Australia ready to embrace pressure as Women’s Asian Cup hosts, says Raso

MELBOURNE: Winger Hayley Raso says Australia are relishing the weight of expectation as Women’s Asian Cup hosts and shrugged off concerns the players have had little time to adapt to Joe Montemurro’s game plan.

The Matildas are chasing their first Asian Cup title since 2010 and head into the 12-nation tournament starting on Sunday with no tune-up matches and with players arriving late due to club commitments.

Raso said the players were glad of the attention playing on home soil and were fine with the pressure that came with it.

“The expectations are high, and a lot of people want us to do well,” she told reporters on Tuesday.

“We’re probably our harshest critics, we want ourselves to do well.

“I wouldn’t say that we feel pressured to perform, but we love the pressure.”

Montemurro, appointed last June, has overseen just three international windows but Raso said the squad’s cohesion and familiarity with each other meant they could adapt on the run.

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“We’re a team that’s been together for a really long time, so we know how each other works, and we know that whatever coach is in charge of us that we’ll be playing their way,” Raso said.

“He wants us to control the ball. He wants us to possess the ball, and that’s something we like doing …. We’re looking forward to getting out there.”

Raso, a key player during Australia’s run to the 2023 World Cup semi-finals co-hosted with New Zealand, scored in her last start for German club Eintracht Frankfurt.

Captain and striker Sam Kerr also grabbed a goal for Chelsea as they knocked Manchester United out of the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday.

Raso said the club form boded well for the Matildas ahead of the tournament opener against the Philippines in Perth on Sunday.

“That’s really important,” she said.

“You gain your confidence before you come into camp.”