23 of Australia’s emerging female footballers bound for Bishkek

Westfield Junior Matildas Head Coach Rae Dower today settled on her 23-player squad for the 2019 AFC U16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers to be held in the Kyrgyz Republic next month.

Following an intense training and selection phase, Dower has selected players from six of Australia’s nine Member Federations to represent the Westfield Junior Matildas in central Asia next month.

NWSL WRAP: Kerr at the double for Chicago

READ: Injury blow for Hayley Raso

Australia will compete in Group D of the 2019 AFC U16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers, and will come up against Palestine, Indonesia, hosts Kyrgyz Republic, and Chinese Taipei during their time in Bishkek.

Finishing first in Group D would guarantee the Westfield Junior Matildas a place at next year’s AFC U16 Women’s Championship, which will be held in Thailand.

Next year’s AFC U16 Women’s Championship will double as the qualification competition for the 2020 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in a yet to be determined nation.

Dower said she’s excited to lead the group – which includes players as young as 13 – to central Asia.

“I’m really excited to announce the team to take the first step towards qualifying for the 2020 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup,” said Dower.

“We’ve been able to see them [the players] play at the National Training Centre and National Youth Championships, and alongside each other over two high intensity camps at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).

Junior Matildas

“We’ve selected a balanced team with plenty of skill and creativity and we’re really looking to our first game [against Palestine] on September 17. Some of the players are still only 13-years-old so the potential that they have is enormous. The challenge for us all is to nurture, guide, and develop them all year around as the qualification period goes beyond the next 12 months.

“The depth and quality of players across this age group is increasing exponentially and it is a real privilege to be able to help them take this step towards achieving their goal to one day become a Westfield Matilda,” concluded Dower.

Following their first match against Palestine on September 17, the Westfield Junior Matildas will play Indonesia on September 19.

A challenge against hosts Kyrgyz Republic awaits on September 21, before the team rounds out its, hopefully successful, qualification campaign against Chinese Taipei on September 23.

The Westfield Junior Matildas will convene in Canberra for a final camp at the AIS between September 5 and 9 before travelling to Bishkek on September 10.

2019 AFC U16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers – Westfield Junior Matildas Squad

Name

Member Federation

Club

Josephine Dubbert

Capital Football

Cooma Tigers

Emma Ilijoski

Capital Football

Canberra United Academy

Mia Bailey

Football Queensland

JCU Strikers FC

Georgia Beaumont

Football Queensland

Brisbane Roar NTC

Charlotte Farmer

Football Queensland

Brisbane Roar NTC

Jorja Thomson

Football Queensland

Brisbane Roar NTC

Kezia Pritchard

Football Queensland

Eastern Suburbs

Alana Jancevski

Football Federation Victoria

FFV NTC

Nia Stamatopoulos

Football Federation Victoria

FFV NTC

Paige Zois

Football Federation Victoria

FFV NTC

Olivia De La Harpe

Football New South Wales

FNSW Institute

Jordan Jasnos

Football New South Wales

Riverina Rhinos

Kahli Johnson

Football New South Wales

Manly United FC

Darcey Malone

Football New South Wales

FNSW Institute

Holly McNamara

Football New South Wales

FNSW Institute

Jessika Nash

Football New South Wales

FNSW Institute

Charlize Rule

Football New South Wales

FNSW Institute

Tijan McKenna

Football West

Cockburn City SC

Isabella Wallhead

Football West

Football West NTC

Teagan Douglas

Northern NSW Football

Newcastle Jets Academy

Kirsty Fenton

Northern NSW Football

Newcastle Jets Academy

Ruby Jones

Northern NSW Football

Newcastle Jets Academy

Josie Morley

Northern NSW Football

Newcastle Jets Academy

 

2019 AFC U16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers – Westfield Junior Matildas Match Schedule

Palestine v Westfield Junior Matildas
Date:
Monday, 17 September 2018
Venue: Dolon Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
Kick-off: 1pm (local), 5pm (AEST)

Westfield Junior Matildas v Indonesia
Date:
Wednesday, 19 September 2018
Venue: Dolon Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
Kick-off: 1pm (local), 5pm (AEST)

Kyrgyz Republic v Westfield Junior Matildas
Date:
Friday, 21 September 2018
Venue: Dolon Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
Kick-off: 1pm (local), 5pm (AEST)

Westfield Junior Matildas v Chinese Taipei
Date:
Sunday, 23 September 2018
Venue: Dolon Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
Kick-off: 1pm (local), 5pm (AEST)

Visit page
This article was originally published on the CommBank Matildas website.
Close