Australia’s Kyon Simon Gets Late Chance To Make Women’s World Cup Squad

Injured forward Kyah Simon was handed a golden chance to make a late push for inclusion in Australia’s Women’s World Cup squad after coach Tony Gustavsson included her in his provisional 29-player group on Monday.

Football Australia said the provisional squad will assemble on the Gold Coast, Queensland, to complete the final preparations for the World Cup in a closed high-performance environment. The group will then move to Melbourne where they will host world number five France in their final pre-World Cup tune-up.

Gustavsson will name his final 23-player squad at a later date.

Australia are co-hosts of the World Cup along with New Zealand, with the tournament set to be held from July 20 to August 20.

Simon was included in the provisional squad despite not having played for eight months after suffering a serious knee injury. She tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in October while playing for her Women’s Super League club Tottenham Hotspur in England.

The 31-year-old will be racing against time to be fit for this year’s World Cup, having missed the last edition in France in 2019 due to an ankle injury. Simon, who has made more than 100 appearances for the Matildas, was released by Tottenham earlier this month.

OTHER INJURED PLAYERS

Alanna Kennedy, Chloe Logarzo and Emily Gielnik were also included in the extended squad and are hoping to recover from their injuries ahead of the World Cup.

“From the first day of our first training session in 2021, we said it would take 23 in ’23 for the FIFA Women’s World Cup and everyone would have a role to play in that journey,” Gustavsson said.

“What we have seen is that it has actually taken more than 23 players to bring us to this moment and for that reason I am thrilled to work with the players named in this provisional squad during the final phase of our preparation.

“I have been impressed by their full commitment at every step, and now we have the chance to fine-tune and solidify our gameplan ahead of a phenomenally exciting couple of weeks,” he added.

The squad is headlined by key player and captain Sam Kerr, along with Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord.

Australia are in Group B at the World Cup and begin their campaign against Ireland on July 20 before facing Nigeria and Olympic gold medalists Canada.

Australia provisional squad:

Goalkeepers: Mackenzie Arnold, Teagan Micah, Jada Whyman, Lydia Williams

Defenders: Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Charlotte Grant, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Aivi Luik, Courtney Nevin, Clare Polkinghorne

Midfielders: Alex Chidiac, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, Chloe Logarzo, Amy Sayer, Emily van Egmond, Clare Wheeler, Tameka Yallop

Forwards: Larissa Crummer, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Emily Gielnik, Sam Kerr, Hayley Raso, Remy Siemsen, Kyah Simon, Cortnee Vine.