Young gun Kyra Cooney-Cross is a probable inclusion in Tony Gustavsson’s ultimate World Cup squad – the 21-year-old may properly show to be the Matildas’ secret weapon.
Gustavsson is because of identify his ultimate 23-woman squad, culling six gamers from his prolonged squad, at 2:30PM at the moment.
Cooney-Cross debuted two years in the past and has 27 appearances within the inexperienced and gold.
Her potential to learn the sport, play the proper via ball or take cost and create her personal house makes her an enormous risk within the midfield.
She has additionally shaped an ideal on-field dynamic with fellow midfielder Katrina Gorry.
And whereas Cooney-Cross is but to search out the online whereas sporting the Matildas’ equipment her time within the A-League Women’s competitions for Western Sydney and Melbourne Victory proves she isn’t missing accuracy or energy.
THE MATILDAS SQUAD WILL BE NAMED AT 2:30 AEST – WATCH LIVE FROM 2PM
One of her extra memorable objectives was within the dying seconds of extra-time within the grand ultimate match between Victory and Sydney FC.
Cooney-Cross stepped as much as take the nook and her inswinging strike curled proper into the online – delivering Victory’s first W-League title in seven years.
While most footballers are nonetheless discovering their ft at 21, Cooney-Cross already has quite a lot of spectacular accolades to her identify together with two A-League ladies’s titles.
Cooney-Cross was a part of the prolonged squad named within the 2019 World Cup group, she was simply 17. She didn’t get on the sphere however did later that yr as a part of the Young Matildas’ on the AFC u19 Women’s Championship.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Cooney-Cross was substituted on in all six video games.
She signed with Swedish outfit Hammarby FC in 2022 and performed a key function in serving to the membership elevate the Swedish Cup this yr for the primary time since 1995.
The dynamic midfielder’s efforts have been rewarded with a spot within the beginning 11 for the previous eight Matildas’ video games, together with the 2-0 win over England.
Optus Sport soccer knowledgeable Mark Schwarzer stated she had “stepped up” each time Gustavsson has given her a possibility.
Schwarzer stated in contrast to the Euros groups gained’t be capable of depend on the identical beginning 11 for your complete event – particularly these nations trying to go far – which means depth can be key.
“I think Tony Gustavsson with his experience of being at World Cups before and involved in the US and having gone all the way and won the World Cup knows that you need depth,” he stated.
“What Tony has done has very much allowed players to have an opportunity and a platform to play and Kyra is one of those players.”
Fellow younger Matilda Charli Grant additionally performs within the Swedish league – for Rosengard FC.
Grant stated she has seen Cooney-Cross excel prior to now 12 months and expects her to be a star this World Cup.
“There is going to be a lot of players coming up through the ranks but I think Kyra Cooney-Cross is just growing with more and more confidence every game she plays,” Grant stated.
“I love seeing her progress and seeing her confidence grow and I’m really looking forward to seeing how she plays because I think she’s just getting better and better with each game.”
Australia’s first World Cup conflict is in opposition to the Republic of Ireland on July 20.
Originally revealed as Matildas FIFA World Cup squad stay: Australia group named with Sam Kerr to captain
Source: www.news.com.au
