Canberra young guns Emma Ilijoski and Mia McGovern have been named in Rae Dower’s Westfield Junior Matildas 28-player squad, set to assemble for a training camp on the Gold Coast today.
Ilijoski and McGovern earned selection following a successful Pacific Step-Up tour earlier this month, which saw the Westfield Junior Matildas play against the U-19 National Women’s teams from Tonga, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.
The Gold Coast camp will run from Monday 26 August to Friday 30 August and will be used as preparation for the upcoming AFC U-16 Women’s Championship in Thailand.
Dower said she is excited to have the squad together again to continue the preparation they started in the Pacific.
“We blooded six new players in the Pacific and have developed much depth in the current squad over these past 12-months,” Dower said.
“The players and staff worked very hard over the two weeks to reinforce the team culture and standards developed and they adopted the principles of our playing style into international matches in hot and humid conditions.
“As we edge closer to the AFC U-16 Championship in Thailand, the camp provides another opportunity for the players to express themselves and continue our preparations in the warmth of the Gold Coast.”
Emma Ilijoski with Westfield Junior Matildas coach Rae Dower. Credit: Joseph Mayers Photography
The camp will be followed by an acclimatisation camp in Thailand ahead of the Championship, which begins in Chonburi on Sunday 15 September.
The Westfield Junior Matildas will play Japan, Thailand and Bangladesh in Group A of the Championship, with the semi-finals to be played on Wednesday 25 September.
The title-decider will be held on Saturday 28 September, with both finalists going on to represent Asia at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India 2020.
Westfield Junior Matildas 28-Player Squad | Domestic Camp (26 August – 30 August) | Gold Coast
Name Club/Member Federation
Emma ILIJOSKI Gungahlin United FC/Capital Football
Mia McGovern Canberra United Academy/Capital Football
Mia BAILEY Queensland Academy of Sport/Football Queensland
Taneesha BAKER Football West NTC/Football West
Emma BATES Newcastle Jets Academy/Northern NSW Football
Georgia BEAUMONT Queensland Academy of Sport/Football Queensland
Chloe CARMICHAEL Marconi Stallions FC/Football NSW
Brianna EDWARDS North West Sydney Koalas/Football NSW
Charlotte FARMER Queensland Academy of Sport/Football Queensland
Kirsty FENTON Newcastle Jets Academy/Northern NSW Football
Zarlie GOLDSWORTHY NSW Country/Football NSW
Bryleeh HENRY Football NSW Institute/Football NSW
Shay HOLLMAN Football NSW Institute/Football NSW
Anna HUNT NSW Country/Football NSW
Alana JANCEVSKI NTC Victoria/Football Victoria
Jordan JASNOS Football NSW Institute/Football NSW
Kahli JOHNSON Manly United FC/Football NSW
Ruby JONES Newcastle Jets Academy/Northern NSW Football
Hana LOWRY Perth Glory FC/Football West
Claudia MIHOCIC NTC Victoria/Football Victoria
Josie MORLEY Newcastle Jets Academy/Northern NSW Football
Jessika NASH Football NSW Institute/Football NSW
Jamilla RANKIN Queensland Academy of Sport/Football Queensland
Charlize RULE Football NSW Institute/Football NSW
Nia STAMATOPOULOS NTC Victoria/Football Victoria
Jorja THOMSON Queensland Academy of Sport/Football Queensland
Isabelle WALLHEAD Football West NTC/Football West
Paige ZOIS NTC Victoria/Football Victoria
Westfield Junior Matildas Upcoming Matches | 2019 AFC U-16 Women’s Championship | Chonburi, Thailand
Australia v Japan
Date: Sunday, 15 September 2019
Location: Chonburi, Thailand
Kick-off: 4.00pm (local); 7.00pm (AEST)
Australia v Thailand
Date: Wednesday, 18 September 2019
Location: Chonburi, Thailand
Kick-off: 7.00pm (local); 10.00pm (AEST)
Australia v Bangladesh
Date: Saturday, 21 September 2019
Location: Chonburi, Thailand
Kick-off: 4.00pm (local); 7.00pm (AEST)
