Melbourne City teenage sensation Jacynta Galabadaarachchi named in Matildas squad

TEENAGE Melbourne City sensation Jacynta Galabadaarachchi headlines a youthful batch of Matildas inclusions as the search for generation next intensifies.

TEENAGE Melbourne City sensation Jacynta Galabadaarachchi headlines a youthful batch of Matildas inclusions as the search for generation next intensifies.

The 15-year-old attacker has been called up despite making just one start and five appearances in her debut W-League season, while she didn’t feature in Sunday’s grand final win.

Skilful Galabadaarachchi joins Melbourne City teammates and Matildas regulars, keeper Lydia Williams and full-backs Steph Catley and Teigen Allen, in the 25-strong squad.

The Matildas will have camps in Canberra and Sydney before coach Alen Stajcic trims at least seven players for next month’s Algarve Cup in Portugal.

Canberra United midfielder Grace Maher and Western Sydney keeper Jada Mathyssen-Whyman, both 17, were other uncapped players included.

Stajcic said the squad was picked with an eye on the 2018 Asian Cup, 2019 Women’s World Cup and the 2020 Olympics.

Melbourne City teenager Jacynta Galabadaarachchi is part of the new Matildas squad. Picture: Stuart Walmsley

“We are now heading into a new four-year cycle up until the Tokyo Games, so we’re looking at what kind of team we can take to qualify for the major tournaments, starting with the Asian Cup next year,” Stajcic said.

“It’s about having a squad that can peak in these tournaments.

“For the majority it is about what they showed in the W-League but others have done well at Young Matildas camps and in the Under-17 national team, so it could have been on any major arena that we watched them play on.

“They’re players we think have the potential to be really good international footballers.

“The biggest objective of this camp and one of the major factors in the squad we’ve selected is building the depth of the team and increasing the competition within the team and giving more players the experience of being in a Matildas camp and playing senior international football.”

Stajcic will take an 18-20 player squad to Portugal, though German-based stars Elise Kellond-Knight and Emily van Egmond will be added to the squad.

The AIS runs from Wednesday to Friday, before a Sydney-based camp on February 20-22.

Former Matilda Heather Garriock has joined the Matildas coaching staff, named assistant alongside Gary van Egmond.

MATILDAS SQUAD

Teigen Allen — Melbourne City

Mackenzie Arnold (GK) — Brisbane Roar

Ellie Carpenter — Western Sydney

Steph Catley — Melbourne City

Emma Checker — Canberra United

Alex Chidiac — Adelaide United

Caitlin Cooper — Western Sydney

Lisa De Vanna — Canberra United

Casey Dumont (GK) — Western Sydney

Caitlin Foord — Sydney FC

Jacynta Galabadaarachchi — Melbourne City

Emily Gielnik — Brisbane Roar

Katrina Gorry — Brisbane Roar

Amy Harrison — Sydney FC

Michelle Heyman — Canberra United

Alanna Kennedy — Sydney FC

Sam Kerr — Perth Glory

Chloe Logarzo — Newcastle Jets

Grace Maher — Canberra United

Jada Mathyssen-Whyman (GK) — Western Sydney

Clare Polkinghorne — Brisbane Roar

Hayley Raso — Canberra United

Gema Simon — Newcastle Jets

Kyah Simon — Sydney FC

Lydia Williams (GK) — Melbourne City

Originally published as Melbourne City teenage sensation Jacynta Galabadaarachchi named in Matildas squad