Ipswich Town Women goalkeeper Natalia Negri has expressed her excitement for the upcoming match at Portman Road, where the Tractor Girls will take on Plymouth Argyle on March 23, 2025, in the FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division.
"I am really excited to be part of it this season. I’m excited to show the crowd what I can do personally and what we’re about as a team and what we’ve been doing all season," said Negri, highlighting her desire to showcase her skills in front of thousands of fans.
Negri, who joined Ipswich in the summer of 2024 from Crystal Palace, brings significant experience to the squad. At Crystal Palace, she achieved promotion to the Women’s Super League last season, which she hopes to replicate with her current team at Ipswich. She has only conceded eight league goals throughout the season, contributing to her team's strong defensive record.
The match holds special significance, as it comes after an impressive 5-0 victory Ipswich secured against Plymouth earlier in the season at Home Park. "We take each game as it comes anyway," remarked Negri when asked about the team’s previous success against Argyle. She emphasized that, while the occasion is thrilling, their focus remains on performing at their best and striving for victory.
Speaking about the atmosphere expected at Portman Road, where the women's team aims to draw a larger crowd than the historic game last March that saw over 10,000 fans, Negri noted, "I think it will have a different feeling. Being involved in an occasion like this with this club isn’t something I’ve experienced before." This experience is pivotal not only for her but also for the team, as they seek to establish a presence in front of local supporters.
As the season progresses, Ipswich currently sits second in the FAWNL Southern Premier Division, just three points behind leaders Hashtag United, with two games in hand. A win against Argyle could bolster their promotion hopes, but the team is determined to remain grounded. "I don’t think the occasion is really going to mean too much in terms of the points in the table, we just want to make sure we put in as good a performance as we do every week, and it will just be a bonus if we get three points at Portman Road," said Negri.
The goalkeeper's high standards for her performance reflect her dedication to the game and the team's success. "Clean sheets are a massive thing for me, and coming into the season, I set myself goals and I have very high standards of myself. As a team, we take as much pride in keeping clean sheets as we do scoring goals," she stated, showing her commitment to both her individual performance and her contribution to the team’s overall success.
Despite a challenging 1-0 defeat against Hashtag United three weeks ago, Negri remains optimistic. She believes that the crucial lessons learned from such setbacks can foster growth. "I think you learn more from games like that than you would from winning 5-0 or 6-0 or even 13-0 like we did this season [against MK Dons]." Her outlook demonstrates a resilience that she hopes will carry through to the final stretch of the season.
Negri also reflected on the similarities between Ipswich Town Women and her previous team at Crystal Palace, stating, "I think I see the same will and desire to go and do it. It takes a certain group of players to be able to deal with everything that a season can throw your way, and I know the girls in this building have the exact same capability of being able to do so." This mentality is crucial as the team prepares for their remaining matches and the potential of stepping up to a higher division.
Looking ahead, Negri confidently expressed her belief in the squad's quality to succeed should they gain promotion to the Championship. "For sure, look at some of the results in the Championship and some of the games that I’ve watched from the outside looking in, and I definitely think we can put a good shift in if we were to go up," she said, emphasizing her faith in the team's readiness to face greater challenges.
As game day approaches, fans eagerly await the opportunity to see the Tractor Girls in action at Portman Road, eager to support Negri and the team as they strive for success and aim for a second promotion in as many years.
