City head to Australia next week before the Perth International Football Cup begins with a meeting with Leicester City on Wednesday 28 August at 11:15 (UK).
The result in that match will dictate who we play on Sunday 1 September, with Paris Saint-Germain and West Ham United in the other semi-final 24 hours after our final four fixture.
With Matildas stars Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy in Gareth Taylor’s squad, fans in Perth have the opportunity to see some of their homegrown talents as well as our star-studded lineup from across the globe.
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Australia hosted last summer’s World Cup, with their own side reaching the semi-finals.
Cushing, who is now New York City head coach, believes there’s a lot to admire about the state of the women’s game in Australia.
“There are certain countries that have a real heritage and strong culture in the women’s game,” said Cushing.
“The United States is one and Australia is definitely another and I had the benefit of going out to Australia in 2015 when we launched Melbourne City Women.
“To see the game out there, how strong it is and how well supported it is, it’s a great opportunity to take City Women out there.
“We have some Australian players as well, which is great exposure for them to take their team out to see their country, it’s a real natural progression now from going to America to now going to Australia.”
The tour is vital preparation for Taylor and his players ahead of the new campaign, when we will be competing for trophies on four fronts.
After taking last year’s Barclays Women’s Super League title race down to the final day, we will be looking to go one better this time around.
Cushing knows just how important this time away in order to hit the ground running once the competitive action starts.
“As coaches we know that the pre-season is essential,” he said.
“The longer the time you get, the better the place you go to, the players you have available make it a great opportunity to build the culture of the team, get your ideas across and get a big bank of work in.
“You know the season is going to be hectic and there won’t be so much time to work. So, to have a pre-season for every coach is essential.
“It’s a great opportunity to work off the pitch as well as on it and build the chemistry and bond of the group and almost work on your ideas, what type of team you want to be.
“To be together 24/7 for two weeks, it’s a great opportunity to almost set the goals of what you want to achieve.”
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Both of City’s matches in Perth will be globally available to watch on mancity.com and our official app with a CITY+ subscription.
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