The CommBank Matildas will play their final internationals for 2023, taking on Canada in a two-match series. Australia will take on the world number 10 at Starlight Stadium in Victoria on Friday, 1 December with kick-off at 7.30pm PST (2 December at 2.30pm AEDT).
This will be the first meeting between the two sides since Australia defeated Canada 4-0 at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, knocking the Olympic Gold Medalists out of the tournament and advancing to the Round of 16.
Squad News
CommBank Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson named a 23-player squad for Australia's final two international games of 2023, as the side continues their preparation for their Round 3 Asian Qualifiers for Paris 2024™ in February 2024.
“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.”
"It's a squad that was based on performance in the last camp and also performance at club level. There's been a lot of players that have performed really well as of late, and as you saw in the last qualifiers in October there were a lot of players that took the chance. I gave a lot of players a chance, and some of them took it." Gustavsson said about his 23-player squad.
Sam Kerr (foot), Mackenzie Arnold (arm), Charlotte Grant (hamstring) and Holly McNamara (knee) have been sidelined for the side's final two internationals of the year, with the four players being named to Tony Gustavsson's 23-player squad and having to withdraw due to injury.
Sarah Hunter, Jada Whyman, Alex Chidiac and Remy Siemsen come into the squad to replace the four injured players, with Hunter being called into her first senior camp after being a key member of the U23 Women’s National Team side over the past two years.
“This is one of the very few windows before Olympic qualifiers, and potential Olympics that we want to go to, that we can actually experiment and look at players and look at things,” Gustavsson said in his pre-match press conference.
“This first game is going to be more – similar to my quote that I used when we played Spain, way back – that it’s maybe not about winning a game, but winning a player.
“So we’re going to give a lot of players an opportunity in this first game to look at them and what they’ve got in this environment so that they are given a fair chance to fight for a spot in an Olympic roster as well.”
“We need to be brave enough to test certain players in certain positions,” Gustavsson said. “We need to test certain tactical aspects of the game or certain phases of the game, and learn from the mistakes that we will make tomorrow.”
Our Opponent
Bev Priestman has called up an experienced side, with these games marking the farewell of Canada's 328-capped and top goal scorer Christine Sinclair. Priestman has called in a 25-player squad for Canada's final internationals of the year as the side prepares to defend their Olympic Gold Medal next year in Paris, having already qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after beating Jamaica in a two-game playoff for the final CONCACAF spot.
The side has seen two players forced to withdraw through injury, with Juventus' Julia Grosso and AS Roma's Evelyne Viens suffering injuries during their club games over the weekend.
Latifah Abdu has been called in for her first senior camp to replace Viens, while Sophie Schmidt will replace Grosso, with the experienced midfielder also being farewelled in the games alongside Sinclair and fellow Olympic Gold Medalists Erin McLeod, with the latter not named in the squad for the two-match series.
For all the latest news and information regarding the two-game series, stay updated via the official CommBank Matildas website.
Match Detail
Canada v CommBank Matildas
Date: Friday, 1 December 2023 (local) / Saturday, 2 December (AEDT)
Kick-off: 7.30pm PST (local) / 2.30pm (AEDT)
Venue: Starlight Stadium, Langford, BC
Broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
