West Ham United women’s team defender Shelina Zadorsky insists there is plenty for her and the team to build on following their narrow 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Perth International Football Cup.
The Canada international started the clash against the French heavyweights at HBF Park, having signed a permanent deal with the Hammers earlier this month, and flown out to Western Australia with the rest of the squad last weekend.
Lining up alongside fellow summer signings Kinga Szemik and Camila Sáez in the XI, Zadorsky was pleased with how a somewhat new-look backline fared against PSG, who were Coupe de France Féminine winners last term, with Romée Leuchter’s first-half strike ultimately the difference between the sides.
“Obviously, we were hoping for the win, but there were a lot of good performances out there, and there are lots of positives to take out of the game,” the 31-year-old said.
“French teams are known for their technical ability, and I think you could see that, and I’m proud of how the team defended and created chances today, because we made it hard for them.
“I think Kinga played really well in goal. She was solid, especially at corners and in terms of coming for the ball. Camila as well – she did brilliantly, and I really enjoyed playing next to her.
“It takes time to build partnerships and gel as players, but we all put our bodies on the line for each other and we built things up well, and I feel really good about things going forward now.”
The result against PSG means West Ham will now take on Leicester City in the Perth International Football Cup third-place play-off on Sunday 1 September, at 2.05pm AWST.
And while Zadorsky is confident they can put in another strong performance against their fellow Barclays WSL outfit, she is looking forward to both the on and off-field activations throughout the remainder of the trip Down Under, in a city she used to call home.
“Being able to go on a pre-season tour is an amazing opportunity – it’s been brilliant to meet the fans throughout the week and connect with our supporters in a different place, and it’s been so good for us as a team as well,” said Zadorsky, who helped Perth Glory to the Australian W-League Grand Final in 2014.
“It’s particularly special for me that we’re in Perth. It’s a bit wild to be back here after all these years, because I have so many fond memories of my time here, and I’m just going to continue enjoying the rest of our time here.”
