2024 A-Leagues All Stars Women game explained

2024 A-Leagues All Star Women game
Event:2023–24 A-League Women
Team1:A-Leagues All Stars Women
Team1score:0
Team2:Arsenal
Team2score:1
Date:24 May 2024
Stadium:Marvel Stadium
City:Melbourne, Australia
Referee:Casey Reibelt
Attendance:42,120

The 2024 A-Leagues All Stars Women game was an exhibition soccer match that was played on 24 May 2024, featuring an all-star team of the A-League Women against Women's Super League club Arsenal at Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, Australia as part of Global Football Week Melbourne. It was the first edition of the A-Leagues All Stars Women game and the fourth of the A-Leagues All Stars Game.

Background

In March 2024, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) announced three fixtures that would include the A-Leagues All Stars Game at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne as part of Global Football Week Melbourne.[1] The inaugural A-Leagues All Stars Women team will play against Women's Super League club Arsenal, and is set to take place on 24 May 2024 after the men's game who will play Premier League club Newcastle United.[2] It will be the first time the Arsenal women side has played in Australia.[3] Newcastle would also play Tottenham Hotspur at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in a friendly two days before the All Stars game.[4] The official kit partner was announced to be Kappa.[5] The game will be televised in Australia on 10 Bold and Paramount+.[6]

Squads

The A-League All Stars Women squad will consist of 19 players, with a mandatory two goalkeepers, and be selected by coaching staff.[7] Alex Chidiac and Hannah Wilkinson were announced on 23 April 2024 as the first two players to be selected in the squad as voted by fans.[5] [8] On 26 April, Joe Montemurro was announced as head coach,[9] with Kat Smith and Emily Husband as assistant coaches,[10] and Melissa Maizels appointed as goalkeeping coach.[11]

The All Stars Women squad was announced on 9 May.[12] Of the 19 players selected, five were part of the Australian squad in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup,[13] and four from Sydney FC that won the Grand Final on 4 May.[14] Arsenal announced their 19-player squad on 20 May with Australian internationals Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord included.[15] [16] The referee for the match was Casey Reibelt. Emma Kocbek and Maggie Price were named as assistant referees with Georgia Ghirardello as the fourth official.[17]

Criticism

After the announcement of Montemurro, Lisa De Vanna criticised the decision to select a coach not employed in the A-League Women, suggesting that it is an "insult to all the coaches who have put in the effort and remained loyal" in Australia.[18] Former Central Coast Mariners player Daniel McBreen supported this notion, stating that an A-League Women coach should have been "honoured" with the role.[19]

Match

Details

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A-Leagues All stars is BACK in 2024: Everything you need to know . . 28 April 2024 . en-AU . 18 March 2024.
  2. Web site: Kidane . Benyam . Arsenal Women vs A-League All-Stars Women in Melbourne: Marvel Stadium to host friendly in May . Sporting News . 28 April 2024 . en-au . 19 March 2024.
  3. Web site: Arsenal Women to play in Australia . . 28 April 2024 . en . 28 April 2024.
  4. News: Tottenham, Newcastle and Arsenal to send teams to Melbourne for exhibition matches. ABC News. 19 March 2024. 19 March 2024.
  5. Web site: First FOUR A-League All Stars named as iconic Kappa playing kit unveiled . A-League . 28 April 2024 . en-AU . 23 April 2024.
  6. Web site: Watch the A-League All Stars in action live and free on 10Play. 10Play. 16 May 2024. 19 May 2024.
  7. Web site: A-Leagues All Stars fan voting open NOW: How it works . A-League . 28 April 2024 . en-AU . 25 March 2024.
  8. Web site: Kidane . Benyam . Nestory Irankunda headlines A-League All Stars as special edition Kappa kit unveiled . Sporting News . 28 April 2024 . en-au . 24 April 2024.
  9. Web site: Guelas . Joanna . Montemurro can make Matildas case with All Stars stint . The Women's Game . 28 April 2024 . en . 26 April 2024.
  10. Web site: Hughes . Nicholas . Kat Smith helping create history with A-League All Stars Women . . 28 April 2024 . en-AU . 26 April 2024.
  11. Web site: Guelas . Joanna . Montemurro can make Matildas case with All Stars stint . The Canberra Times . 28 April 2024 . en-AU . 26 April 2024.
  12. Web site: FULL SQUAD: Introducing the first ever A-League All Stars Women team to take on Arsenal. A-Leagues. 9 May 2024.
  13. Web site: Monteverde . Marco . A-League women’s All-Stars squad to have healthy contingent of Matildas . news.com.au . NCA NewsWire . 10 May 2024 . en . 9 May 2024.
  14. Web site: Four Sky Blues Named In All Stars Squad . . 10 May 2024 . en-AU . 9 May 2024.
  15. Web site: Rugari . Vince . North London united: Matildas trio could join Ange’s homecoming trip . The Sydney Morning Herald . 10 May 2024 . en . 16 February 2024.
  16. Web site: Arsenal Women's squad for Australia announced. Arsenal. 20 May 2024.
  17. Web site: Match Official Appointments Exhibition & A-League All-Stars 22-31 May 2024 Football Australia . . 25 May 2024 . en . 21 May 2024.
  18. Web site: Valencich . Glenn . Matildas at centre of ‘insulting’ move as feud reignites . . 28 April 2024 . en . 26 April 2024.
  19. Web site: Monteverde . Marco . ‘Slap across the face’: Matildas caught up in A-League All-Stars controversy . Fox Sports . NCA NewsWire . 28 April 2024 . en . 26 April 2024.