Young Matildas head coach Leah Blayney has whittled an extended 32-player squad down to 21 in preparation for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, with Australia’s campaign kicking off on August 11 (AEST).
Of the 21 players selected in the final squad, 17 featured in the Liberty A-League last season. The squad’s average age is just 18.2 years; Blayney is confident her playing group will be the youngest on average at the tournament.
Australia open the tournament as part of Group A against hosts Costa Rica at the Estadio Nacional, San Jose on Thursday, August 11 (12.00pm AEST), before taking on Brazil on Sunday, August 14 (6.00am AEST) and Spain on Tuesday, August 16 (12.00pm AEST).
Sheridan Gallagher, who made her ALW debut last season at Western Sydney Wanderers, will captain the first Young Matildas squad to compete at the U20 WWC since 2006.
Blayney featured as a player in that tournament in 2006 as a Young Matilda. Now Blayney’s the head coach – and has urged the playing group to seize the opportunity in front of them.
“It’s an excellent opportunity for young players like Sheridan and other players in the squad to be seen on the international stage,” Blayney said.
“We’ve already touched on the fact that we played two opponents now (Club Universidad Nacional Femenil and the Mexico U20 Women’s National Team), who present a different playing style to what the girls are used to in the domestic league and other international fixtures they’ve faced. So to go into a World Cup and play an array of teams who are going o bring something different to the table, but’s an exciting challenge for the group, it’s a once in a lifetime experience.
“Combining my experiences, I was actually picked as a Matilda before a Young Matilda. So there’s definitely moments in a player’s career where you may not go into the Young Matildas, but then end up a Matilda. I think we need to definitely recognise that along this journey.”
Blayney added: “We are very fortunate we’ve been able to pull on a wide playing group along this journey. I know the staff and current playing group are extremely grateful for the contribution all players have made to this final squad selection.
“It certainly hasn’t been an easy task for me, along with players who have come in and out of camps who at this point won’t compete in a youth World Cup; we’ve got players like Holly McNamara and Aideen Keane and Leticia McKenna who unfortunately are unavailable at the moment due to injury, who all have played a strong part in this journey amongst others.
“It’s not just those who haven’t been selected in the last three, four or five months, it’s those who are eligible for this age group who may be unavailable due to injury.
“We’re confident to date with the other squads that have been released that we do probably have the youngest group of players attending this World Cup.
“In terms of where we’re at with our forward thinking and having one eye still on (the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and the 2024 Olympic Games), we’re confident we’ve got a good mix of players who are going to fight for spots for (the Women’s World Cup 2023) but there’s also those exceptional talents who are 2006, 2005 born who are definitely good enough to be here.”
At 20 years of age, captain Gallagher is the eldest player in the squad, with Alexia Apostolakis and Daniela Galic (both 16) the youngest.
Of the 21 players selected, 17 registered match minutes in the ALW last season:
- Sally James (Melbourne City)
- Naomi Chinnama (Melbourne City)
- Charlize Rule (Sydney FC)
- Ella Tonkin (Adelaide United)
- Jamilla Rankin (Brisbane Roar)
- Sarah Hunter (Sydney FC)
- Bryleeh Henry (Western Sydney Wanderers)
- Hana Lowry (Perth Glory)
- Cushla Rue (Wellington Phoenix)
- Paige Zois (Melbourne Victory)
- Alexia Apostolakis (Western Sydney Wanderers)
- Jessika Nash (Sydney FC)
- Sheridan Gallagher (Western Sydney Wanderers)
- Chloe Lincoln (Canberra United)
- Kirsty Fenton (Newcastle Jets)
- Miranda Templeman (Adelaide United)
- Kahli Johnson (Sydney FC)
The 21 players come from six Member Federations: Football NSW (12), Capital Football (2), Football Victoria (2), Football West (2), Northern NSW Football (2) and Football South Australia (1).
AUSTRALIA U-20 WNT | FINAL SQUAD | FIFA U20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP COSTA RICA 2022™
Supplied by Football Australia.
| # | Name | Position | Club | Junior Club / Member Fed |
| 1 | Sally JAMES | Goalkeeper | Blacktown Spartans | Majura FC / Capital Football |
| 2 | Charlize RULE | Forward | Sydney Olympic FC | Queens Park / Football NSW |
| 3 | Naomi CHINNAMA | Defender | Blacktown Spartans on loan from Melbourne City FC | NTC Victoria / Football Victoria |
| 4 | Ella TONKIN | Defender | Northern Tigers | Raiders FC / Football SA |
| 5 | Jamilla RANKIN | Defender | Blacktown Spartans | Eureka FC / Northern NSW Football |
| 6 | Sarah HUNTER | Midfielder | APIA Leichhardt on loan from Sydney FC | Northbridge FC / Football NSW |
| 7 | Bryleeh HENRY | Forward | Blacktown Spartans | Penrith FC / Football NSW |
| 8 | Hana LOWRY | Midfielder | Blacktown Spartans on loan from Perth Glory | Cockburn City SC / Football West |
| 9 | Cushla RUE | Forward | Sydney University FC | Western Mariners/ Football NSW |
| 10 | Daniela GALIC | Midfielder | Football NSW Institute | Lidcombe Waratahs / Football NSW |
| 11 | Kahli JOHNSON | Forward | Manly United FC | Manly United/ Football NSW |
| 12 | Miranda TEMPLEMAN | Goalkeeper | FV Emerging Matildas | Melville City FC / Football West |
| 13 | Jynaya DOS SANTOS | Forward | Football NSW Institute | Shellharbour Junior Football Club / Football NSW |
| 14 | Paige ZOIS | Midfielder | Bulleen Lions on loan from Melbourne Victory | Northcote FC / Football Victoria |
| 15 | Alexia APOSTOLAKIS | Defender | Football NSW Institute | Forest Rangers/ Football NSW |
| 16 | Jessika NASH | Defender | Blacktown Spartans | Doonside Hawks / Football NSW |
| 17 | Sheridan GALLAGHER | Forward | Illawarra Stingrays | Illawarra Stingrays / Football NSW |
| 18 | Chloe LINCOLN | Goalkeeper | Canberra United Academy | The Armidale School / Capital Football |
| 19 | Greta KRASZULA | Midfielder / Defender | VCU Athletics | NWS Koalas / Football NSW |
| 20 | Kirsty FENTON | Defender | NWS Koalas | Toronto Awaba / Northern NSW Football |
| 21 | Abbey LEMON | Forward | Blacktown Spartans | Blacktown Spartans / Football NSW |
Match Details
Costa Rica v Australia
Wednesday, 10 August 2022 (local)/ Thursday, 11 August 2022
Venue: Estadio Nacional, San Jose
Kick-Off: 8:00 pm CST (local)/ 12:00pm AEST
Broadcast: SBS Australia
Brazil v Australia
Saturday, 13 August 2022 (local)/ Sunday, 14 August 2022
Venue: Morera Soto, Alajuela
Kick-Off: 2:00 pm CST (local)/ 6:00am AEST
Broadcast: SBS Australia
Australia v Spain
Tuesday, 16 August 2022 (local)/ Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Venue: Morera Soto, Alajuela
Kick-Off: 8:00 pm CST (local)/ 12:00pm AEST
Broadcast: SBS Australia
FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT: Ann Odong / Football Australia.
