Westfield Matildas squad for tour of New Zealand
Westfield Matildas head coach Tom Sermanni has selected a squad of 20 players for the upcoming tour of New Zealand with matches in Auckland on the 17th and 20th of February against the New Zealand Women’s national team, Football Ferns.
Included in the squad is Perth Glory attacker Samantha Kerr who won her first Westfield Matildas cap against Italy in 2009. Kerr, the sister of West Coast Eagles midfielder Daniel Kerr, will be the youngest member of this Westfield Matildas squad at 16 but brings with her an explosive talent that won her the Player-s Player award for the Westfield W-League 2009 season
Selected in the Westfield Matildas squad for the first time is Brisbane Roar-s Aivi Luik who, following footballing success in the US and the Ukraine, returned to Queensland in 2009 to continue her playing career and impressed enough during Westfield W-League season 2 to gain selection in the squad of 20 to tour New Zealand.
Sally Shipard and Kylie Ledbrook also make their Westfield Matildas return following extended absences of two and four years respectively.
Head coach Tom Sermanni is confident his squad is developing on track in what is essentially a World Cup qualification year,
“The squad that will travel to New Zealand has a great depth of talent,” said Sermanni.
“Since 2008 we have been in a rebuilding phase for the Westfield Matildas following the retirement of some key players.
“We-ve got a great mix of experience and youth in this group of players and this blend is sure to serve us well as we continue our progress towards a fifth successive World Cup appearance,” finished Sermanni.
Westfield Matildas are currently in preparation for their 2010 Asia Cup campaign in Chengdu, China in May which counts as the qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women-s World Cup 2011 in Germany.
Squad: Melissa Barbieri (Melbourne), Tameka Butt (Brisbane), Kim Carroll (Brisbane), Lauren Colthorpe (Brisbane), Lisa De Vanna (Perth), Heather Garriock (Sydney), Kathryn Gill (Perth), Elise Kellond-Knight (Brisbane), Samatha Kerr (Perth), Leena Khamis (Sydney), Kylie Ledbrock (Sydney), Aivi Luik (Brisbane), Collette McCallum (Perth), Clare Polkinghorne (Brisbane), Sally Shipard (Canberra), Kyah Simon (Sydney), Thea Slatyer (Canberra) Servet Uzunlar (Sydney), Sarah Walsh (Sydney), Lydia Williams (Canberra).
A-International friendlies New Zealand v Westfield Matildas Wednesday, 17 February, 2010 Kick-off: 7.00pm local (5.00pm AEDT) North Harbour Stadium, Albany
New Zealand v Westfield Matildas Saturday, 20 February, 2010 Kick-off: 3.00pm local (1.00pm AEDT) Bill McKinley Park, Mt Wellington
Last Match Details: Westfield Matildas 1 (Leena Khamis 35-) New Zealand 0
Saturday, 12 July 2008 North Sydney Oval, North Sydney
Westfield Matildas line-up: Melissa Barbieri (gk) (Lydia Williams 46-); Kate McShea, Dianne Alagich (Kim Carroll 85-), Cheryl Salisbury (Brooke Spence 88-), Heather Garriock, Caitlin Munoz, Clare Polkinghorne, Kyah Simon (Leena Khamis 22-), Lauren Colthorpe, Danielle Small (Servet Uzunlar 59-), Joanne Burgess (Ellyse Perry 59-)
Substitutes not used: Karla Reuter, Amber Neilson, Victoria Balomenos, Jenna Tristram, Amy Chapman, Ellen Beaumont, Renee Rollason
Yellow cards: Kim Carroll 87-
Red cards: Nil