“Back yourself in and enjoy yourself.” – Emily van Egmond’s advice for new Matildas

By Emma Burke (29/11/23).

Above: Matildas star Emily van Egmond (right) with Newcastle Jets. Photo: Liberty A-League.

In the lead-up to the Matildas’ final two games of 2023, midfielder Emily van Egmond told the media today that this international window is all about “building momentum,” as the Paris Olympic Games are, “right around the corner.”

Van Egmond was fresh off her first session with the team having travelled from Australia where she is currently in the middle of a four-game guest stint with the Newcastle Jets. 

“We want to finish on a high, it’s important that we do so,” said van Egmond, regarding the upcoming games against Canada, which are, for the hosts, centred around being a farewell to icon of the Women’s Game, Christine Sinclair. 

“We want to get as much as we can out of this window,” she followed up with, as these games are the last time the team will be together before their final round of Olympic Qualification, a two-game stint against Uzbekistan. 

The last time these two teams met was during the group stage of the Women’s World Cup, when Australia demolished Canada in Melbourne in a 4-0 defeat.

“It was almost do-or-die,” she said.

Australia had lost their previous game against Nigeria, 3-2, and fear was growing amongst the media and the public that the Matildas were going to crash out of their home World Cup.

“We made a statement for ourselves,” said van Egmond about the emphatic win, “it set us up for a good run for the rest of the tournament.”

That game saw van Egmond start up the top of the field in a partnership with Mary Fowler, due to Sam Kerr’s hamstring injury. 

Traditionally a midfielder, and an attacking one at that, van Egmond also spoke of her willingness to play wherever needed, and that she would be ready to do so again, given that Kerr has been ruled out of these last two games with a foot injury.

Kerr’s injury is one of a few within the Matildas’ squad with Mackenzie Arnold, Charli Grant, and Holly McNamara, all joining her on the unavailable list, leading to young players such as Paris FC midfielder Sarah Hunter being called into the camp for the first time.

“You’ve been picked for a reason,” van Egmond said of the new call-ups, which include goalkeeper Jada Whyman, who has been in camps before but is yet to get a start, and Charlize Rule who featured as a train-on player only at the Matildas’ last camp.

“Back yourself in and enjoy yourself.” 

While viewers at home and abroad won’t have to do much of the first half of van Egmond’s statement to the newcomers, they will do however, do the second when watching the Matildas’ final games for this calendar year.

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