Wanderers Forward Sophie Harding will replace Sydney FC’s Cortnee Vine on the CommBank Matildas squad for the AFC Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024™ Asian Qualifiers Round 3 (Asian Qualifiers) after Vine’s withdrawal due to personal reasons.
Harding, 24, is currently equal second in the 2023/24 A-League Women’s Golden Boot race after netting 9 goals and recording two assists in 15 games. This marks the first national team call up for the Western Sydney Wanderers’ sharpshooter as she enjoys career best form with the Top 4 side.
The striker will enter the assembly alongside CommBank Young Matildas’ midfielder Daniela Galic who will join the camp as a train-on player in Dubai next week from Monday, 19 February to Friday, 23 February.
With five goals and four assists, the 17-year-old Melbourne City FC talent has had a stellar 2023/24 A-League Women’s season with her performances earning her November’s nomination for the Young Footballer of the Month.
Fresh off being named in the latest CommBank Young Matildas’ squad, Galic will re-connect with the U-20 Women’s National Team for the final phase of their AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2024™ preparations following her time with the senior squad.
Both the CommBank Matildas and CommBank Young Matildas will be striving to qualify for major tournaments over the next month with Tony Gustavsson’s charges on the path to the Paris 2024™ Olympics and Leah Blayney’s team with sights firmly set on the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Colombia 2024™.
Australian fans can catch the action for both women’s national teams live thanks to Football Australia’s broadcast partner, Paramount Australia.
COMMBANK MATILDAS | MATCH SCHEDULE | AFC WOMEN’S PARIS 2024™ OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS – ROUND 3
Uzbekistan v Australia
Date: Saturday, 24 February 2024
Kick-off: 2.00pm (local) / 8.00pm AEDT
Venue: Milliy Stadium, Tashkent
Broadcast: Live from 7.00pm AEDT on 10, 10 Play and Paramount+.
Australia v Uzbekistan
Date: Wednesday, 28 February 2024
Kick-off: 8.00pm AEDT
Venue: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria
Broadcast: Live from 7.30pm AEDT on 10, 10 Bold in Perth, 10 Play and Paramount+.
FINAL SQUAD | AFC WOMEN’S PARIS 2024™ OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS – ROUND 3
| NAME | POSITION | CLUB | CAPS (GOALS) | JUNIOR CLUB / MEMBER FEDERATION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mackenzie ARNOLD | Goalkeeper | West Ham United FC | 44 (0) | Burleigh Heads SC / Football Queensland |
| Ellie CARPENTER | Back | Olympique Lyon | 72 (4) | Cowra and District JSC / Football New South Wales |
| Steph CATLEY (C) | Back | Arsenal WFC | 121 (5) | East Bentleigh, SE Cougars / Football Victoria |
| Kyra COONEY-CROSS | Midfielder | Arsenal WFC | 40 (0) | Bli Bli United FC / Football Queensland |
| Caitlin FOORD | Forward | Arsenal WFC | 119 (33) | Warilla Wanderers / Football New South Wales |
| Mary FOWLER | Midfielder | Manchester City WFC | 48 (13) | Leichhardt FC / Football Queensland |
| Katrina GORRY | Midfielder | West Ham United FC | 105 (17) | Mount Gravatt Hawks FC / Football Queensland |
| Charlotte GRANT | Back | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 21 (1) | Cumberland United Women’s FC / Football South Australia |
| Sophie HARDING | Forward | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | 0 (0) | Brookvale FC / Football New South Wales |
| Michelle HEYMAN | Forward | Canberra United FC | 61 (20) | Illawarra Stingrays / Football NSW |
| Clare HUNT | Back | Paris Saint-Germain FC | 16 (0) | Grenfell Junior Soccer Club / Football New South Wales |
| Alanna KENNEDY | Back | Manchester City WFC | 119 (9) | Campbelltown Cobras SC / Football New South Wales |
| Chloe LOGARZO | Midfielder | Western United FC | 55 (8) | Carlingford Redbacks / Football New South Wales |
| Aivi LUIK | Back | BK Häcken | 44 (1) | Palm Beach SC / Football Queensland |
| Teagan MICAH | Goalkeeper | Liverpool WFC | 15 (0) | Brisbane Blue, Brisbane Central / Football Queensland |
| Clare POLKINGHORNE | Back | Kristianstads DFF | 165 (16) | Wynnum Wolves, Capalaba Bulldogs / Football Queensland |
| Hayley RASO | Forward | Real Madrid Femenino | 82 (15) | Palm Beach SC / Football Queensland |
| Amy SAYER | Midfielder | Kristianstads DFF | 10 (0) | Northbridge FC / Football New South Wales |
| Kaitlyn TORPEY | Back | San Diego Wave FC | 0 (0) | Olympic FC / Football Queensland |
| Emily VAN EGMOND | Midfielder | San Diego Wave FC | 139 (31) | Dudley Redhead United FC / Northern NSW Football |
| Clare WHEELER | Midfielder | Everton WFC | 18 (1) | Adamstown Rosebud / Northern NSW Football |
| Jada WHYMAN | Goalkeeper | Sydney FC | 0 (0) | Tolland Football Club / Football New South Wales |
| Tameka YALLOP | Midfielder | Brisbane Roar FC | 119 (13) | Mudgeeraba SC / Football Queensland |
