{"id":315538,"date":"2023-07-12T04:54:09","date_gmt":"2023-07-12T04:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=315538"},"modified":"2023-07-12T06:58:56","modified_gmt":"2023-07-12T06:58:56","slug":"in-your-face-matildas-coachs-warning-to-rivals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=315538","title":{"rendered":"'In your face': Matildas coach's warning to rivals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Matildas<\/a> coach Tony Gustavsson has sent a warning to his side's opponents ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup<\/a>, saying Australia won't apologise for its ferocity on the pitch.<\/p>\n

\ufeff"We're always going to be an in your face kind of team, no matter who we're playing," Gustavsson said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

The Matildas final squad of 23 were presented at Federation Square in Melbourne, as the team prepares for its warm-up match against France on Friday at Marvel Stadium. \ufeff<\/p>\n

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With over one million tickets sold to what is set to be the biggest ever female sporting event in history, Gustavsson said his team has been building its speed ahead of the tournament.<\/p>\n

\"MELBOURNE,<\/p>\n

"We know how to play a pressing game and attack a lot. It takes a lot of running," Gustavsson said.<\/p>\n

"We ran them hard."<\/p>\n

As for the Matildas game plan, the head coach said his side will be unforgiving and fearless in their style, which is a risk they're willing to take.<\/p>\n

"(We're playing a) high pressing game in attack. It may cost us a goal or two but then we need to score more," he said.<\/p>\n

For superstar captain Sam Kerr<\/a> ahead of her fourth World Cup, the idea of playing in Australia \ufeffwas something she never thought possible, but presents an edge for the Matildas like no other.<\/p>\n

\"MELBOURNE,<\/p>\n

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent your country on home soil," Kerr said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

"Home crowd advantage is a real thing."<\/p>\n

As for the most capped Matildas player, Clare Polkinghorne, she believes that squad is in the best place they've been in for years.<\/p>\n

"We've been challenged a lot as a playing group, but we've stuck together and believed in each other … and the process," Polkinghorne said.<\/p>\n

"We're in a really good place as a group."<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheMatildas\/status\/1678693770521608192<\/a><\/p>\n

But the squad admit that while they've made improvements, so have the 31 other competing nations, which will create a contest unlike any other before it.<\/p>\n

"If you look at the European leagues, It's a level it's never been at before," said defender Steph Catley.<\/p>\n

"It's going to be the most competitive World Cup I've ever been involved in."<\/p>\n

The \ufeff23-player squad face France in a warm-up match on Friday at Marvel Stadium, before heading to Brisbane's team base where the World Cup will officially kick off on July 20.<\/p>\n

\ufeffMATILDAS WOMEN'S WORLD CUP FINAL SQUAD<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lydia Williams (\ufeffBrighton & Hove Albion FC), Courtney Nevin (\ufeffLeicester City on loan from Hammarby IF<\/em>), Aivi Luik (\ufeffBK H\u00e4cken), Clare Polkinghorne (\ufeffVittsj\u00f6 GIK), Cortnee Vine (\ufeffSydney), Clare Wheeler (\ufeffEverton), Steph Catley (\ufeffArsenal), Alex Chidiac (\ufeffRacing Louisville), Caitlin Foord (\ufeffArsenal), Emily Van Egmond (\ufeffSan Diego Wave), Mary Fowler (\ufeffManchester City), Teagan Micah\ufeff (FC Roseng\u00e5rd), Tameka Yallop (\ufeffSK Brann), Alanna Kennedy (\ufeffManchester City), Clare Hunt (\ufeffWestern Sydney Wanderers), Hayley Raso (Unattached<\/em>), Kyah Simon (\ufeffUnattached<\/em>), Mackenzie Arnold (West Ham United), Katrina Gorry (\ufeffVittsj\u00f6 GIK), Sam Kerr (\ufeffChelsea), Ellie Carpenter (\ufeffOlympique Lyon), Charlotte Grant (Vittsj\u00f6 GIK), Kyra Cooney-Cross (\ufeffHammarby IF).<\/p>\n

\ufeffFor a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here<\/strong><\/em><\/a>!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has sent a warning to his side's opponents ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, saying Australia won't apologise for […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":315540,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315538"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=315538"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315538\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":315543,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315538\/revisions\/315543"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/315540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=315538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=315538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=315538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}