Matildas star Ellie Carpenter says returning veteran Michelle Heyman is the best participant to “inject” into an Australian workforce determined to earn one other shot at securing an Olympic Games medal.
The Matildas should beat Uzbekistan on mixture over two legs to qualify for this 12 months’s Paris Olympics.
With captain and star striker Sam Kerr on the long-term damage listing after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee, 35-year-old Canberra United attacker Heyman has been chosen within the nationwide squad for the primary time in six years.
“The way Michelle has played, she deserves to be selected – it’s purely performance,” Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson mentioned when the squad for the house and away battle with Uzbekistan was introduced.
And it’s not simply her present kind that can make Heyman – who scored 20 objectives in 61 Matildas appearances between 2010 and 2018 – a worthwhile asset within the squad, in line with Carpenter.
“She can help the team a lot with her experience,” Carpenter mentioned.
“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 mentioned Heyman was in for a pleasing “shock” in camp forward 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 mentioned.
“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 possibly greater than as soon as if Heyman can preserve her kind to push choice towards Mexico in April and for the July 26-August 11 Olympic Games – ought to the Matildas qualify by beating the Uzbekistanis over two legs, the second of which takes place at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium subsequent Wednesday evening.
“I think it’s going to be very cagey,” Carpenter mentioned in predicting what the Matildas can anticipate 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 revealed as Ellie Carpenter backs recall of Michelle Heyman for Olympic Games qualifiers towards Uzbekistan
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
