Eleven Football NSW Institute stars named in Young Matildas squad

Eleven Football NSW Institute young rising stars were named in coach Gary Van Egmond’s Westfield Young Matildas for this month’s training camp and international friendly fixture against Thailand at Leichhardt Oval on Friday, 16 March 2018.

Shadeene Evans, Sheridan Gallagher, Angelique Hristodoulou, Princess Ibini, Rachel Lowe, Jayme Millard, Courtney Nevin , Susan Phonsongkham, Taylor Ray, Olivia Riddel and Julia Vignes all won caps for the young Australian side as did North Shore Mariners young gun Amy Sayer.

Last week Football Federation Australia (FFA) announced that it will host an ASEAN-Australia Football Exchange in the week of the Australian Government’s ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.

As part of the exchange the Westfield Young Matildas will have the opportunity to train in Canberra and Sydney between 11 to 15 March, and play an international friendly against their Thai counterparts.

The match against Thailand at Leichhardt Oval in Lilyfield will kick-off at 12.30pm (AEDT), and admission will be free.

Van Egmond’s squad features many players to have already made their mark on the Westfield W-League, and some of whom to have already represented Australia at senior international level.

Van Egmond, who is currently in Portugal with the Westfield Matildas at the 2018 Algarve Cup, said that the week-long training camp and match would provide the squad with the chance to begin their preparations ahead of next year’s 2019 AFC U-19 Women’s Championship.

“It is great to see activity for the Westfield Young Matildas,” said van Egmond. “This will be the beginning of our preparation towards qualification for the next AFC U19 Women’s Championship.”

“The squad assembled includes a number of players from the last campaign, so they will be able to offer great leadership to the new players joining the squad.

“We are looking forward to playing Thailand, a nation making big strides in the development of their junior players.

“This will be a great opportunity for the public to come out and see players who have the opportunity to play for the Westfield Matildas in years to come. It wasn’t so long ago that the likes of Sam Kerr and Alanna Kennedy were in this team,” he concluded.

Aside from their football commitments, the Westfield Young Matildas will have the opportunity to learn more about Australia’s relationship with ASEAN throughout their week together.

While in Sydney, the Westfield Young Matildas will also pass some of their knowledge and skills on to the next generation of aspiring Westfield Matildas and Caltex Socceroos when they participate in a rebel Female Football Week Gala Day at Valentine Sports Park in Glenwood.

Westfield Young Matildas Squad for ASEAN-Australia Football Exchange (Camp & Friendly Match)

Westfield Young Matildas v Thailand U19 Women’s
Date: Friday, 16 March 2018
Venue: Leichhardt Oval, Lilyfield
Kick-off: 12.30pm (AEDT)
Admission: Free