Nine NSW youngsters win selection into Australian U17 squad

Nine talented young New South Wales young female stars have won selection into Ante Juric’s Australia’s Under 17 Women’s National Team 23-player squad that will compete in the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers in Vietnam from August 25 to 3 September 2016.

Gracie Johs, Tori Tumeth, Amy Sayer, Courtney Nevin, Ashley Dribbus, Angelique Hristodoulou, Alyssa Rose, Jess Meads and Julia Vignes will all don the Green and Gold strip of Australia later this month.

Australia is in Group D along with Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Palestine and Iraq and opens its campaign against Palestine on 25 August.

All matches will be played at the Vietnam Youth Training Centre in Hanoi.

The AFC U16 Championship Qualifiers signify the start of the elite women’s football pathway and the first steps for young female football players who aspire to play for the Westfield Matildas.

The AFC U16 Championship Qualifiers serve as the qualifiers for AFC U16 Women’s Championship, which will be played in China in September 2017.

The top three nations from the AFC Championships will progress to the 2018 FIFA U17 World Cup, which will be played in Uruguay.

The squad is:

Cecilija Matic (Capital Football), Karly Roestbakken (Capital Football), Olivia Riddel (GK) (Capital Football), Laura Hughes (Capital Football), Georgia Iannella (Football Federation South Australia), Kyra Cooney-Cross (Football Federation Victoria), Sofia Sakalis (Football Federation Victoria), Jacynta Galabadaarachchi (Football Federation Victoria), Gracie Johns (Football New South Wales), Tori Tumeth (Football New South Wales),  Amy Sayer (Football New South Wales), Courtney Nevin (Football New South Wales), Ashley Dribbus (Football New South Wales), Angelique Hristodoulou (Football New South Wales), Alyssa Rose (Football New South Wales), Jess Meads (Football New South Wales), Julia Vignes (Football New South Wales), India Kubin (Football Queensland), Shekinah Friske (GK) (Football Queensland), Annalee Grove (GK) (Football Northern New South Wales), Tessa Tamplin (Football Northern New South Wales), Molly Arens (Football Northern New South Wales), Lucy Kell (Football Northern New South Wales).

Australia’s Group D Matches

Aug 25 Australia v Palestine – 1pm (4pm AEST)

Aug 27 Australia v Hong Kong – 1pm (4pm AEST)

Aug 29 Iraq v Australia – 3pm (6pm AEST)

Sep 1 Australia v Vietnam – 4pm (7pm AEST)

Sep 3 Uzbekistan v Australia – 3pm (6pm AEST)