Lydia Williams is looking to change her luck at Canberra Stadium against New Zealand for her homecoming, after the last time she laced up her boots for the Matildas there more than a decade ago.
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She was just 20 years old when she last played at the stadium back in February 2009. And it marked two polar occasions, kickstarting the national team career of Sam Kerr and signalling a 5-1 loss to Italy.
Now Australia's number one goalkeeper is looking forward to change her luck at the ground in front of her family and friends some 13 years later.
"To actually play in front of family and friends again, I think it's pretty huge," she said.
"[My family and friends] haven't seen me play in a really long time. And obviously they're there to support me rather than the footballing side. A lot of my school friends haven't seen me play since back in the school playground and stuff like that. So it's actually really exciting."
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The Arsenal FC goalkeeper was named in the Australian side for the two-game series against New Zealand next month, and is looking to add to her 97 national caps.
The last time the national team paid a visit to the ACT was in 2013, however, Williams did not feature in the Centenary Cup match at the AIS as an ACL injury kept her away.
Instead her last Matildas fixture in the capital was against Italy in 2009, when the side lost 5-1.
Even though she returned over Christmas to visit family, following a long COVID-19 enforced hiatus from the capital, she did miss reminiscing on memories of her AIS days.
"It's really cool to experience it all again," Williams said.
"I mean, a lot of us grew up through the AIS and got to experience that side of it. Gosh, from when we were coming through and to where it is now. So I think it will be a big throwback for a lot of us."
Some of those players that the AIS played a large roll in their development include three familiar faces from the 2009 squad: Williams, Kerr and Tameka Yallop.
Alongside the 2013 squad additions such as Clare Polkinghorne, Mackenzie Arnold, Emily van Egmond, Steph Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Katrina Gorry and Emily Gielnik.
The Matildas have faced the Football Ferns 49 times, and the first match in Townsville on April 8 will mark a milestone meeting before they play in the ACT on April 12.
Williams said the opportunity to face their joint hosts was a great lead into the 2023 World Cup but playing in front of home fans was the best part.
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
