18/11/23
Above: Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson, who today named his squad for the December international window. Photo: Joseph Mayers/Football Australia.
Head Coach Tony Gustavsson has named a 23-player Matildas squad to face Canada in a two-match series next month.
In their final internationals for 2023, Australia will take on the world number 10 at Starlight Stadium in Victoria on Friday 1st December with kick-off locally at 7.30pm before closing out the year at BC Place in Vancouver on Tuesday, 5 December with kick-off at 7.00pm local time.
The 23-player squad carries over significant experience from the recent Olympic Qualifiers with 20 members of that squad retained.
After featuring as a train-on-player last camp, Brighton and Hove Albion’s Charlize Rule has earned a full call-up, while defender Aivi Luik has recovered from injury to assist BK Häcken to second in the Swedish League and is now part of their UEFA Champions League campaign.
Fresh off a hattrick last weekend, A-League Women’s Golden Boot leader Holly McNamara rounds out the new faces as the 20-year-old returns to the national team for her first call-up since April 2023.
Gustavsson noted that the upcoming internationals will see Australia balancing preparations for February 2024’s Olympic Qualifiers against Uzbekistan with a deepening progression of playing style.
“We know plenty about Canada with some fierce battles over the past 18 months,” Gustavsson said. “These final 180 minutes of the year against a nation that has already qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are the type of preparation matches that are invaluable for the players.”
“Our selected squad continues to meld established performers with some new players that have impressed in their league form recently. The two matches will allow us to continue evolving our play heading into the final phase of Olympic Qualification and beyond against a challenging opponent. It is critical to our continued growth as a team and for the players to test ourselves against quality nations.”
| Mackenzie ARNOLD | Goalkeeper | West Ham United FC | 44 (0) |
| Ellie CARPENTER | Back | Olympique Lyon | 71 (4) |
| Steph CATLEY (VC) | Back | Arsenal WFC | 120 (5) |
| Kyra COONEY-CROSS | Midfielder | Arsenal WFC | 38 (0) |
| Caitlin FOORD | Forward | Arsenal WFC | 118 (33) |
| Mary FOWLER | Midfielder | Manchester City WFC | 46 (13) |
| Katrina GORRY | Midfielder | Unattached | 103 (17) |
| Charlotte GRANT | Back | Unattached | 21 (1) |
| Clare HUNT | Back | Paris Saint-Germain FC | 15 (0) |
| Alanna KENNEDY | Back | Manchester City WFC | 117 (9) |
| Sam KERR (C) | Forward | Chelsea WFC | 128 (69) |
| Aivi LUIK | Back | BK Häcken | 43 (1) |
| Holly McNAMARA | Forward | Melbourne City FC | 3 (0) |
| Teagan MICAH | Goalkeeper | Liverpool WFC | 15 (0) |
| Courtney NEVIN | Back | Leicester City WFC | 26 (0) |
| Clare POLKINGHORNE | Back | Vittsjö GIK | 164 (16) |
| Hayley RASO | Forward | Real Madrid Femenino | 80 (15) |
| Charlize RULE | Forward | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 0 (0) |
| Amy SAYER | Midfielder | Kristianstads DFF | 9 (0) |
| Emily VAN EGMOND | Midfielder | San Diego Wave FC | 137 (31) |
| Clare WHEELER | Midfielder | Everton WFC | 17 (1) |
| Lydia WILLIAMS | Goalkeeper | Melbourne Victory FC | 103 (0) |
| Tameka YALLOP | Midfielder | Brisbane Roar FC | 117 (13) |
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