Ellie Carpenter backs recall of Michelle Heyman for Olympic Games qualifiers against Uzbekistan

The experience of the veteran striker picked to replace Sam Kerr will be a valuable weapon for the Matildas in their quest to qualify for the Olympics.

Michelle Heyman’s experience will be handy for the Matildas. Picture: Josh Chadwick/Getty Images

Matildas star Ellie Carpenter says returning veteran Michelle Heyman is the ideal player to “inject” into an Australian team desperate to earn another shot at securing an Olympic Games medal.

The Matildas must beat Uzbekistan on aggregate over two legs to qualify for this year’s Paris Olympics.

With captain and star striker Sam Kerr on the long-term injury list after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee, 35-year-old Canberra United attacker Heyman has been selected in the national squad for the first time in six years.

“The way Michelle has played, she deserves to be selected – it’s purely performance,” Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said when the squad for the home and away battle with Uzbekistan was announced.

And it’s not just her current form that will make Heyman – who scored 20 goals in 61 Matildas appearances between 2010 and 2018 – a valuable asset in the squad, according to Carpenter.

Michelle Heyman (16) reacts to missing a chance playing for Matildas in 2016. Picture: Jack Thomas/Getty Images

“She can help the team a lot with her experience,” Carpenter said.

“She has been to the Olympics before (in 2016), knows what it takes to get there and knows what it means to be a Matilda.

“She’s a great person to inject into (the squad).”

The Lyon defender said Heyman was in for a pleasant “shock” in camp ahead of Saturday’s opening leg in Tashkent.

“Since she’s been in the team to now, it’s probably when the most change has happened inside the Matildas,” Carpenter said.

“For her coming in, it probably will be a bit of a shock because it’s so different now to when she was in the team.

“It’s cool for her to see because of how much it’s changed, (with) the professionalism, the staff, how many people we have helping, our travel conditions, what it is to be Matilda now … it’s a really cool experience for her.

“I’m happy she gets to come back in and experience it one more time.”

Or maybe more than once if Heyman can maintain her form to push selection against Mexico in April and for the July 26-August 11 Olympic Games – should the Matildas qualify by beating the Uzbekistanis over two legs, the second of which takes place at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium next Wednesday night.

“I think it’s going to be very cagey,” Carpenter said in predicting what the Matildas can expect from Uzbekistan.

“I’m sure they’ll put a lot (of players) behind the ball. It’ll be us trying to get around a deep block, similar to the Iran game and the Chinese Taipei game (during the previous round of qualifiers), I’m assuming.

“We’ve played so many of these types of opponents before. It’s going to be tough game, but every game is tough and we know what’s on the line.”

Originally published as Ellie Carpenter backs recall of Michelle Heyman for Olympic Games qualifiers against Uzbekistan