Matildas great Polkinghorne ready for Brisbane send-off
The Matildas will face familiar foes Brazil once again as they prepare to celebrate retiring great Clare Polkinghorne’s last game in Brisbane.
Clare Polkinghorne couldnât help but grin at the prospect of her Matildas send-off game coming against familiar foes Brazil.
Australia have an 11-2-8 record against Brazil, with four wins, one draw and two losses on home soil.
They have also registered memorable wins, and losses, against As Canarinhas, the Paris Olympic silver medallists.
That included famous wins at the 2015 and 2019 Womenâs World Cups and crushing defeats at the 2000, 2004 and 2016 Olympics and the 2007 and 2011 World Cups.
âParticularly early on in my career we would always seem to meet Brazil at a major tournament. Theyâve knocked us out, weâve knocked them out, so definitely got a really strong rivalry there,â said Polkinghorne, who has been involved since 2006.
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âBut you know every time you play Brazil, youâre going to get a tough, physical, challenging game and I know all the teamâs excited to get out there and play Brazil.
âOn top of that theyâve got amazing fans as well who really bring a great atmosphere to the stadium.
âSo hopefully thereâs a few of them tomorrow night as well to help them bring the energy.â
The world No.8 Brazilians are raring for the games at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night, and Cbus Super Stadium on Sunday.
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Coach Arthur Elias expected the emotion of hometown hero Polkinghorneâs celebration game to be a crucial test of his playersâ mettle.
âItâs going to be fantastic to have the opportunity to be part of this moment of Australia, for such an important moment for Claire, for Australiaâs squad and also be part of something that represents a lot for the little girls and the whole big night that itâs going to be,â Elias said through an interpreter.
They can expect to face a strong Matildas line-up.
While some European-based stars arrived quite late into camp, interim coach Tom Sermanni wants his players to hit the ground running.
âThis is where I come from, old school. You want to turn up, you want to play,â he said.
âYou ask the players do they want to play? I can guarantee you 100 per cent they want to be out there and they want to be out there for 90 minutes.
âSo we will be putting out our strongest team possible.â
Polkinghorne has relished Sermanniâs return to the fold, as the Matildas attempt to continue the momentum of their friendly win over Germany.
âHeâs brought a lot back to this team,â she said.
âObviously, the Germany result was something that weâre all really proud of as a team.
âAnd just the type of environment that he allows the players to, I guess, be creative and be themselves, thatâs something that weâve really relished.â
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