Matildas AFC Women’s Asian Cup travelling squad announced – The Women’s Game – Australia’s Home of Women’s Sport News – FTBL

As the AFC Women’s Asian Cup is set to kick off in India in two weeks, Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson has released the twenty-five player travelling squad to meet up ahead of the competition later this month.

Matildas AFC Women’s Asian Cup Travelling Squad

• Twenty-five players heading to Dubai for a camp ahead of the competition.
• Two places up for grabs in the final twenty-three woman AFC Women’s Asian Cup roster.
• Seven players called up are currently playing in the A-League Women.

More Matildas news can be found on The Women’s Game.

Of the twenty-five Australian women named, twenty-one are confirmed to be included in the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup competition.  Gustavsson spoke upon the Matildas’ travelling camp announcement about these confirmed players:

“The twenty-one players that we have selected, there aren’t many players from the Olympic roster.

The Matildas head coach also adding: “We considered a lot of factors and reflected on the experience of the Tokyo Olympics in assembling this roster.

“It was important that, with the initial 21 players selected, we found the balance between players that have been the backbone of the national team for the past decade and providing experience to a new group of players with the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 next year in mind.”

Of the twenty-one confirmed players, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Courtney Nevin and Remy Siemsen play in the A-League Women, while the remaining eighteen Matildas play abroad.  

The confirmed squad also have an average age of 26.6 years and a total of 1238 national team appearances at an average of 59 appearances per player.

The remaining four trialist players will take part in the Matildas’ pre-tournament camp in Dubai and compete for the two remaining places in the final Cup team.  

The Matildas coach specified that due to the current positional coverage within the confirmed players, performance will be as important in his selection of the final players, while clarifying the reasons behind this unusual open roster announcement:

“Normally, if this had been normal circumstances, we would have announced twenty-three players straight away. That would have been the roster going to India,” said Gustavsson.

“The fact that we can actually change the players within the roster up until six hours before the tournament starts and the uncertainty of the (COVID-19) situation that we are in, I am actually leave two spots open that I am going to announced at the end of the Dubai pre-camp depending on which players are available.

“The is also another reason that I have left it open.  Some of the players that have never experienced a Matildas environment before have had had a really outstanding season in the A-League.

“I think they deserve a chance to come into the Matildas environment and actually get a chance to be picked into this roster.”

The selection certainly reflects this, with all four trialists Winonah Heatley, Holly McNamara, Karly Roestbakken and Cortnee Vine currently playing for A-League Women’s sides.   Two further A-League Women’s players were offered inclusion into the squad but had to pull out of contention.  

Brisbane Roar’s Katrina Gorry was selected to the Asian Cup roster by Gustavsson after her performances in the A-League, but removed herself from selection due to the difficulties and uncertainties with bringing her infant to India at this time. 

Sydney FC’s Taylor Ray was also selected but for the travelling squad.  Gustavsson asked her to come in and compete for a spot after her recent performances in the A-League Women.  Sadly Ray had to remove herself from contention after having fallen ill to COVID-19.

The Matildas coach did add that they had originally considered bringing thirty players to Dubai in the expanded camp, but decided against it due to the conflicts with the current ongoing A-League Women’s season.

A surprise inclusion in the confirmed squad is that of Aivi Luik. The midfielder had officially retired from the Matildas in August, but was asked to return by Gustavsson.  The head coach explained his reasons for bringing her back:

“You know how I have been very keen on going from performance mode in the Olympics to preparation mode, now we are in performance mode again.

“When we are in preparation mode I want to make sure that as many players as possible get the opportunity to experience the Matildas environment.  We have had 58 players and 13 debutants.  That is what we need in preparation mode.

“When we go into performance mode it is all about what is the best team possible to go and create results in a tournament.  

“Missing out with Laura (Alleway), Chloe (Logarzo) and KK (Elise Kellond-Knight) I felt that we needed that experience to balance with the new young ones coming in and we also needed a new backup solution both in holding midfield and centre-back.

“Aivi Luik has played really club football (with Serie A side Pomigliano) so I spoke to Aivi about potentially coming back.

“Aivi said yes, if the team needs me, if the country needs me, if you need me, I am happy to help,” said Gustavsson.  The coach went on to confirm that Luik’s return from international retirement is at present limited to the upcoming tournament.

The following is the full squad list for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup travelling camp.  

Players in Italic are those trialing for the two remaining available spots.

The players are expected to arrive in Dubai for the pre-camp from Sunday to next Tuesday.  Gustavsson specified that there are contingencies in place in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak, but hoped they would not have to fall back on them. 

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup kicks off on January 21, 2022 in India.  Australia was selected in Group B of the competition and will face Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand.  This is the sixth appearance for the Matildas in the Cup, having previously won it in 2010. 

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Each week we will take a look at one upcoming A-League Women’s game and talk about it’s context in the competition and potential as a spectacle. This week’s game: Brisbane face Western Sydney Wanderers.

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Further information about the possible matches should be announced on the Matildas website.