The CommBank Matildas will kick off their Cup of Nations campaign against 28th-ranked Czechia at Industree Group Stadium in Gosford.
This Thursday's clash will be the second time the CommBank Matildas host Czechia on Australian soil, with our last meeting in 2000 during the Australia Cup ending in a 3-0 win to the home side.
Australia will return to Gosford for the opening game of the Cup of Nations, the return comes after finishing 2022 off on the Central Coast with a 2-0 win over Thailand, with Sam Kerr and Hayley Raso scoring in the victory.
February’s Cup of Nations will build on the success of the first tournament held in 2019 and be one of the final opportunities for fans to see the team on home soil before the commencement of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™.
Squad News
Tony Gustavsson has named a 25-player CommBank Matildas squad to contest the 2023 Cup of Nations to be hosted across New South Wales later this month.
Keeping to the principle, 21 players from the November 2022 FIFA Women’s International window feature in the squad. Meanwhile experienced trio Emily Gielnik (forward), Tameka Yallop (midfielder) and Mackenzie Arnold (goalkeeper) return to the squad after completing their time on the sidelines due to injury.
Western Sydney Wanderers’ defender Clare Hunt earns her first call-up for the senior national team following strong performances in the Liberty A-League Women’s competition.
“Our Cup of Nations squad has been selected in line with our principles built in the back half of 2022 as we continue to create consistency and chemistry among the playing group. This is particularly important in a tournament that mirrors the group stage play and presents an opportunity to maximise our time together with less than 200 days until the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ kicks off.”
Our Opponent
Czechia's coach Karel Rada has named a 23-player squad for the upcoming Cup of Nations, set to kick off in February.
The squad is headlined by captain Petra Bertholdová who has 103 caps for her country, along with some up-and-coming youngsters that ply their trade around Czechia.
A notable absence is Sam Kerr's Chelsea teammate Kateřina Svitková, with the midfielder missing these games due to a knee injury. Svitková has 21 goals for her country and found the back of the net in a 2-1 win over Romania to finish 2022.
One to watch during the tournament is youngster Andrea Stašková, with the forward playing for Atlético Madrid in Spain. Stašková found the back of the net in Czechia's 2-1 win over Romania and scored a hat-trick against Hungary in a 3-3 draw.
Opta Facts
● This will be the third women’s international between Australia and Czechia; the Matildas have won the previous two meetings by an aggregate score of 9-2 including a 6-2 win in their most recent encounter.
● Australia has won their last four women’s internationals and kept a clean sheet in each of their last two matches in that span; the last time the Matildas enjoyed a longer winning run was an eight-match span from July 2017 to March 2018.
● Czechia is undefeated in their last five women’s internationals (W3, D2); they had gone winless across their seven matches prior to that span (D3, L4).
● Katrina Gorry (Australia) made 108 progressive carries in women’s internationals in 2022, 25 more than any other Matildas player; in addition, Gorry’s total carry distance of 2,371 metres was 587m more than the next best teammate (Clare Polkinghorne – 1,784).
● Mary Fowler (Australia) made 16 successful take-ons in women’s internationals in 2022, the most of any Matildas player and one of three to log double figures in this category (Caitlin Foord – 13 and Ellie Carpenter – 10).
See the Czechia squad travelling to Australia for the Cup of Nations.
For all the latest news and information regarding the two-games series, stay updated via the official Commonwealth Bank Matildas website.
CommBank Matildas v Czechia
Date: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Venue: Industree Group Stadium, Gosford, NSW
Kick-Off: 7.10 pm kick-off AEDT
Broadcast: 10 Bold, 10 Play and Paramount+
Tickets: Buy tickets!