Five Queenslanders have been selected in Gary van Egmond’s Young Matildas squad ahead of the second phase of qualifying for the 2019 AFC U-19 Women’s Championship in Myanmar.
Leah Davidson, Ciara Fowler, Mary Fowler, Hollie Palmer and Indiah-Paige Riley spent last week preparing with the Young Matildas for their Group A fixtures against Nepal, Myanmar, and Uzbekistan in Canberra.
Davidson and Riley both made their Westfield W-League debuts with Brisbane Roar during the 2018/19 season while Palmer added to her two appearances from the 2017/18 season.
Ciara, who is the older sister to 16-year-old Mary, could make her Australian debut during the tournament after previously representing the Republic of Ireland at U-17’s and U-19’s.
The sisters grew up in Trinity Beach and played their local football at Leichhardt FC but currently play with Blacktown City in the New South Wales National Premier Leagues Women’s competition.
“Our upcoming matches in Mandalay will be crucial for the ongoing development of the Young Matildas,” van Egmond said.
“We have a clear target in Myanmar, and that is to secure qualification for the AFC U-19 Women’s Championship so that we can set our focus on FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualification.
“We will also be aiming to see progress in individuals and the team on the international stage,” he said.
The Young Matildas will need to finish either first or second in their group to progress to the next stage of qualification for the FIFA U-20s Women’s World Cup next year.
Westfield Young Matildas v Nepal U-19
Date: Friday, 26 April 2019
Venue: Mandalarthiri Stadium, Mandalay, Myanmar
Kick-off: 3.00pm (local); 6.30pm (AEST)
Myanmar U-19 v Westfield Young Matildas
Date: Sunday, 28 April 2019
Venue: Mandalarthiri Stadium, Mandalay, Myanmar
Kick-off: 6.00pm (local); 9.30pm (AEST)
Westfield Young Matildas v Uzbekistan U-19
Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Venue: Mandalarthiri Stadium, Mandalay, Myanmar
Kick-off: 3.00pm (local); 6.30pm (AEST)
Image: Westfield Matildas