The Matildas continue crucial preparations for the Paris Games when they face Mexico in San Antonio, Texas on Wednesday morning (AEST).
Australia coach Tony Gustavsson doesn’t want to say he’ll be using the match again the world No.31 for some Olympic “experiments” but conceded trying new things was crucial preparation for the Games where the Australians would be without superstar captain Sam Kerr.
Gustavsson held firm on the Football Australia line to shut down talk about the legal battle facing Kerr, who refused to tell the coach or the governing body about the late-night incident with a police officer in London that resulted in allegations of a racial slur.
The Mexico clash is the first of three final preparation games for Paris and Australia will also be without key players including Katrina Gorry (ankle), Clare Hunt (foot), Courtney Nevin and Chloe Logarzo (both hip).
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Emily Gielnik also suffered a calf injury in camp, while Aivi Luik, who the coach said was playing the best football of her career, suffered a hamstring strain.
While Gustavsson is confident they will be available for the Olympics, he knows he’ll need a few more tricks up his sleeve in the pursuit of a maiden medal and for games against first the Mexicans in San Antonio and then two home matches against China.
So he’s been using matches behind closed doors during the team training camp in Florida to find out what works best.
“It was a massive opportunity for us to try different ways, different players, different tactics, different game management stuff in a closed-door environment to not reveal too much,” Gustavsson said on match eve.
“Trying things we feel the need to improve come Olympics.
“(Today) will be a time – I don’t like the word experiments – but it will be a day when we’re going to try a lot of things.”
Gustavsson has still named a strong starting XI for the clash with veteran Michelle Heyman to lead the line.
TEAM NEWS
Australia: Arnold; Torpey, Catley, Kennedy, Carpenter; Cooney-Cross, Van Egmond, Fowler; Foord, Heyman, Raso
Mexico: Barreras; Reyes, Ferral, Martinez, Torres; Delgado, Bernal, Reyes; Ovalle, Ordonez, Camberos
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