Matildas manager Alen Stajcic has named his squad for the upcoming international friendlies against Brazil, which are set to be played in front of a capacity crowd at Pepper Stadium in Penrith and a big crowd in Newcastle on September 16 and 18 respectively.
The inaugural winners of the Tournament of Nations will go into their clashes with high confidence, having beaten the Brazilians 6-1 in the final match of that competition.
Australia are on a six-match unbeaten run, which began with a victory over Euro champions The Netherlands, as well as beating the 2015 World Cup winners USA, and 2015 World Cup runners-up Japan.
Stajcic’s squad is missing Princess Ibini and Alex Chidiac, who are duty with the Young Matildas, while Sydney FC’s Georgia Yeoman-Dale has been called up.
All eyes will be on current World Player of the Year nominee Sam Kerr, who has been the star of the NWSL, with a recent four-goal effort putting her on top of the goal-scorer’s list ahead of Brazilian legend and upcoming rival Marta.
The squad is as follows:
Laura Alleway (Melbourne Victory)
Mackenzie Arnold (Brisbane Roar)
Tameka Butt (Klepp IL – Norway)
Ellie Carpenter (Canberra United)
Steph Catley (Orlando Pride – USA)
Caitlin Cooper (Illawarra Sharks)
Lisa De Vanna (South Melbourne FC)
Caitlin Foord (Vegalta Sendai – Japan)
Emily Gielnik (Avaldsnes – Norway)
Katrina Gorry (Vegalta Sendai – Japan)
Elise Kellond-Knight (FFC Turbine Potsdam – Germany)
Alanna Kennedy (Orlando Pride – USA)
Chloe Logarzo (Avaldsnes – Norway)
Clare Polkinghorne (Brisbane Roar)
Hayley Raso (Portland Thorns – USA)
Gema Simon (Avaldsnes – Norway)
Emily Van Egmond (VfL Wolfsburg – Germany)
Lydia Williams (Houston Dash – USA)
Georgia Yeoman-Dale (Sydney FC)
The squad contains 903 games of international experience and 122 goals.
Stajcic has also added three train-on players to the camp – Sydney FC’s Amy Harrison, fan favourite and Western Sydney local Kyah Simon, as well as Canberra United’s Michelle Heyman, who has missed the past eight months after suffering a serious ankle injury in last season’s W-League.
With only 1000 tickets remaining for the match at Penrith, fans will need to get in quickly, with the highly anticipated affair set to become a record-breaking crowd for women’s football in Australia.
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