Roweth to chase World Cup dream

MILLTHORPE junior Karina Roweth will fly out to China tomorrow in the hope of seeing Australia’s Young Matildas qualify for the 2010 FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup in Germany.

Roweth, a former James Sheahan Catholic High School student, was named in Alen Stajcic’s 23-player squad on Sunday after impressing the Australian coach at a training camp on the Gold Coast last week.

The 19-year-old was also one of the green and golds’ best during their unbeaten tour of Europe in May, with her explosive pace down the right flank a feature of the Young Matildas’ free-flowing style of play.

Stajcic’s squad contains a strong Central West flavour, with prodigious Dubbo twins Nicole and Ashleigh Sykes also making the cut.

The Young Matildas will train today after gathering in Sydney yesterday, before flying out to South Korea tomorrow for what Stajcic sees as two crucial warm-up matches on July 25 and July 27.

“We had a very productive training camp on the Gold Coast last week and now we’re focused on the championships,” Stajcic said.

“The two warm-up games against South Korea will be extremely worthwhile. We see them as important games against high-quality opposition.

“The two matches will see all players get a run and give us the opportunity to see who is in form and who has adapted to the conditions the best.

“As a team we are as prepared as we can be going into China. We have improved as a team this year, so now it is a matter of putting it all together and performing well on the day.”

The Young Matildas’ qualifying campaign in Wuhan will begin on August 1 against Japan, before matches against China on August 3 and Chinese Taipei on August 5.

Australia need to finish in the top two in their group to progress to the semi-finals, where they will meet either Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea or North Korea.

The two semi-final winners and the victor of the third versus fourth play-off will qualify for the World Cup in Germany next July.

YOUNG MATILDAS: Teigan Allen, Courtney Beutel, Ruth Blackburn, Nicola Bolger, Tameka Butt, Alesha Clifford, Nikola Deiter, Casey Dumont, Angela Fimmano, Elise Kellond-Knight, Samantha Kerr, Rebecca Kiting, Ella Mastrantonio, Sian McLaren, Teresa Polias, Karina Roweth, Jessica Seaman, Gema Simon, Kyah Simon, Ashleigh Sykes, Nicole Sykes, Marianna Tabain, Emily van Egmond.