Suwon: On the verge of reaching their second straight final at the top Asian women's club football competition, Melbourne City FC will try to build on their experience from last year, head coach Michael Matricciani said Tuesday. Matricciani and the reigning Australian league champions will play in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Champions League against Tokyo Verdy Beleza of Japan at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul. The final is set for 2 p.m. Saturday in Suwon, with Suwon FC Women of South Korea and Naegohyang Women's FC of North Korea facing off in the other semifinal match.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Melbourne City FC lost to Wuhan Jiangda Women's FC on penalties in the final of the inaugural edition of the tournament last year, an outcome that Matricciani admitted was "very difficult." The Italian-born tactician said his players will use their experience from the near-miss to their advantage this time. "I think we have learned from the experiences last year so we're better prepared," Matricciani said at the pre-tournament press conference at Suwon Stadium. "We didn't quite know what to expect, especially it being the first edition of the AFC (Women's) Champions League. I think now our players are more experienced. We've played together an extra season. I think we've recruited really well in the past offseason and we're coming off a really good campaign, winning the double in Australia. So confidence is really high."

Melbourne City defender Rebekah Stott, who was named the tournament MVP last year despite the team's runner-up finish, also said she was happy with the composition of the squad. "I think the team has done a great job at recruiting. We have a lot of new players but also the core from last season," she said. "I think that extra depth will help us in these games."

At his team's presser, Tokyo Verdy Beleza head coach Naoki Kusunose said he was wary of Melbourne City's "power and speed." "We have been trying to come up with measures to counter their speed and power," Kusunose said. "Since they are a formidable opponent, we need to remain focused. Every team that has come this far is strong and we won't be able to advance unless we bring our absolute best."

Tokyo Verdy Beleza defender Azusa Iwashimizu, who will retire after this season at age 39, said she would love nothing more than to punctuate her career with the AFC crown. "This is the final chapter of my career and my motivation to etch the title of 'Asian Champions' at the very end is higher than ever before," she said. "We want to play with confidence and express our own brand of football. We expect Melbourne City to bring a different level of speed, power and physical reach than what we are used to, so we will thoroughly analyze them before stepping onto the pitch."