Melbourne City Women’s Head Coach, Michael Matricciani, has named his travelling squad for the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League Group Stage.
City will travel to Thailand this Thursday 3 October, before opening their Champions League campaign against Bam Khatoon FC on Sunday evening.
The Club’s first Women’s Champions League Group Stage fixture will also be Matricciani’s first in charge of the squad. The 38-year-old was unveiled as City’s Women’s Head Coach in August this year and is set to make his professional coaching debut in Asia.
New recruits Mariana Speckmaier, Malena Mieres, Lourdes Bosch, Alexia Apostolakis and Emilia Murray are all in line to make their City debuts after being named in the team’s 21-player travelling squad for Thailand.
Holly McNamara and Sophia Varley, who has undergone ankle surgery, will remain in Melbourne to continue their rehab, while young goalkeeper Anastasia Kyriacou and midfielder Carina Rossi have joined the travelling squad.
TRAVELLING SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: 23. Melissa BARBIERI, 24. Malena MIERES, 30. Anastasia KYRIACOU
DEFENDERS: 21. Isabella ACCARDO, 8. Alexia APOSTALAKIS, 22. Bryleeh HENRY, 5. Taylor OTTO, 16. Karly ROESTBAKKEN, 13. Rebekah STOTT (C), 27. Tyla-Jay VLAJNIC
MIDFIELDERS: 19. Lourdes BOSCH, 18. Leah DAVIDSON, 14. Laura HUGHES, 6. Leticia McKENNA, 12. Shelby McMAHON, 31. Carina ROSSI, 10. Rhianna POLLICINA,
ATTACKERS: 20. Caitlin KARIC, 15. Kiera MEYERS, 11. Emilia MURRAY, 17. Mariana SPECKMAIER
ABSENT: 9. Holly MCNAMARA (Knee), 1. Sophia VARLEY (Ankle).
FIXTURE DETAILS
MD | DATE | TEAM A | TEAM B | VENUE | KO* |
MD1 | Sunday 6 October | MELBOURNE CITY FC | Bam Khatoon FC | BG Pathum Stadium | 8:00pm |
MD2 | Thursday 10 October | College of Asian Scholars | MELBOURNE CITY FC | BG Pathum Stadium | 12:00am |
MD3 | Saturday 12 October | MELBOURNE CITY FC | Kaya FC – Iloilo | BG Pathum Stadium | 8:00pm |