Arsenal will make history on Friday when they face the A-League All Stars in an exhibition match in Melbourne, Australia.
The Gunners’ women’s team have never before played a fixture ‘Down Under’ therefore Jonas Eidevall’s side will write a new chapter in the club’s history books.
Former Arsenal boss Joe Montemurro will take charge of the A-League All Stars. He won the Barclays Women’s Super League title and FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup in his three-and-a-half-year spell in North London. Montemurro has a star-studded 19-player squad at his disposal for his ground-breaking reunion with his former club.
Montemurro could call on the services of former Arsenal goalkeeper Lydia Williams. She represented The Gunners between 2020 and 2022. Forward Kyah Simon, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, will be hoping to get on the scoresheet against The Lilywhites’ bitter rivals while there are other familiar faces in the squad in the form of Rebekah Stott, Tameka Yallop and Mackenzie Hawkesby; the trio having previously played Barclays Women’s Super League football.
Arsenal boss Eidevall has selected a mix of youth and experience for the game. Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross are all set to feature in their homeland while the likes of Alessia Russo, Emily Fox, Kim Little, Katie McCabe, Frida Maanum, Victoria Pelova and Cloé Lacasse could be involved. Kathrine Kühl has an opportunity to impress following the conclusion of her loan spell at Everton while young players like Vivienne Lia, Katie Reid, Laila Harbert and Freya Godfrey will be hoping to push their first team claims.
The exhibition match between the A-League All Stars and Arsenal takes place at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Friday. The game is scheduled to kick-off at 11.05am UK time.