History
In mid-2022, Football Australia established the first-ever Australia women's national under-23 soccer team (U23 Matildas) to represent Australia in under-23 matches, including in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Senior women's assistant coach, Melissa Andreatta was appointed as inaugural under-23 Head Coach and Leah Blayney as Assistant Coach. [1] [2] [3] In September 2019, the Australia women's national under-20 soccer team (Young Matildas) coach, Blayney had managed a squad to compete at the 2020 AFC U-23 Women's Championship. [4]
Andreatta named a 28-player final squad for the 2022 AFF Women's Championship held from 4 to 17 July in the Philippines – against ASEAN senior national women's teams. [1] Australia U23, captained by defender Charlotte Grant, were placed in Group A and their first match was a 1–0 defeat by the hosts, Philippines. [5] The hosts were coached by former senior Australian women's coach, Alen Stajcic. [2] Attacking midfielder, Amy Sayer kicked their first goal for the tournament during their second match in a 1–1 draw with Thailand. [6] In their third game Sayer scored all four goals in the team's first ever win – against Indonesia. [7] In the match against Malaysia, midfielder Mackenzie Hawkesby scored a hat trick. [1] [8] U23 Matildas finished third in their group.
Andreatta formed a 24-player squad for a two-game friendly series held in Varese, Italy in September 2023, where Australia U23 played against AC Milan Women and then Scotland U23. [9] The next U23 Matildas squad contested the Four Nations invitational under-23 tournament held in Växjö, Sweden from 30 May to 4 June 2024. [10] [11] Australia, captained by midfielder Laura Hughes, lost against hosts, Sweden and visitors Germany, but won against visitors Poland. [12] [13] For that win, U23 Matildas came back from 2–0 down to equalise at 2–2, with the result determined by a penalty shoot-out, which Australia U23 won 5–3. [13] Andreatta was appointed head coach of Scotland's senior women's team in April 2025. [14]
Senior Matildas' assistant coach Joe Palatsides replaced Andreatta in June 2025 as the new Head Coach of the U23 Matildas. They competed at the 2025 ASEAN Women's Championship (successor to the 2022 AFF Women's Championship) in Group B in Phú Thọ, Vietnam, in August 2025. [15] Palatsides described his squad on 30 July, "Some of these players have already had a taste of senior football while others are knocking on the door, but no matter where they are on their journey, this kind of experience is incredibly valuable." [16] At the tournament the team finished second in their group after defeating defending champions Philippines 1–0 and fifth time appearing Timor-Leste 9–0. In the semi-final held in Haiphong they beat three-time champions and hosts, Vietnam 2–1 to advance to the tournament's final against two-time champions Myanmar who had beaten them 1–2 in the group stage. [17] Australia U23 were crowned champions after their 1–0 victory, with the winner struck by Holly Furphy from an assist by Aideen Keane. [17] [18] Furphy was awarded Player of the Match for the final and Most Valuable Player for the tournament, while Alana Jančevski was Rising Star of the Tournament. [18] [19]
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1–0 
Australia U23 
Timor-Leste 
3–0 
3–0 
