23/11/23
Above: Georgia Cassidy (purple shirt), so impressive in her first A-League season, has received a Young Matildas call-up. Photo: Getty Images, supplied to Impetus by: Perth Glory FC.
Young Matildas head coach Leah Blayney has named a 24-player squad as The Young Matildas continue their preparations for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup when they face fellow qualifiers, China, in a two-match international series later early next month.
China will host Australia’s U-20 Women’s National Team in Xiamen on Sunday 3rd December and Wednesday 6th December at the Auxiliary Field of Xiamen Egret Stadium.
The fixtures form a crucial part of Head Coach Leah Blayney’s groundwork for the side as they aim to qualify for the 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup Colombia with a top-four finish at the continental championships.
Blayney has selected a 24-player squad for the tour laden with A-League Women’s talent as reward for strong performances in the opening five rounds of the 2023/2024 season.
Among those selected are Georgia Cassidy and Grace Johnston who have both been in outstanding form for Perth Glory in their first-ever campaigns at A-League Women level, coming straight out of the Hyundai NTC squad in the NPLW WA.
Also in the squad are Daniela Galic who has been impressive for Melbourne City so far, Melbourne Victory’s Jessika Nash, Sydney FC’s excellent Dos Santos sisters Indiana and Jynaya as well as the Newcastle Jets pair Lara Gooch and Claudia Cicco.
“It has been an exciting start to the 2023/24 A-League Women’s season, and we have already witnessed an impressive level of technical skill, tactical awareness, physicality, and commitment to continuous development from youth players all across the league,” Blayney said.
“This squad has been selected to reflect and recognise those showings and ongoing performances within our recent national team environments.
“For a number of the players, it has been a little while since they have been with the national team group, so getting up to speed with the primary goal. For those who were a part of the qualification campaign, it is yet another chance to continue laying the platform for 2024,” Blayney concluded.
Football Australia CEO, James Johnson, said: “The tour of China is a significant opportunity for the CommBank Young Matildas to continue to build towards a key tournament in next year’s AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup.”
“It builds upon our concerted approach to provide high-quality match minutes for the next generation of footballers and, as former AFC U-20 champions, China is one such nation that will provide invaluable international experience for the players.
China qualified for the eight nation AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup after finishing Group B winners in round two and is a six-time FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup participant.
Young Matildas Squad:
| Alexia | APOSTOLAKIS | Defender | Western Sydney Wanderers FC / Football NSW |
| Milly | BOUGHTON | Forward | Tottenham Hotspurs FC / Football NSW |
| Georgia | CASSIDY | Midfielder | Perth Glory FC / Football West |
| Claudia | CICCO | Forward | Newcastle Jets FC / Football NSW |
| Indiana | DOS SANTOS | Midfielder | Sydney FC / Football NSW |
| Jynaya | DOS SANTOS | Forward | Sydney FC / Football NSW |
| Tahlia | FRANCO | Goalkeeper | Sydney FC / Football NSW |
| Daniela | GALIC | Midfielder | Melbourne City FC / Football NSW |
| Lara | GOOCH | Forward | Newcastle Jets FC / Northern NSW Football |
| Sasha | GROVE | Forward | Canberra United FC / Capital Football |
| Milan | HAMMOND | Forward | Newcastle Jets FC / Northern NSW Football |
| Shay | HOLLMAN | Midfielder | Sydney FC / Football NSW |
| Kahli | JOHNSON | Forward | Western United FC / Football NSW |
| Grace | JOHNSTON | Defender | Perth Glory FC / Football West |
| Zoe | KARIPIDIS | Defender | Newcastle Jets FC / Northern NSW Football |
| Zara | KRUGER | Midfielder | Sydney FC / Football Queensland |
| Chloe | LINCOLN | Goalkeeper | Canberra United FC / Football NSW |
| Maya | LOBO | Defender | Central Coast Mariners FC / Football NSW |
| Alana | MURPHY | Midfielder | Melbourne Victory FC / Football Victoria |
| Jessika | NASH | Defender | Melbourne Victory FC / Football NSW |
| Ella | O’GRADY | Forward | Melbourne Victory FC / Football Queensland |
| Avaani | PRAKASH | Midfielder | Western United FC / Football NSW |
| Naomi | THOMAS-CHINNAMA | Defender | Melbourne City FC / Football Victoria |
| Peta | TRIMIS | Forward | Central Coast Mariners FC / Football NSW |
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