Sydney FC Young Matilda Shay Hollman has come off one successful campaign and is ready to get the job done in another.
As the Sky Blues prepare for three games in a week and what could be their fourth consecutive Premiers Plate victory; Hollman has returned to the Liberty A-League following a remarkable international campaign with the Young Matildas, which saw the squad win an AFC Asian Cup U20’s bronze medal and qualify for the U20 World Cup.
“To qualify for the Under 20 World Cup was our big goal. To achieve that is huge. We are all just pumped to go to that tournament at the end of this year. It is a huge honour to be in that squad.
“It is really exciting to be back. A month away is a long time, so got the job done but happy to be back now and to be able to focus on the rest of our A-League season.
“The girls [Sydney FC] have done exceptionally well whilst we have been away. These next three games are really important for the race for the Premiership which has been the goal the whole season. We are going to keep working towards that,” shared the 18-year-old.
“Goal one is to get the Premiership so until we get that in our hands we won’t be thinking too far ahead but if we are lucky enough to get that, we will refocus and go back into training with another job to do.”
Hollman on Sydney FC’s finals preparation.
Despite unpredictable playing conditions including thick layers of snow covering the pitch, Hollman’s tremendous efforts in Uzbekistan resulted in two player of the match awards across five games
“I was very grateful to have got that award [player of the match] twice. To be honest, it was a team performance and we all put in a big shift which is why we got the results at the end of the day.
“We came up against really good teams. The conditions had a bit to play as well. Learning how to play in the snow was definitely a challenge for us. Playing against Japan and other countries was really eye opening. There are a lot things you can learn from them,” the midfielder shared.
After a physically strenuous couple of weeks, the young player has taken it all within her stride, remaining positive and hopeful for a critical win in the upcoming match-up against Adelaide United this Sunday afternoon.
“My body is feeling fine. There’s no issues so I will be ready to go.
“You obviously want to get the win for the team but to also give thanks to the fans as well,” Hollman added.
Two wins out of the next three games will guarantee Sydney FC the Premiers Plate for their fourth year in a row, marking history across both the Liberty and Isuzu UTE A-Leagues. A Premiers Plate could potentially lead to an 11th Grand Final experience and if successful, the Sky Blues fifth Championship overall.
Whilst the competition has gone up a notch and teams are gunning for the top spot on the ladder, the Sydney native has remained focused on the job in front of her and is looking forward to returning home to Leichhardt Oval this weekend.
“The Premiership is in the back of your mind but it’s about turning up to each game and doing one job at a time.
“Leichhardt is a great stadium. It has a really good pitch. A home game is an advantage for us and the girls seem really focused,” she said.
You can cheer on Shay and the Sky Blue squad at Leichhardt Oval at 4:00pm or broadcast via Paramount+ or 10BOLD.
Match Details:
Sydney FC v Adelaide United
Liberty A-League Round 21
Sunday 24th of March, 2024
Leichhardt Oval, Sydney, Australia
Kick Off: 4:00pm AEDT
Gates Open: 3:00pm AEDT
Broadcast Live: Paramount+ and 10BOLD
Tickets: Click here
