Young Matildas 24-player squad announced for New Zealand tour

The Young Matildas are Aotearoa-bound for an international fixture against New Zealand in Auckland on Sunday, June 12, and head coach Leah Blayney has named her competitive 24-player squad to engage in battle across the Tasman.

The Australian Under-20 side will use the international tour to ramp up preparation for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica in August.

These two nations last met in April on Australian soil, with the Young Matildas winning the first of two fixtures 5-1, and drawing the second 1-1.

Seventeen of those players selected by Blayney for the two-game series have kept their spot in the squad, with seven new names making the list ahead of the one-off game at Kiwitea Street in Auckland on June 12.

All 24 players have participated in at least one of the recent training camps which have taken place at Blacktown International Sportspark.

“It’s exciting to be naming the squad for the next milestone in our FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2022™ journey,” Blayney said in a Football Australia statement.

“As we continue to progress, we are establishing a core that is building an understanding of what it takes to perform and be successful at the highest level.  This is being complemented by the introduction of new players to the set-up whom have impressed and earned the chance to see how they can add to our team.”   

Blayney continued: “Facing New Zealand allows us to continue refining the concepts embedded during the training camps in an overseas match environment.  It also allows us to gain an understanding of the squad’s ability to adapt to changing scenarios, particularly with many experiencing international travel for the first time in their careers.”   

MATCH DETAILS 
 
New Zealand U-20 v Australia U-20 
Sunday, June 12 2022 
2.00pm (local) / 4.00pm (AEST) 
Venue: Kiwitea Street, Auckland  

YOUNG MATILDAS SQUAD

Supplied by Football Australia