Chidiac replaces Cooney-Cross In CommBank Matildas squad

The Commonwealth Bank Matildas' squad has been updated for Australia's upcoming two-match series against New Zealand.

Melbourne Victory midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross has been ruled out for medical reasons and will be replaced by her fellow Victory teammate, Alex Chidiac, from the April FIFA Window Extended List.

The midfielder comes into the squad off the back of a Championship winning run with the Victorian A-League Women’s side. 

“First of all, I'm really happy for Chids that she's found the love of the game again as she's had a couple of tough years,” said head coach Tony Gustavsson when asked about Chidiac’s form in Tuesday’s Squad Announcement Press Conference. 

"We've always known that she has a magical left foot; her visionary attack is unique. But she needed to find her love for the game again and find her form and have confidence.  We supported her in that journey that she wanted to focus on playing game consistently finding her confidence in her form."

"We had a long conversation back in Sweden before the Olympics when she wasn't selected to the roster, in terms of her focus points and playing with more intensity.  Her next step now is to keep this form and play consistently at as high a level as possible." 

Chidiac last was part of a Commonwealth Bank Matildas assembly in June 2021 as part of the preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.  While it is not Chidiac’s first national team call up since that camp, it will be her first entrance into the senior national team since that FIFA Window. 
 

The return of Chidiac underlines the approach outlined by Gustavsson regarding squad selections between now and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ with the head coach stating "no-one is off the radar. Everyone is available for selection all the way through to 2023.". 

Players and staff will commence arrival into camp on Sunday, with Australian based players entering first and European and American based players following the completion of this weekend's league fixtures.

Commonwealth Bank Matildas v New Zealand 
Friday, 8 April 2022  
Venue: QCB Stadium, Townsville, Queensland 
Kick Off: 7:45pm (AEST)  
​​​​​​​Gates Open: 6:15pm (AEST)
Broadcast: Live on 10 Bold, 10 Play and Paramount+. Check your local tv guides.
Ticketing Details: Buy now

Commonwealth Bank Matildas v New Zealand 
Tuesday, 12 April 2022  
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra 
Kick Off: 7.45pm (AEST)  
Broadcast: Live and free on 10 Bold and simulcast on 10 Play and Paramount+.  
Ticketing Details: Buy now

$1 (plus GST) from every ticket will be donated to the ParaMatildas, Australia’s first national team for women and girls with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury or symptoms from stroke.

COMMONWEALTH BANK MATILDAS SQUAD | APRIL 2022 FIFA INTERNATIONAL WINDOW