Newcastle Jets Academy player Alex Nunes has been selected in the Shadow Squad for the upcoming AFF Under 16 Youth Championship.
Australia has been drawn in Group C and will face Myanmar, Cambodia and Malaysia in the 12-team tournament commencing on 31 July 2022.
The selection of the final squad for this tournament follows a week-long Joeys (Australia U17) camp at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in mid-July, a National U16 Identification Camp held in Townsville during April, and ongoing assessment in collaboration with technical staff at Member Federations.
This Australia U16 representative team will be led in Indonesia by former Joeys National Team Assistant Coach and current Football South Australia Technical Director, Michael Cooper.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, this tournament will be the Joeys first international activity since 2019.
“After such a long hiatus due to the pandemic, it’s wonderful to see our men’s national youth team programs competing again on the international stage,” explained Trevor Morgan, Football Australia Head of Technical Direction, Pathways & Coach Education.
“Football Australia has been working closely with technical staff at Member Federations to identify the best emerging talent for our Joeys program, which has led to two highly competitive national camps over recent months.
“This AFF U16 Youth Championship in Indonesia will not only be a proud moment for the players and parents as they represent Australia for the very first time, but also presents a wonderful opportunity for these young men to get their first taste of international competition in what we hope will be a long and prosperous career in the green and gold,“ concluded Morgan.
Australia’s AFF U-16 Youth Championship campaign will kick-off against Myanmar at on Tuesday, 2 August at the Sultan Agung Stadium in Bantul.
The team will return to the same venue three days later to challenge Cambodia, before rounding out their Group Phase campaign with a meeting with Malaysia at the Maguwoharjo Stadium in Sleman on Monday, 8 August.
Each of Australia’s Group C fixtures at the AFF U-16 Youth Championship will kick-off at 3pm local time (6pm AEST).
Australia will need to finish first in Group C, or as the best overall runner up in the three pools, to advance to the semi-finals of the competition. The knockout phase of the tournament will be played exclusively at the 31,000 seat Maguwoharjo Stadium.
Australia has won the AFF U-16 Youth Championship twice in the past, claiming the crown in 2008 and 2016.
The green and gold also finished second in 2012, and third in 2013, 2015, and 2017.
AFF U16 Youth Championship 2022 | Sunday, 31 July – Friday, 12 August 2022 | Jakarta, Indonesia
Peter ANTONIOU Defender Melbourne City FC
Daniel BENNIE Forward Perth Glory FC,
Dean BOSNJAK Forward Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Luka COVENY Defender Melbourne Victory FC,
Zachary DE JESUS Defender Sydney United 58 FC
Miguel DI PIZIO Midfielder Western Sydney Wanderers FC,
Ben DUNBAR Midfielder Melbourne City FC,
Ayman GULASI Forward Western Sydney Wanderers FC,
Gus HOEFSLOOT Goalkeeper Sydney FC,
Jesse HOEY Forward Melbourne Victory FC
Pearson KASAWAYA Forward Sydney FC,
Daniel LAZAREVSKI Forward Melbourne Victory FC,
Andriano LEBIB Defender Perth Glory FC,
Jared MIDDLETON Defender Sydney FC
Lachlan MIDDLETON Midfielder Sydney FC
Alex NASSIEP Goalkeeper Melbourne Victory FC
Anthony PAVLESIC Goalkeeper Western Sydney Wanderers FC,
Jaylan PEARMAN Midfielder Perth Glory FC,
Isiah QUINN Defender Brisbane Roar FC
Tiago QUINTAL Forward Sydney FC,
Dylan ROSE Midfielder Sydney FC
Xav STELLA Defender Melbourne City FC
Nicholas ZDRILIC Defender Sydney United 58 FC
Shadow Squad
Rylan BROWNLIE Forward Brisbane Roar FC
Oscar FRYER Forward SD Raiders
Mikey GHOSSAINI Forward Glen Eira FC
Daniel GRASKOSKI Goalkeeper Northcote City
Jordan HOEY Forward Melbourne Victory FC
Angelo KALAMVOKIS Defender Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Cyrus MALSAWMKIMA Attacker Brisbane Roar FC
Justin MOYA Defender Brisbane Roar FC
Alexandro NUNES Midfielder Newcastle Jets FC
Andre PARKES Defender Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Andre RIZGALLA Midfielder Sydney FC
Fabian TALLADIRA Midfielder Adelaide United FC
AFF U-16 Youth Championship 2022 – Match Schedule
Australia U-16 v Myanmar U-16
Tuesday, 2 August 2022
Sultan Agung Stadium, Bantul, Indonesia
3pm (local); 6pm (AEST)
Cambodia U-16 v Australia U-16
Friday, 5 August 2022
Sultan Agung Stadium, Bantul, Indonesia Kick-off: 3pm (local); 6pm (AEST)
Malaysia U-16 v Australia U-16
Monday, 8 August 2022
Maguwohharjo Stadium, Sleman, Indonesia
3pm (local); 6pm (AEST)
Semi Finals: Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Medal Matches: Friday, 12 August 2022
