Latest news with #CaitlinFoord
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
European glory has Catley hungry for Matildas success
Securing silverware with Arsenal has made Matildas captain Steph Catley all the more 'hungry' to add to her trophy collection at next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup. Catley and Arsenal's other two Matildas, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross, are still on cloud nine after winning the UEFA Women's Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Barcelona in last weekend's final in Lisbon. 'It's been a big few days, biggest of my life, my career, I would say,' Catley said. 'It's something I've dreamed of my entire career. It's the pinnacle of football and being able to do it alongside my two Aussies, and just being part of Arsenal and being that club in England to do it again, it's very, very special.' Just as special would be the Matildas being able to win a major trophy for the first time since 2010 at next year's Women's Asian Cup, which starts in Australia in March. 'To actually do it (win the Champions League), just makes me think about my career and think about the things that I really want to achieve, and winning silverware with the Matildas has always been top of my list,' Catley said. '(It) definitely makes me hungry. I've got the taste of trophies, and that would mean a lot to me if we were able to (win the Asian Cup). 'It's coming very close, but I think it's good for at least the three of us to have a taste of (winning a trophy), and to be able to lead that success and that hunt for success for our (national) team, that'd be very nice. 'Maybe it hasn't been the most successful few years, but set we still believe we can achieve something special.' After only arriving in Matildas camp on Wednesday night, Catley, Foord and Cooney-Cross were unused substitutes in Australia's 2-0 win over Argentina at Marvel Stadium on Friday night. However, it's likely all three will start when the Matildas again face the Argentines in Canberra on Monday night. And that suits Catley, who said she could get 'antsy' watching from the sidelines. 'It'd be nice to get back on the field again. I'm not a very good sub. I don't like sitting on the bench,' she said. 'I feel good. We have had a big couple of days, and it's obviously a long way to travel, and we only travelled a few days ago, but I'll be ready, and the girls will be ready. 'It's the end of the season, so it's not like we're unfit or not ready to play. We're definitely ready to play.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Steph Catley keen to add Asian Cup trophy to her Champions League silverware with Arsenal
Securing silverware with Arsenal has made Matildas captain Steph Catley all the more 'hungry' to add to her trophy collection at next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup. Catley and Arsenal's other two Matildas, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross, are still on cloud nine after winning the UEFA Women's Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Barcelona in last weekend's final in Lisbon. 'It's been a big few days, biggest of my life, my career, I would say,' Catley said. 'It's something I've dreamed of my entire career. It's the pinnacle of football and being able to do it alongside my two Aussies, and just being part of Arsenal and being that club in England to do it again, it's very, very special.' Just as special would be the Matildas being able to win a major trophy for the first time since 2010 at next year's Women's Asian Cup, which starts in Australia in March. 'To actually do it (win the Champions League), just makes me think about my career and think about the things that I really want to achieve, and winning silverware with the Matildas has always been top of my list,' Catley said. '(It) definitely makes me hungry. I've got the taste of trophies, and that would mean a lot to me if we were able to (win the Asian Cup). 'It's coming very close, but I think it's good for at least the three of us to have a taste of (winning a trophy), and to be able to lead that success and that hunt for success for our (national) team, that'd be very nice. 'Maybe it hasn't been the most successful few years, but set we still believe we can achieve something special.' After only arriving in Matildas camp on Wednesday night, Catley, Foord and Cooney-Cross were unused substitutes in Australia's 2-0 win over Argentina at Marvel Stadium on Friday night. However, it's likely all three will start when the Matildas again face the Argentines in Canberra on Monday night. And that suits Catley, who said she could get 'antsy' watching from the sidelines. 'It'd be nice to get back on the field again. I'm not a very good sub. I don't like sitting on the bench,' she said. 'I feel good. We have had a big couple of days, and it's obviously a long way to travel, and we only travelled a few days ago, but I'll be ready, and the girls will be ready. 'It's the end of the season, so it's not like we're unfit or not ready to play. We're definitely ready to play.'
CNA
3 days ago
- General
- CNA
Arsenal success can spur Australia to continental title, says Catley
Defender Steph Catley says her UEFA Women's Champions League title win with Arsenal last week will act as motivation to secure continental glory with Australia when the country hosts the Women's Asian Cup next year. Catley and compatriots Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross were part of the Arsenal squad that defeated Barcelona in Lisbon last Sunday, before flying to Melbourne to feature in the Matildas' 2-0 win over Argentina on Friday. The game was the first in a two-match series against the South Americans as the Australians continue preparations for the continent championship in March 2026, when they will attempt to win the Asian title for the first time in 16 years. "I think it just gives you a little taste of what's possible," Catley said of the Champions League success. "But to actually do it, it makes me think about my career and the things I really want to achieve, and winning silverware with the Matildas has always been top of my list. "So, definitely, it makes me hungry. I've got a taste of trophies and (winning the Asian Cup) would mean a lot to me if we were able to do that. "It's coming up now, it's very close so it's good for the three of us to have the taste of that and be able to lead that hunt for success for our team." The Australians last won the Women's Asian Cup in 2010 with a victory over North Korea and have since finished as runners-up in 2014 and 2018 before exiting the 2022 edition in the quarter-finals. And while the Matildas reached the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup on home soil in 2023, they were eliminated in the group phase of the Olympic Games last year, prompting coach Tony Gustavsson's departure. The Swede has not been replaced on a permanent basis, with Tom Sermanni filling the role in an interim capacity, but Catley is confident the team is moving in the right direction as the Australians continue to unearth new playing talent. "Maybe it hasn't been the most successful few years but we still believe we can achieve something special," said Catley. "You see a player like Charli (Grant) come in tonight and she looks like she's been in the team for a few years, and we're still finding gems like that.
Reuters
3 days ago
- General
- Reuters
Arsenal success can spur Australia to continental title, says Catley
May 31 (Reuters) - Defender Steph Catley says her UEFA Women's Champions League title win with Arsenal last week will act as motivation to secure continental glory with Australia when the country hosts the Women's Asian Cup next year. Catley and compatriots Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross were part of the Arsenal squad that defeated Barcelona in Lisbon last Sunday, before flying to Melbourne to feature in the Matildas' 2-0 win over Argentina on Friday. The game was the first in a two-match series against the South Americans as the Australians continue preparations for the continent championship in March 2026, when they will attempt to win the Asian title for the first time in 16 years. "I think it just gives you a little taste of what's possible," Catley said of the Champions League success. "But to actually do it, it makes me think about my career and the things I really want to achieve, and winning silverware with the Matildas has always been top of my list. "So, definitely, it makes me hungry. I've got a taste of trophies and (winning the Asian Cup) would mean a lot to me if we were able to do that. "It's coming up now, it's very close so it's good for the three of us to have the taste of that and be able to lead that hunt for success for our team." The Australians last won the Women's Asian Cup in 2010 with a victory over North Korea and have since finished as runners-up in 2014 and 2018 before exiting the 2022 edition in the quarter-finals. And while the Matildas reached the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup on home soil in 2023, they were eliminated in the group phase of the Olympic Games last year, prompting coach Tony Gustavsson's departure. The Swede has not been replaced on a permanent basis, with Tom Sermanni filling the role in an interim capacity, but Catley is confident the team is moving in the right direction as the Australians continue to unearth new playing talent. "Maybe it hasn't been the most successful few years but we still believe we can achieve something special," said Catley. "You see a player like Charli (Grant) come in tonight and she looks like she's been in the team for a few years, and we're still finding gems like that. "I think coming into a major tournament, that's the most important thing that you can try to do, is have a bit of depth there and some competition."
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Debutant Kahli Johnson shines in comfortable win for Matildas over Argentina
It felt rather appropriate, all things considered, that Tom Sermanni marked his 150th in charge of the Matildas by making Kahli Johnson the 237th player to represent Australia. Because while the 2010 Asian Cup may have provided the 70-year-old with his crowning achievement, his is a more than three-decade legacy built upon the stories and achievements of those who he has given an opportunity. So many of the pathways that are found in the women's game in Australia wouldn't exist without his guidance, and of the current golden generation alone, the likes of Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Katrina Gorry were all given intentional debuts under his charge. It became even more fitting when Johnson headed home the 38th-minute goal that kickstarted the Matildas to a 2-0 win over Argentina at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium on Friday evening, a game lacking in much of the way of fireworks but in which the hosts never looked in danger of falling. Kaitlyn Torpey put the result beyond doubt in the 69th minute, the winger's second international goal blessed by the footballing gods when her shanked attempt to send in a cross from the right floated right over the head of Abigaíl Chaves and inside the far post. But it's Johnson who people will be talking about after tonight. The 21-year-old took a leap into the unknown during the middle of the A-League Women season, moving from Western United to newly launched Canadian competition the Northern Super League and has kicked on with three goals in six games for the Calgary Wild. Now, having scored a goal every other game in Canada, she's become a senior international, with a goal under her belt, and the latest in a long line of players whose stories include Sermanni. The ball to find Johnson was delivered with pinpoint accuracy by Charli Grant, who galloped down the flank before sending in a perfectly weighted cross for her teammate – who replays showed may have strayed just into an offside position – to send across the face of Chaves. Though not all that much older than Johnson, the defender is something of a grizzled young veteran in the current setup given she is still only 23 years old but she is now in her fourth year in the national setup, with 34 appearances in green and gold under her belt. Probably helped by not needing to do much defending – Argentina would fail to register a shot on target until the 80th minute – the Spurs flanker was one of the Matildas best on the evening. So, too, was Johnson, who flashed intent early on when she won the ball on the left and whipped in crosses in the sixth and seventh minutes and who put a shot just wide in the 49th in search of a brace. Given the chance to start as the nine once more, clearly being positioned by Sermanni as the heir-apparent for Kerr, Holly McNamara showed off her determined, angry worth as well: sending a volleyed attempt from a Grant cross wide in the first half and fizzing an effort outside the post in the 61st. Clare Wheeler got in on the act, too, firing off a 72nd minute attempt that Chaves did incredibly well to get down and keep out. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Indeed, with the likes of Kerr, Gorry, Ellie Carpenter and Hayley Raso all absent from this squad and the Arsenal trio of Catley, Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross staying on the bench after their late arrival into camp after winning the Champions League, Friday was an evening for the unheralded and rising members of the squad. It almost had to be, given that Football Australia has indicated a new coach will be coming in next month, rendering these games as something of an audition. But it was also a celebration of an underappreciated legend in Sermanni, delivered in fitting fashion.
