup dream, but Matildas striker Caitlin Foord insists there’s no deviating from her team’s bid to be the best in Asia.
As Australia’s women’s team makes their final preparations for the Asian Cup in Jordan starting next week, Foord declared that anything less than coming first would be viewed as a disappointment.
The Sydney FC star’s foot injury, sustained in the semi-final of the W-League, will keep her out until August, but Foord will be watching every moment as the Matildas take on Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.
Alen Stajcic’s side travels with the knowledge that after a year of incredible performances, including winning the Tournament of Nations in America, they are among the favourites - and Foord said the label was well merited.
“I think we can win it, that’s the goal,” she said.
“It’s been the goal since the last Asian Cup. Anything less than that will be disappointing.
“Coming off the year we’ve just had, there is expectation. Going into the tournament we know how hard it is coming up against the best of Asia.
“It’s difficult, we know that, but winning it is the goal. If we fall short it doesn’t match up with what we aim to do. Hopefully at the end of it we are holding up that trophy.
“In the last few games we’ve had against these countries, we’ve beaten them and well. For example against Japan at the Tournament of Nations, putting so many goals past them, and getting on top of China in the recent games against them.
“Every game is different but in my mind there’s no doubt - if we play the way we can we’ll win every game, and win the tournament.”
Foord’s absence is a blow, the sort of player Stajcic describes as striking fear into the opposition, but the player herself has seen first hand the depth of options open to the Matildas boss.
“In the past that’s something that’s lacked a bit,” she said.
“But the W-League season we’ve just had was by far the best one yet, and we saw how many good players there are here in Australia.
“That’s positive for the future, and for tournaments like these. The games are so close together, the same XI can’t play every game.
“There has to be some mixing up, and we don’t know who’ll start each game as everyone’s fighting for their spot.”
The tournament marks Stajcic’s first full cycle as boss, having been appointed on the eve of the last tournament four years ago in Vietnam.
“Staj is still the same as when I met him aged 13 in NSWIS,” Foord said.
“He still drives to be better, even if we are playing well there’s always improvement.
“He’s never satisfied with any game, even when we won the Tournament of Nations he still told us how we could do more.
“He never gets complacent and won’t let us get complacent. In that way he’s never changed.”