Matildas prepare for hot turf war

Jun 25, 2015 - 7:57 AM With temperatures expected to soar for their Women's World Cup quarter-final the Matildas are already preparing an SOS for team physios. Save Our Soles, that is.

The Canadian tournament, the first senior FIFA event to be played completely on artifical turf, has Australia's players counting the cost on their feet.

Matildas striker Michelle Heyman said the carnage revealed itself after matches on the artificial surface.

"You wouldn't want to see the bottom of our feet after a game ... the skin is all ripped off. It's pretty disgusting," she told the Adelaide Advertiser.

"It's like walking on hot coals with your skin ripping and slowly cracking, constantly."

Which makes the 32 degree forecast in Edmonton for the Matildas' do-or-die clash with reigning world champions Japan a huge concern.

In the opening match at Edmonton, played in a mild 23 degrees, a local journalist measured the turf temperature to be a whopping 49 degrees.

Midfielder Emily van Egmond chose to look at Sunday morning's (AEST) fixture from a competitive point of view.

"If it's a hot day then it's going to be hot for both teams," she said.

"It's hot, it's turf and it's going to be hot ... there's not really a lot you can do, just try not to think about it really."

If they can handle the turf, the hot day could turn out to be an advantage for Alen Stajcic's side.

Japan have fielded an older side than Australia at the tournament so far, and have just three full days between games compared with Australia's five.

Van Egmond said the team's experience in the W-League, played through the Australian summer, prepared them well.

"We play a lot of games around the 30 degree mark, some near the 40 degree mark," she said.

"We're somewhat used to it, especially the girls from Perth."

As it turns out, the Matildas have a strong Western Australian influence.

Alanna Kennedy, Caitlin Foord and Sam Kerr are current Perth Glory players, while Lisa De Vanna and Lydia Williams hail from the West.

Source: AAP