After five months of grueling negotiations, Sarah Walsh, 26 (left) and Collette McCallum, 22 are set to kick off the April 5 Women’s Professional Soccer season opener with New Jersey/New York Sky Blue FC. The Australian duo is familiar with the game and with each other’s style of play as current power-partners with Australia’s Westfield W-League, and former teammates at the FIFA World Cup in China. In both strategy and execution, these international footballers set the stage for a dynamic offence for Sky Blue.

Walsh was part of the WPS Sept. 24 International Draft, an opportunity Sky Blue FC General Manager and Head Coach Ian Sawyers viewed as a golden score. “Having someone of Sarah Walsh’s caliber – one of the quickest and most dangerous strikers in the world – is a huge plus,” Sawyers said. And a score she is. Since her 2004 debut, Walsh has scored 26 goals in 55 appearances. “My strengths are my pace and ability to put myself in goal-scoring opportunities,” commented Walsh. An arrangement that has been nurtured through National’s with none other than Collette McCallum.

McCallum’s impressive abilities have dubbed her a “set piece specialist.” Her ability to identify and create scoring opportunities earned her 47 appearances in four years, including tremendous contribution to the USL W-League championship. As a distributor to be reckoned with, McCallum sets up spots for her teammates to notch.

Sawyers recognized the McCallum-Walsh matchup as something uniquely advantageous. “The fact that Collette has the experience of knowing Sarah’s game so well, having played with her on the Australian National Team, means we are provided with both talent and stability,” she said. “And to have the skilled play-making of Collette McCallum behind Sarah is a huge asset.”

The WPS inaugural season will be McCallum’s second contribution to a US team, but Collette still considers herself an American in training, “I came to America last year and it was a great experience…It’s going to be a big change of lifestyle for me and I hope I adapt to it well.”

How this relationship plays on American soil can only be defined in 89 days. Until then, best of luck in the Australian Grand Final!

Pamela “LadyPink” Daniels is an Editorial Consultant in Newark, N.J. Her website is thepinkstandard.com.