NSW players dominate Young Matildas squad
There will be as many as 12 Westfield Young Matildas squad members hailing from NSW after the twenty-three player squad was announced to compete in the 2018 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Championship to be held in Indonesia between 30 June and 13 July.
Jada Whyman, Tori Tumeth, Courtney Nevin, Beth Gordon, Taylor Ray, Susan Phonsongkham, Rachel Lowe, Princess Ibini, Mary Fowler, Amy Sayer, Holly McNamara and Angelique Hristodoulou will all the don the green and gold jersey in Indonesia.
The 2018 AFF Women’s Championship will see Australia, coached for the tournament by former Westfield Matilda Leah Blayney, come up against the senior national teams of Thailand, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, and Cambodia in Group A of the competition.
All of Australia’s matches at the 2018 AFF Women’s Championship will be played at the Jakabaring Stadium in the city of Palembang, which is the capital of South Sumatra.
The Westfield Young Matildas will kick-off their Group A games with a clash against Malaysia on 30 June. This fixture will be followed by games against Timor-Leste (4 July), Cambodia (6 July), and finally Thailand (8 July).
Blayney’s charges will need to finish in the top two of Group A following their four pool matches to advance to the semi-finals of the competition, as well as either the Final or third place play-off.
Australia’s squad for the 2018 AFF Women’s Championship features players hailing from all over the nation, as well as some of whom to have already been capped at senior international level. Such players include Larissa Crummer, Emily Condon, Rachel Lowe, Princess Ibini, and Alex Chidiac.
Blayney said that the tournament will provide a fantastic learning experience for the group.
“We have selected a young squad for the 2018 AFF Women’s Championship in Indonesia,” said Blayney. “We have also opted to select a few overage players for the tournament to help them continue their international football development.”
“Many of Australia’s elite, emerging young female players will be exposed to international competition against senior national women’s football teams from across South-East Asia while we are in Indonesia,” she said.
Westfield Young Matildas Squad for the 2018 AFF Women’s Championship to be held in Indonesia
| Name | Member Federation |
| Jada Whyman (Gk) | Football New South Wales |
| Morgan Aquino (Gk) | Football West |
| Annie Grove (Gk) | Northern New South Wales Football |
| Kaitlyn Torpey | Football Queensland |
| Emily Hodgson | Football Federation South Australia |
| Tori Tumeth | Football New South Wales |
| Larissa Crummer | Football Queensland |
| Courtney Nevin | Football New South Wales |
| Karly Roestbakken | Capital Football |
| Beth Gordon | Football New South Wales |
| Taylor Ray | Football New South Wales |
| Susan Phonsongkham | Football New South Wales |
| Kyra Cooney-Cross | Football Federation Victoria |
| Emily Condon | Football Federation South Australia |
| Rachel Lowe | Football New South Wales |
| Princess Ibini | Football New South Wales |
| Mary Fowler | Football New South Wales |
| Alex Chidiac | Football Federation South Australia |
| Amy Sayer | Football New South Wales |
| Melinda Barbieri | Football Federation Victoria |
| Cortnee Vine | Football Queensland |
| Holly McNamara | Football New South Wales |
| Angelique Hristodoulou | Football New South Wales |
2018 AFF Women’s Championship – Westfield Young Matildas Fixtures (Group A)
Malaysia v Westfield Young Matildas
Date: Saturday, 30 June 2018
Venue: Jakabaring Stadium Palembang, Indonesia
Kick-off: 4pm (local); 7pm (AEST)
Westfield Young Matildas v Timor-Leste
Date: Wednesday, 4 July 2018
Venue: Jakabaring Stadium Palembang, Indonesia
Kick-off: 7pm (local); 10pm (AEST)
Westfield Young Matildas v Cambodia
Date: Friday, 6 July 2018
Venue: Jakabaring Stadium Palembang, Indonesia
Kick-off: 4pm (local); 7pm (AEST)
Thailand v Westfield Young Matildas
Date: Sunday, 8 July 2018
Venue: Jakabaring Stadium Palembang, Indonesia
Kick-off: 7pm (local); 10pm (AEST
