Kick-off is scheduled for 6pm local time as the team play the second game of their tour of the United States.
After a training session in soaring heat at the wonderful setting of Daly Field in Boston on Monday, Jepson spoke with Liverpoolfc.com about how much the players are enjoying their experience in America.
Read on for Jepson’s thoughts on the final tour game, playing at Harvard University and travelling to fixtures on one of the official team coaches…
On the opportunity to play at Harvard University…
Harvard University is a fantastic set-up in itself. It has been spoken about in movies and all sorts. The facilities are fantastic so we are looking forward to playing there. We will get another strong and competitive game, I’m sure, to tick off as our second game of pre-season.
On the players looking sharp in training despite the intense heat…
It was incredibly hot out there but I have to give credit to the players because they worked hard and got through it. All of the staff put in a shift in the heat making sure all the equipment was out there, the shade was provided for them, the water when they needed it, the wet towels around their neck, but my word it was hot.
On making a few changes to the session to help the players cope with the conditions…
You have to, especially when you are playing on turf because the heat was at another level. So you slow the session down a little bit, you have more water breaks and longer water breaks, and you make sure they are in the shade when they do that. It’s important we take care of them.
On the squad enjoying the session and looking sharp…
They do. It’s good to play on turf in a way because you know the surface is smooth and the ball is not going to bobble. It zips around quicker and it’s good for us to train on this because we are playing on it at Harvard University, so it’s just making sure that it’s what we are going to be playing on. The girls did really well today considering the heat, there were a lot of sweaty, bright-red faces, but they worked really hard and they seemed to enjoy themselves.
On the challenge of facing the Metropolitan Conference All Stars…
I can imagine they will have some talented individuals and they will be in physically good condition, so that will add a challenge to us. Just like in the first game when we played against Cleveland Ambassadors, they put a few players from around America in to strengthen the squad. So it will be a good test and that is what we want because we don’t want it to be easy.
On the return to action of Jess Clarke, who will get some minutes on Monday after injury…
I know it was hot out there but Jess was on fire in training with some of the goals she has been scoring. It’s great to see her back and we welcome her back into the team.
On the squad travelling in the USA on one of the team buses…
It’s good. We got off the plane when we arrived here in Boston and to get on Big Red 2 was fantastic! It has been fantastic and the reception that we have got from people here in Boston has been incredible. The fans have been taking pictures of the bus as we have driven past, they have been waiting for the girls to get off and then cheering them by singing, ‘We are Liverpool!’. It’s been really good to draw positive attention to what a fantastic team we have.
On getting the opportunity to cheer on Jürgen Klopp’s charges in their games during the tour…
It’s about two teams coming out here but being one club, the LFC family. It’s a great opportunity for us to feel really a part of what LFC is as a brand. To go and support them and be behind them, to go to their open training, to go on the pitch at half-time in Notre Dame was incredible for them and the reception they got from our fans out here in the USA was incredible. I’d love to see that amount of fans at our games this season at Prenton Park. It’s a different level out here I think than it is back home, but hopefully that will start to grow on the back of the success of the World Cup.
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