4/11/22
Above: Experienced New Zealand international Katie Bowen has signed for Melbourne City. Photo: FIFA.
Melbourne City today announced the major signing of New Zealand international Katie Bowen for the 2022/23 A-League Women’s season.
A defensive midfielder who is also comfortable playing in the heart of defence, her signing further increases City’s depth as the club move closer to their season opener away to Wellington Phoenix on 20th November.
Bowen joins City from the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) where she has been playing for the last decade after attending college at the University of North Carolina.
A veteran of the New Zealand national team, Bowen has been capped 85 times including appearing at three World Cups and both the 2016 and 2019 Olympics.
After ongoing conversations with the club over the past few seasons, the time was now right for Bowen to make the move to Melbourne with the 2022 Women’s World Cup fast approaching.
Head Coach Rado Vidosic spoke of his delight at bringing a player of Bowen’s quality to the club.
“Katie brings a wealth of experience to our playing group, and we’re really excited to have her here in Melbourne. She’ll play a key role for us and we’re looking forward to seeing what she can add to our squad this season.”
Bowen said she was excited by the opportunity to join City and looking forward to getting to work.
“I’d spoken to Rado a fair bit over the past couple of seasons, but it’s always been a bit hard because the A-League Women season was in my off-season and that’s generally family time,” Bowen said.
“With the World Cup coming next year, I need to be playing consistent games, so it felt to me like the perfect time to make the move and I’m really happy to be here at City now. I always thought of City as an incredibly successful club and have admired the style of play.
“Stotty of course played here for years and Wilkie too, plus there’s been some other Kiwis on the team and they’ve always said great things so it was really enticing for me to join City.”
Adelaide United today signed Chinese international, Xiao Yuyi, on loan for the upcoming A-League Women season.
The 26-year-old forward joins the club from Shanghai Shengli in the Chinese Women’s Super League and comes with a lot of pedigree, having scored the winning goal in the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup Final against South Korea in additional time.
Speaking on joining the Club, Xiao Yuyi said: “I am very happy to be joining Adelaide United. This is an exciting move for me and my career and I cannot wait to start working hard with the team. We were very competitive last season and I am confident that we can have another successful year together.”
Adelaide United Head Coach, Adrian Stenta, said: “We are very happy to bring Xiao Yuyi to the club for the upcoming season on loan.
“She is a player with many attributes that will compliment our squad, but specifically our attacking depth. Her experience at international level will be crucial as we head into the season and I’m sure many of our players will be able to learn a lot from her as we push for success this season.”
Canberra United have added to their playing ranks with the signing of Canberra United Academy forward Sofia Christopherson.
The addition of Christopherson brings United’s squad for the 2022/2023 A-League Women season to 20 as kick-off to the brand new campaign edges ever closer.
Christopherson skippered Canberra United Academy in their 2022 National Premier League season and ended her Academy playing career with 50 appearances and 22 goals, highlighting her physicality, pace, and leadership abilities in a youthful Academy structure.
“I am delighted to be able to add Sofia to the Canberra United squad,” Head Coach Njegosh Popovich said. “ A player that has speed and the ability to find the goal, during her trial she has not looked out of place amongst the squad, she deserves this position within the team”
“Sofia is a perfect example of the Academy pathway in Canberra working. She is a product of the environment, being challenged consistently has provided her with the maturity to cope with being a professional player. Promotion to the Canberra United squad for 2022/2023 is a natural progression for a player of her quality.
“Our Academy is vital in this respect as we look to develop the future stars of Canberra United and the Liberty A-League.”
The young forward was in excellent form for the Academy during the 2022 National Premier League season and is ecstatic about receiving the call up to be a part of the Canberra United senior squad.
“The call up was a lovely surprise, and I am delighted to be joining Canberra United for the new season,” Christopherson said.
“Playing for Canberra United is a dream come true for me and I am thankful for Njegosh Popovich and the coaching staff for having the faith in me to make the step up from the Academy.
“The Canberra United Academy program has been a huge part of my development and I thoroughly enjoyed my football there. I can’t wait to get started with the first team squad.”
Canberra United’s 2022/2023 Liberty A-League season begins on Saturday 19th November with a home match against Perth Glory at McKellar Park.
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