Matildas starting XI
The suspense is over: Chloe Lincoln will start for the Matildas between the sticks with just three caps to her name.
Mary Fowler, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Alanna Kennedy start on the bench.
Here’s the full starting XI:
Who will be in goals for the Matildas?
By Emma Kemp
For the second time in three years, Australia is hosting a major women’s football tournament. After finishing fourth at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, a home Asian Cup will see the Matildas battle for the trophy. But, heading into their first match against the Philippines on Sunday night, questions remain unanswered.
Namely, who will start in goal?
Chloe Lincoln and Jada Whyman during training in Perth on Thursday.Credit: Getty Images
It’s not looking like Mackenzie Arnold after what appeared to be limited training this week. And Jada Whyman has just been withdrawn from the squad with a knee injury. That leaves her replacement Morgan Aquino or Chloe Lincoln, who herself was called up late as Teagan Micah’s injury replacement.
It feels highly unlikely that coach Joe Montemurro will hand Aquino an international debut in the opening match of a major tournament, despite the DC Power player being a Perth local.
Lincoln has the caps – all three of them – and seems the shoo-in. Montemurro gave nothing away about Arnold’s mystery injury (or illness), other than to say, “We’re monitoring it, and we’ve got it in control with our medical staff, and we’ll make some decisions in the next 24 hours. There’s no decisions made of anyone playing. I’m still deciding on what my starting XI is going to be.”
Read the remaining questions looming over the Matildas, here.
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It’s finally here
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup tournament opener, it’s finally here!
My name is Frances Howe and I’ll be helming this blog from Sydney while my colleague Emma Kemp joins us from on the ground at Perth Stadium, where it’s a nice 23 degrees.
If you’re a regular Matildas blog tragic, then you’ll remember our countdown for the tournament from December. It was a while away then, but we’re finally down to the last hour now. In that time, we’ve gained Mary Fowler (back from her ACL injury) and lost Tegan Micah (out with a concussion).
Australia start their Asian Cup campaign tonight against the Philippines, led by Australian coach Mark Torcaso – who actually credits Matildas coach Joe Montemurro with the reason why he got into coaching. But more on that soon.
The match will air on Channel 10 and kick off is 5:00pm AWST/8:00pm AEDT. Team news up next.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
