Welcome to A-Leagues Life, where KEEPUP brings you all the latest news and goings on at your club. This is how the week is shaping up across the A-Leagues and beyond.
Olyroos wrap up camp with 4-0 win over Como
The Olyroos finished their European camp on a high overnight with a comfortable 4-0 win over Serie B side Como 1907 at the picturesque Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
Current A-Leagues players Noah Botic (Western United), Louis D’Arrigo (Adelaide United) and Jake Hollman (Macarthur FC) were all on the scoresheet, joined by former Central Coast Mariners striker Alou Kuol as Tony Vidmar’s side registered a big victory.
Premier League and World Cup winner Cesc Fabregas, who is on the books of the Italian outfit, did not play in the match but was a special guest alongside the club’s Under-19s head coach David Bell and Head of Player Development and former Canada international Marc Bircham.
This result rounds out this camp for Australia’s Under-23 side, who were beaten 1-0 by Switzerland’s Under-20 outfit on Saturday morning in their other match of this tour.
You can watch all the goals below.
Wellington Phoenix star gets first Football Ferns call-up
Wellington Phoenix forward Milly Clegg has received her first call-up to New Zealand’s senior women’s national team, joining five club teammates in the squad for clashes against Iceland and Nigeria in Turkey next month.
The Football Ferns have turned to the 17-year-old as a possible answer to their goal-scoring woes, having not found the net in five games in 2023. In that same period, they’ve conceded 17 times against the United States (x2), Portugal and Argentina (x2).
Clegg is joined by fellow Nix stars Betsy Hassett, Paige Satchell, Kate Taylor, Mackenzie Barry and Michaela Foster in Jitka Klimkova’s squad on the back of 14 matches in the Liberty A-League this term, headlined by goals in back-to-back games in January.
“Milly Clegg is a player we have been watching for a long time,” Football Ferns head coach Klimková said. “We are looking forward to seeing her as part of the senior team after brilliant performances at the U-17 and U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cups, as well as for her club.”
The teen’s first inclusion comes after a public call from former New Zealand international Katie Duncan for her to be capped in early February.
“Someone like her, she has spark and a lot of potential, so for me the earlier you can get someone like her in the environment the better it’s going to be for the Football Ferns in the future,” Duncan, who played 125 times for the Football Ferns, said.
“We have lacked goal-scoring strikers in the past, and in the present if I’m to be brutally honest.
“She can score goals and striker is an area we’ve really struggled with in terms of a real killer instinct strikers.”
MORE FROM KEEPUP
SOCCEROOS PREVIEW: Experts split on Arnie’s historic call
ALEX ROBERTSON: Family’s ‘freaky’ moment before Socceroos debut
THE STAKES: Liberty A-League set to go down to the wire
INTERNATIONALS: How our A-Leagues stars have fared on global stage
WATCH: A stunner from one of Australia’s brightest young talents
Daniel Arzani posts worrying photo to Instagram
It looks like Macarthur may be without Daniel Arzani for the foreseeable future after the winger posted an image of his right foot in a moonboot on his Instagram story on Monday.
After being dropped for a 1-0 loss to Newcastle Jets at the end of February, Arzani had been restored to Mile Sterjovski’s starting XI against Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners where he provided an assist, before missing the 1-1 draw with Melbourne City last week due to suspension.
However, the club are now awaiting confirmation on the extent of an injury that could provide a setback in their race for finals football.
Macarthur currently sit ninth in the Isuzu UTE A-League, but are just two points behind sixth-placed Sydney FC and may fancy their chances of sneaking into the top six ahead of a fairly kind run home that begins with a trip to face Perth Glory this Saturday night at Macedonia Park.
