Matildas announce squad for New Zealand series

Matildas Head Coach Alen Stajcic has named a 24-player squad for the tri-nations series with hosts New Zealand and DPR Korea starting next week in Auckland.

The two matches are the commencement of the Matildas 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup preparations following AIS and Sydney camps in January.

“These two matches are the first step in the process and it’s going to be an excellent examination on how our players are travelling and how they can step up to that level," said Stajcic.

“We’ll certainly be using these two games to test some players that either haven’t played for a while or are just reemerging back into the national team so we want to see if they’re capable at that level.”

Of those players, 16 players are from last year’s silver medal winning AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaign, including 2014 AFC and FFA Player of the Year Katrina Gorry.

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New names to feature in the squad include 16 year old Alex Chidiac while fellow teenagers Larissa Crummer (19) and Amy Harrison (19) also make the senior squad having performed well in the training camps.

“Alex Chidiac has done really well," said Stajcic.

"She’s a youngster who has impressed at camp so it will be a good opportunity for her to gain some experience and come on a tour with the national team.”

Meanwhile 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup winners Kyah Simon and Aivi Luik return to the Matildas squad following long term injuries, with injury also ruling familiar names out of the mix.

“There are a few girls returning from injury and a few girls that are currently injured as well such as Ellie Brush, Kate Gill, Sam Kerr, Lydia Williams and Tameka Butt so there are a number of girls still in contention,” said Stajcic.

The Matildas have already been in camp for 15 days this year with the matches against New Zealand and World No. 7 DPR Korea a first opportunity for Stajcic to assess the squad in 2015.

“We’ve had three camps and the team has progressed really well on and off the field,” said Stajcic.

“Obviously it will be a big test to jump straight back into international football after that little period, especially DPR Korea who are one of the best teams in the world, but we think we’re tracking well and this will be a good challenge for us.”

“We’ve been working on styles of play and team structures so while the results are important, at the moment we’re more focused on implementing our style of play and what we want to achieve at the World Cup, so this is just the first building block on the way to the World Cup and making sure we’re perfecting it come June.”

The squad will depart from Sydney on Saturday 7 February ahead of its first match against DPR Korea on Tuesday 10 February.

Matildas Squad for International Tri Series

Women’s International Tri Series

8-12 February 2015

Bill McKinlay Park, Auckland

Football Ferns v Korea DPR

Sunday 8 February (Kick-Off 7.30pm local)

Korea DPR v Westfield Matildas

Tuesday 10 February (Kick-Off 3.30pm local)

Football Ferns v Westfield Matildas

Thursday 12 February (Kick-Off 7pm local)