By Kieran Yap (9/8/24)
Above: Young Matildas striker Kahli Johnson (L) Emilia Murray and Ella O’Grady with manager Leah Blayney. Photo: Tiffany Williams/Football Australia.
The Australian team to compete for the 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup is one of experience, depth and has plenty of attacking potential.
Young Matildas manager Leah Blayney has named her 21 players that will challenge for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup on September 1.
Captain Jessika Nash will be supported by Alexia Apostolakis and Naomi Chinnama when Australia’s best take on the world in Colombia. Blayney has named a strong squad with a diverse attack, and although one of the stars of qualifying in Daniela Galic is missing, the return of Ella O’Grady and Emilia Murray to the team adds significant firepower.
The team has a heavy emphasis on attack. Seven forwards have been named in all, including Peta Trimis who’s four goals at the Asian Cup were instrumental in qualifying and Lara Gooch, scorer of the goal that won The Young Matildas third place.
When presenting the squad to the media, Blayney looked back at the long road to her second World Cup as coach.
“This cycle has taken the team to the Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, China, Uzbekistan, New Zealand and now we will complete this two-year journey in Colombia where the players have a golden chance to display their abilities and represent Australia with pride on the world stage,” Blayney said.
“Over this cycle we have seen over 60 players across all Member Federations participate in the process, and every single one of them has contributed to the quality of this team as they showed up to test and challenge each other to keep evolving. I would like to thank all the players, Member Federations, NPL clubs and Liberty A-League Women clubs for their contribution to the final squad.
“We’ve selected a roster that has exhibited strong current form, combined with an important balance across the lines of defence, midfield and attack. The collective of players across those three lines provides us with plenty of variety as they all have different types of playing profiles and attributes.
“Ultimately our team will strive to maintain our attacking playing style with a focus exciting and entertaining football which we hope will capture the Australian public and gain their support. The test that this group craves, is now to pull it all together under tournament conditions.”
This Australian team is a young squad. Like the 2022 side that travelled to Costa Rica, it contains players that will be eligible for the next cycle of games in 2026 such as Trimis, Indiana Dos Santos and Maddy Caspers.
Excitingly for the future senior depth, six players will be making their second appearance at an Under 20 World Cup. Apostolakis, Chinnama, and Nash will return to the global stage alongside Jynaya Dos Santos, Kahli Johnson, and goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln.
There were a few surprises. Melbourne Victory prodigy Alana Murphy is a notable absentee, as is Tottenham’s Milly Broughton. New Sydney FC striker Amber Luchtmeijer is one of the few players without a full A-League Women season under her belt.
After a goalscoring debut for the Young Matildas against New Zealand, Alicia Woods will travel to Colombia. The Young Matildas did not lack for goals at the Asian Cup, and scored in every game, but Blayney’s squad looks to be one that aims to make their opposition defend.
O’Grady is a very welcome return. The 18-year-old Queenslander is capable of both spectacular goals and getting into great positions for tap-ins. Against stronger opposition like Japan, her ability to score from nothing was missing, and her ability to shoot from range will be a handy weapon in a strong group.
Murray was a key player in the Asian Cup qualifiers. The new Melbourne City winger was a regular scorer but also drove the ball forward with her direct running and well-timed passing.
As a former captain of the green and gold, Murray was thrilled to be back. The South Australian has been playing football since the age of four and is seen as one of her state’s brightest stars. She missed the majority of the 2023/24 A-League season through injury, and after missing the Asian Cup the relief was clear and her pride was well earned.
“It means everything. I’ve been working really hard for this.
“It’s not just me representing this green and gold jersey but my friends and my family who made the sacrifices for me to get to where I am.
“It’s a real privilege and honour to represent Australia, and I’m so grateful to be able to do it on the world stage.”
In 2021 Murray found out she would captain her country while sitting a school exam. For the 2024 World Cup, she learned of her inclusion in bed.
“We got the email quite late,” she told the media.
“We got it and I straight away called my mum and my boyfriend and I told my family the news.
“The whole day I was just refreshing my emails… it was a long day,” she laughed.
Alongside the likes of Trimis and Gooch, this is a team packed with pace in the final third, and it means that the midfield of Indiana Dos Santos, Shay Hollman, and Caspers can play long passes or find shorter targets to pressure defenders.
Western United’s Kahli Johnson is in her second U20 World Cup and looks like a very different player to the one who started in Costa Rica two years ago. She has become a dependable attacking outlet for her club and a consistent performer for her country.
A late recovery from injury meant that she ended the Asian Cup uncharacteristically goalless, but her ability to push or dribble past defenders with a quick change of pace and that rocket of a right foot unleashed from the left wing has earned her comparisons with Caitlin Foord.
As far as their own defensive stocks go, The Young Matildas options can be best described as enviable. Nash, Chinnama, Apostolakis, and Sasha Grove can all play almost any position across the backline, with Grove able to push into midfield or even up front if needed.
It gives Australia options. Chinnama and Apostolakis are most likely to take up the central posts but can move out wide if Grove or Nash need help, with Captain Nash able to be as creative with the ball as most midfielders in the A-League Women.
This will be a big opportunity for Australia’s best young footballers. They will face Mexico who have recently drawn with Spain and the USA while also beating Japan 3-0. They will also play hosts Colombia who have been rapidly improving on the international scene and will be tested by Cameroon.
However, this team will fear nobody and will have the chance to greatly improve as footballers and forge the experience of a lifetime.
Impetus extends our congratulations to the Young Matildas Class of 2024.
Colombia v Australia
Date: Saturday, 31 August 2024 / Thursday, 1 September 2024 (AUS)
Time: 6.00pm (local) / 9.00am (AEST)
Venue: Estadio El Campín, Bogotá, Colombia
Mexico v Australia
Date: Tuesday, 3 September 2024 / Wednesday, 4 September 2024 (AUS)
Time: 5.00pm (local) / 8.00am (AEST)
Venue: Estadio El Campín, Bogotá, Colombia
Australia v Cameroon
Date: Friday, 6 September 2024 / Saturday, 7 September 2024 (AUS)
Time: 8.00pm (local) / 11.00am (AEST)
Venue: Estadio El Campín, Bogotá, Colombia
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