FOOTBALL: The Matildas’ FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 preparations are ramping up after Head Coach Alen Stajcic named a squad for a six week European tour that will encompass the Cyprus Cup and an extensive training camp in Italy.

The 22-player Matildas squad, which will depart for Cyprus tonight, comprises 17 players who were part of the recent international tri series in New Zealand, with the additions of Laura Alleway, Kate Gill, Collette McCallum and Gema Simon – a quartet with a combined 188 international matches between them – who have all overcome injury to be selected.

In addition, Premiership winning Perth Glory goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold has also been named in place of Casey Dumont, who is set to be sidelined for up to 12 months after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament while making her Westfield Matildas debut against New Zealand.

Stajcic also revealed that talented trio Tameka Butt, Samantha Kerr and goalkeeper Lydia Williams, who are on the comeback from injury, plus an additional three players will join up the squad in Italy for the second part of the tour after the Cyprus Cup.

While the European tour is a major part of the Matildas’ lead up to their first FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 match against the USA on 8 June, Stajcic reiterated that players who missed out on selection were not out of contention for the World Cup squad.

“Some players such as Kate Gill, Collette McCallum and Laura Alleway are returning from injury and this is a good opportunity to look at some of those players who didn’t travel to New Zealand,” Stajcic said.

“Certainly the majority of the positions are still up in the air so we’ve got a good six week tour in front of us and we’re confident we’ll know most of the squad for the World Cup by the end of it. In saying that, the door is certainly open to others who aren’t in this squad making it on the plane to Canada.”

The Matildas’ opening match of the Cyprus Cup 2015 is against the Netherlands on Wednesday 4 March, followed by matches against their other Group B opponents England and Finland, before another guaranteed match on the tournament’s Finals Day.

Following the Cyprus Cup, the squad will set up base in Italy for a host of training sessions as well as other international friendly matches which will be announced soon.

“This tour gives us a great opportunity to catch up to the rest of the pack in the world by spending an extended period of time together and playing a number of quality international matches that will be invaluable as we continue to work on our structure and the way we want to play when we get to Canada,” Stajcic said.

The match days for the Cyprus Cup 2015 are set out for Wednesday 4 March, Friday 6 March and Monday 9 March culminating in a Finals Day on Wednesday 11 March. All three of the Westfield Matildas’ group matches at the Cyprus Cup are scheduled to kick-off at 2.30am AEDT.

The Cyprus Cup is a global invitational tournament held annually in Cyprus since 2008. For more information about the tournament including a full list of fixtures, visit http://www.cypruswomenscup.net/.

Matildas – European Tour squad

Name Club A International Caps (Goals)
Laura Alleway Brisbane Roar 26 (0)
Mackenzie Arnold (gk) Perth Glory 2 (0)
Nicola Bolger Sydney FC 3 (0)
Steph Catley Melbourne Victory 26 (1)
Larissa Crummer Brisbane Roar 1 (0)
Brianna Davey (gk) Melbourne Victory 15 (0)
Lisa De Vanna Melbourne Victory 92 (32)
Caitlin Foord Perth Glory 24 (3)
Kate Gill Perth Glory 83 (40)
Katrina Gorry Brisbane Roar 24 (8)
Michelle Heyman Canberra United 27 (10)
Elise Kellond-Knight Brisbane Roar 49 (1)
Alanna Kennedy Perth Glory 22 (0)
Collette McCallum Perth Glory 78 (11)
Teresa Polias Sydney FC 4 (0)
Clare Polkinghorne Brisbane Roar 75 (4)
Hayley Raso Brisbane Roar 8 (1)
Gema Simon Melbourne Victory 1 (0)
Kyah Simon Sydney FC 43 (10)
Ashleigh Sykes Canberra United 7 (2)
Servet Uzunlar Sydney FC 40 (2)
Emily van-Egmond Newcastle Jets 33 (8)

* Tameka Butt, Samantha Kerr, Lydia Williams and three additional players will join the squad after the Cyprus Cup

Cyprus Cup 2015
Group A
Canada
Italy
Korea Republic
Scotland

Group B
Australia
England
Finland
Netherlands

Group C
Belgium
Czech Republic
Mexico
South Africa

Westfield Matildas Cyprus Cup 2015 Group Matches
Netherlands v Westfield Matildas
Wednesday 4 March 2015
GSZ, Larnaca (Kick-Off 5.30pm local)

Westfield Matildas v England
Friday 6 March 2015
GSP Nicosia (Kick-Off 5.30pm local)

Westfield Matildas v Finland
Monday 9 March 2015
GSZ, Larnaca (Kick-Off 5.30pm local)

Finals Day
Wednesday 11 March 2015

FOOTBALL AUSTRALIA