Here s everything you need to know about our upcoming match.
Background
After a 396 day break from international football due the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions, the Westfield Matildas kicked off against Olympic champions and 2nd ranked nation Germany on the 11th April and the World Cup runners up The Netherlands four days later.
Many lessons were learnt in both matches with Australia defeated 5-2 by Germany and 5-0 to the Netherlands.
Gustavsson s intention was to play as hard of an opponent as possible, in preparation for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. The restriction of only having non-Australian based players to pick from added an extra challenge for the Westfield Matildas to overcome.
“Since we were last together in April, I have been excited about the progress many players have made at their clubs. This match will give us the ability to build on that club progress and the work we undertook in April.”
The Westfield Matildas and Denmark have met on four (4) occasions with their last match at the 2017 Algarve Cup, seeing a penalty shootout win for the Danes after scores were locked at 1-1 in regular time.
Emily van Egmond in action against Denmark in 2017
After the encounter with Denmark, the Westfield Matildas will face Sweden in Kalmar to complete their June schedule of matches.
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The Westfield Matildas preparations for the Games ramp up with a friendly against Sweden on June 16th.
For coach Tony Gustavsson, the Rio Games silver medallists and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup third-placed team present a different but equally strong test as Australia’s last two opponents.
“I think it s going to be a different challenge than Germany and the Holland game because this is a different type of team. And we also said we need to play different styles, explained Gustavsson. So not only is it a world class opponent, it s a different type of opponent that we played when we played Germany and Holland. So I expect it to be a really, really tough game, but also an important and good game for us.”
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Australia’s preparations for Tokyo have been strengthened with the announcement they will take on Sweden on 16 June 2021 at Kalmar Arena, Kalmar.
The reigning Rio Games silver medalists and FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ bronze medalists, Sweden will be another strong opponent for the Westfield Matildas as they sharpen their focus leading into the Women’s Football Tournament.
“Since learning of our opponents for the Games, we have quickly shifted our attention to ensuring we are best equipped for the matches ahead,” said Westfield Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson.
April provided us with a lot of insights from the matches against Germany and the Netherlands. Ranked fifth in the world, in Sweden we have another top team that will challenge us with a different style and tactical setup.”