News by “Hamza Ijaz”
The CommBank Matildas, the Australian women’s national football team, have named their 23-player squad for the upcoming Paris 2024 Asian Qualifiers. This crucial tournament will determine one of the Asian Football Confederation’s two representatives at the Paris 2024™ Olympic Games.
The squad, led by Head Coach Tony Gustavsson, includes captain Steph Catley, who will lead the team in the absence of injured captain Sam Kerr. Additionally, 20 players from the previous round have been selected, having helped Australia secure their place in the final round by finishing at the top of Group A.
The Asian Qualifiers will consist of a two-match home-and-away series against Uzbekistan. The first match will take place on 24 February 2024 at Tashkent’s Milliy Stadium (8:00 pm AEDT). The team will then return to Australia for the final qualifier on 28 February 2024 at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium (8:00 pm AEDT). The winner of the series will secure a spot at the Paris 2024™ Olympic Games.
Head Coach Tony Gustavsson expressed his excitement about the upcoming challenge, stating, “After a significant 2023 and a well-earned break, we are itching to come together with a clear focus and mission in front of us as we look to complete the first phase of our Olympic journey.” He acknowledged that Uzbekistan, ranked 47th in the world, will be a motivated and well-prepared opponent.
In the squad announcement, it was revealed that four changes have been made from the previous qualifiers in October 2023. Due to injury, forward Sam Kerr, goalkeeper Lydia Williams, and defender Charlie Rule are unavailable, while goalkeeper Jada Whyman, forward Michelle Heyman, midfielder Chloe Logarzo, and defender Kaitlyn Torpey have earned spots in the squad.
Notably, Heyman returns to the national team after a six-year absence and currently leads the A-League Women’s Golden Boot standings with ten goals. Logarzo previously participated in the CommBank Matildas FIFA Women’s World Cup pre-camp, while Torpey receives her first call-up to the senior national team following impressive performances with the U-23 Women’s National Team and Melbourne City, the current ladder leaders.
The upcoming matches against Uzbekistan hold great significance for the CommBank Matildas, and they will undoubtedly give their all to secure a historic third straight qualification for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.
Match Schedule
Uzbekistan v Australia
Date: Saturday, 24 February 2024
Kick-off: 2:00 pm (local) / 8:00 pm AEDT
Venue: Milliy Stadium, Tashkent
Broadcast: Paramount ANZ
Australia v Uzbekistan
Date: Wednesday, 28 February 2024
Kick-off: 8:00 pm AEDT
Venue: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria
Broadcast: Paramount ANZ