Australia are ASEAN Women’s Championship MSIG Serenity Cup champions for the first time in almost two decades and Ninja A-League stars were at the heart of the memorable success.
Melbourne Victory’s Holly Furphy produced a player-of-the-match performance as Australia Under-23’s conquered Myanmar 1-0 in the final.
Furphy’s 67th-minute goal settled the decider in Vietnam, where the Aussies claimed their second ASEAN Women’s Championship – formerly known as the AFF Women’s Championship – after a 17-year wait.
Australia won the 2008 edition in their debut with a squad made up of the best up-and-coming players. Typically using an U20 squad, the Aussies missed the 2011 and 2012 tournaments before Australia U20s reached the 2013 final and finished third in 2015.
In 2016, Australia U20s were fourth before losing the 2018 final. After missing the 2019 tournament, the country’s U23 team made their debut in 2022 and failed to make the knockout phase.
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Tipped to replicate Brisbane Roar star Laini Freier’s rapid surge from Ninja A-League debutant to the CommBank Matildas, Furphy was crowned MVP of the tournament as it continued her phenomenal rise.
Furphy only joined Victory on an injury-replacement contract in January and starred en route to the 2024-25 Grand Final, scoring three goals and supplying an assist.
At the ASEAN Women’s Championship MSIG Serenity Cup, she scored four goals to help Joe Palatsides’ U23 team power to the finish line, having lost to Myanmar in their tournament opener.
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Furphy was not the only Ninja A-League talent to shine, with Victory teammate Alana Jancevski named the competition’s Rising Star; it bodes well for the 2025-26 campaign.
Brisbane Roar recruit and Matildas goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln also started alongside Sydney FC’s Tori Tumeth – who wore the captain’s armband, Western United pair Alana Cerne and Sasha Grove, Canberra United attacker Aideen Keane, Georgia Cassidy of Perth Glory, highly-rated Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Amy Chessari and Newcastle Jets’ Claudia Cicco.
Perth Glory pair Grace Johnston and Naomi Chinnama, Sydney FC’s Abbey Lemon and Alicia Woods – who played for Brisbane Roar in 2024-25, were also involved off the bench.
Led by former Melbourne City assistant and Melbourne Victory academy head coach Palatsides, the Ninja A-League-dominated Aussie squad have not only got their hands on this specific continental title for the first time since 2008 but they have also shined a light on the domestic competition and set the stage for an exciting season.
Australia U23 squad: ASEAN Women’s Championship
This list denotes each player’s position and Ninja A-League club in the 2024-25 season.
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| Name | Position | Ninja A-League Club in 2024-25 |
| Georgia CASSIDY | Midfielder | Perth Glory |
| Alana CERNE | Defender | Western United |
| Amy CHESSARI | Midfielder | Western Sydney Wanderers |
| Naomi THOMAS-CHINNAMA | Defender | Perth Glory |
| Claudia CICCO | Defender | Newcastle Jets |
| Tahlia FRANCO | Goalkeeper | Sydney FC |
| Holly FURPHY | Midfielder | Melbourne Victory |
| Isabel GOMEZ | Midfielder | Central Coast Mariners |
| Sasha GROVE | Defender | Western United |
| Bryleeh HENRY | Midfielder | Melbourne City |
| Sally JAMES | Goalkeeper | Canberra United |
| Alana JANCEVSKI | Midfielder | Melbourne Victory |
| Grace JOHNSTON | Defender | Perth Glory |
| Aideen KEANE | Midfielder | Canberra United |
| Chloe LINCOLN | Goalkeeper | Western United (since signed by Brisbane Roar) |
| Leticia MCKENNA | Midfielder | Melbourne City |
| Emilia MURRAY | Attacker | Melbourne City |
| Annalise RASMUSSEN | Attacker | Central Coast Mariners |
| Sofia SAKALIS | Midfielder | Melbourne Victory |
| Hayley TAYLOR-YOUNG | Defender | Canberra United |
| Ella TONKIN | Defender | Adelaide United |
| Tori TUMETH | Defender | Sydney FC |
| Alicia WOODS | Midfielder | Brisbane Roar |
Featured image: Football Australia/ASEAN
