Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson today confirmed the 25-player squad chosen to represent Australia in the team’s upcoming friendlies against Denmark and Sweden later this month.
Europe-based players Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Amy Harrison, Tameka Yallop, Elise Kellond-Knight, and Kyah Simon all return to the squad, with Catley and Kellond-Knight both back in the team after long-term injury lay-offs, and Carpenter having missed the previous two friendlies due to COVID-19 protocols.
W-League favourites Caitlin Cooper, Alex Chidiac, Charlotte Grant, Courtney Nevin and Kyra Cooney-Cross have played their way into a place on the back of their domestic form, and while Cooper and Chidiac have won almost 30 caps between them, for the latter three women these matches represent the possibility of senior international debuts.
Speaking to matildas.com.au, Gustavsson said that most of the coaching team’s selection decisions were based not necessarily on the future, but making the team as ready for success in the upcoming Olympic Games as possible.
“The focus of this camp will be on preparing ourselves for the opponents we will meet in 50 days. It is why we have chosen tough opponents in Denmark and Sweden. We need to observe, in a challenging environment, if the players called up can assist us in executing game plans that can be successful in July,” he said.
Chloe Logarzo and Karly Røstbakken will both miss the camp through injury, with Alex Huynh, Ella Mastrantonio, and Indiah-Paige Riley among the other players not selected.
Gustavsson said that while some players will miss out on this opportunity, he and his team were looking for players offering both flexibility and form – be that for club or country – making the selection process an unusually difficult one this time.
“When it comes to building the roster, we need to ensure we have balance across the squad. We need different player types; we need depth in different positions and need some players that provide flexibility between the lines,” he said.
“All of this means that difficult decisions had to be made, particularly in positions like the forward line where there is an abundance of talent but limited positions. Unfortunately, that has meant some top quality players have not been selected this time around, however, the door is still open as football is unpredictable and we always need to be adaptable.”
Westfield Matildas 25-player Squad
| PLAYER NAME | POSITION | CLUB | CAPS (GOALS) |
| Mackenzie ARNOLD | Goalkeeper | West Ham United (ENG) | 25 (0) |
| Laura BROCK | Defender | En Avant de Guingamp (FRA) | 62 (2) |
| Ellie CARPENTER | Defender | Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) | 41 (1) |
| Steph CATLEY | Defender | Arsenal (ENG) | 82 (3) |
| Alex CHIDIAC | Midfielder | Melbourne City (AUS) | 17 (1) |
| Kyra COONEY-CROSS | Midfielder | Western Sydney Wanderers / Blacktown Spartans (AUS) |
0 (0) |
| Caitlin COOPER | Defender | Western Sydney Wanderers/ Illawarra Stingrays (AUS) |
10 (2) |
| Caitlin FOORD | Forward | Arsenal FC (ENG) | 85 (20) |
| Mary FOWLER | Forward | Montpellier (FRA) | 6 (0) |
| Emily GIELNIK | Forward | Vittsjo GIK (SWE) | 39 (10) |
| Beatrice GOAD | Defender | SV Meppen (GER) | 2 (0) |
| Charlotte GRANT | Defender | FC Rosengård (SWE) | 0 (0) |
| Amy HARRISON | Midfielder | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 13 (0) |
| Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT | Midfielder | Hammarby (SWE) | 113 (2) |
| Alanna KENNEDY | Defender | Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) | 89 (7) |
| Sam KERR | Forward | Chelsea (ENG) | 90 (42) |
| Aivi LUIK | Midfielder | Sevilla (ESP) | 27 (0) |
| Teagan MICAH | Goalkeeper | IL Sandviken (NOR) | 0 (0) |
| Courtney NEVIN | Defender | Western Sydney Wanderers / Blacktown Spartans (AUS) |
0 (0) |
| Clare POLKINGHORNE | Defender | Vittsjo GIK (SWE) | 126 (10) |
| Hayley RASO | Forward | Everton (ENG) | 48 (6) |
| Kyah SIMON | Forward | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 92 (26) |
| Emily VAN EGMOND | Midfielder | West Ham United (ENG) | 99 (23) |
| Lydia WILLIAMS | Goalkeeper | Arsenal (ENG) | 89 (0) |
| Tameka YALLOP | Midfielder | West Ham United (ENG) | 87 (10) |
Denmark v Matildas
Friday, 11 June 2021 – 2am (AEST) / 6pm local
CASA Arena, Horsens
Sweden v Matildas
Wednesday, 16 June 2021 – 2.45am (AEST) / 6.45pm local
Kalmar Arena, Kalmar
Both fixtures will be broadcast on Fox Sports, Kayo, ABC TV, and the MyFootballLive app.
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