Matildas star Hayley Raso is confident she can overcome a lack of game time with her club Manchester City to play a key role for Australia at this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Used mainly as an impact player off the bench in the English Women’s Super League, the 28-year-old winger said City’s “really high training environment” ensured she was ready to make a contribution every time she represented the Matildas.
“(As) frustrating as it is in club football not getting as many playing minutes as I’d like, I feel that when I come over to my national team, I’m getting a lot of minutes and doing well,” Raso said from London, where she is preparing for Australia’s clash with Scotland on Friday night at Cherry Red Records Stadium.
“As soon as I put this shirt on to represent my country, I am in good form and ready to go.
“I am a confident player; I feel like I’ve been performing well in our recent games, (and) keeping my training level high every single day.
“It’s nice to have (that ability) to come on and do something or turn a game around.”
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Raso said the clash with Scotland and Wednesday morning’s battle with England, also in London, would continue the Matildas’ ideal preparations for the World Cup, which starts in July and is being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
“Two really good games (against) tough opposition – it’s about preparing for us now, and making sure that we’re getting opponents in who are tough and will prepare us for the World Cup,” she said.
“It’s really good to be coming into form at this point in time because we have the World Cup right around the corner.
“I feel like when the World Cup comes around, we’ll all be ready to go and firing. I hope to be a big player for the team at the World Cup.”
Raso played in two of the Matildas’ three matches in February’s Cup of Nations, scoring a brace in Australia’s 4-0 win over the Czech Republic in Gosford.
However, the former Brisbane Roar star broke her hand in Australia’s next game – a 3-2 defeat of Spain – and missed the team’s tournament-concluding 3-0 victory over Jamaica.
“I broke my hand, (but) only missed a couple of games from that. I’m training well, performing well when I’m on the pitch, (and) definitely ready to go,” she said.
Matildas v Scotland
Friday, 10.15pm (AEST)
Cherry Red Records Stadium, London
TV: Network 10
