Boss Rehanne Skinner has named the team to start West Ham United women’s team’s Perth International Football Cup opener against Paris Saint-Germain at HBF Park.
The Hammers are set to contest the first of two matches during their tour to Western Australia, with a second clash against one of Manchester City or Leicester City, in either the competition’s final or third-place play-off respectively, up next on Sunday 1 September.
With a spot in the showpiece at stake, Skinner has drafted in Katrina Gorry and Riko Ueki from the start, who both linked up with the squad Down Under after representing Australia and Japan at the Paris Olympic Games.
Gorry - who has been handed the captain’s armband for this game - is set to line up in midfield alongside Kristie Mewis, ahead of a backline including new goalkeeper Kinga Szemik and fellow summer signings Shelina Zadorsky and Camila Sáez in defence.
Shannon Cooke and full-backs Kirsty Smith and Anouk Denton will complete the defensive set-up, while Ueki is set to head up a front three, with Emma Harries and Viviane Asseyi either side of her.
Midfielder Dagný Brynjarsdóttir could be set for an emotional appearance off the bench, having last featured for the team in front of fans at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Also among the substitutes are goalkeeper Megan Walsh, Amber Tysiak, Marika Bergman Lundin, Halle Houssein, Soraya Walsh and Ruby Doe.
West Ham United: Szemik, Denton, Cooke, Sáez, Zadorsky, Smith, Gorry ©, Mewis, Harries, Ueki, Asseyi
Subs: M. Walsh (GK), Tysiak, Bergman Lundin, Brynjarsdóttir, Houssein, S. Walsh, Doe
Paris Saint-Germain: Earps, Samoura, Dudek ©, Echegini, Leuchter, Elimbi Gilbert, Ebayilin, Le Guilly, Mbock Bathy, Traoré, Fazer
Subs: Kiedrzynek (GK), Toussaint (GK), De Almeida, Karchaoui, Geyoro, Katoto, Albert, Gaetino, Lushimba Bilombi, Mokthar Jamai, Le Guilly
