Junior Matildas depart for AFC U16 Championship qualifiers

U7 national team coach Ante Juric has named a 23 player squad for the upcoming AFC U16 Championship qualifiers in Melaka, Malaysia.

Australia have been drawn in Group C alongside former U17s world champions Korea Republic, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

The qualification tournament sees 21 teams, 12 from West and South/Central Asia and nine from East Asia and ASEAN, divided into two zones (East and West) and four groups.

Playing in a league style format with the winner of the group joining 2013 U17 World Champions Japan, DPR Korea, China and hosts Thailand in the eight nation finals.

[More: U17 National Team enters camp]

Australia's campaign runs from 4 October to 8 October 2014 with a demanding 3 matches in five days. Keeping that in mind, Juric has selected a versatile squad with representatives from NSW, South Australia, Victoria and South Australia.

The Women's Game will be tracking the Junior Matildas progress through Facebook and Twitter.

Ready for their first taste of Asian football | Credit: Princess Ibini

Junior Matildas squad

Eliza Ammendolia (NSW Country), Lexi Anastassiou (VIC), Melina Ayres (VIC), Savannah Boller (QLD), Hannah Bourke (NNSW), Ashlee Brodigan (Northern NSW), Ellie Carpenter (NSW), Joey Cartwright (NSW Country), Alexandra Chidiac (SA), Chelsie Dawber (SA), Kobie Ferguson (Northern NSW), Clare Hunt (NSW Country), Princess Ibini (NSW), Alexia Karrys-Stahl (ACT), Grace Maher (ACT), Jada Mathyssen-Whyman (NSW Country), Aimee Medwin (TAS), Brianna Oliverio (NSW), Panagiota Petratos (NSW), Hannah Southwell (NNSW), Adriana Taranto (VIC), Melissa Taranto (VIC), Arina Tokunaga (QLD)

Head Coach: Ante Juric

Assistant Coach: Vicki Linton