Glory ALW goalkeeper Jessica Skinner has today been named in the Young Matildas squad which will gather in Sydney next week for a domestic training camp.
Former Glory Head Coach Alex Epakis will use the camp to help his charges prepare for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Thailand 2026 Qualifiers which are set to take place in Tajikistan in August.
Australia will face the host nation, as well as Palestine and Chinese Taipei in Group C, with qualification offering a pathway to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026.
Epakis is really looking forward to the opportunity of working closely with the 32 players selected.
“It’s a really important chance for us to come together as a group before a big few weeks ahead,” he said.
“We’ve got a great mix of players with some who’ve been here before and some new faces.
“The ten-day camp will allow us to continue building on the foundation of our culture, working with individuals and the team to further utilise our playing strengths and refining the team’s style of play heading into August.
“With qualification just weeks away, the squad will train in a high-performance environment mirroring international standards.
“Every player in this squad has earned their spot through what they’ve shown at club level through the Ninja A-League or the NPL.
“It really speaks to the strength of our domestic network and the coaches and support staff who are helping these players grow every week.
“There’s healthy competition for spots and that’s exactly what we want at this stage.
“The camp will not only help finalise our approach to the qualifiers, but also reinforce the high-performance expectations required at international level.”
17-year-old Skinner represented Perth RedStar at junior level and starred in the NPL WA for the Hyundai NTC before joining Glory’s ALW squad ahead of last season.
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