Western United coaches John Aloisi and Kat Smith have submitted their extended squads for a blockbuster weekend of A-Leagues action at Ironbark Fields in Tarneit.
Aloisi will welcome youngster Dylan Leonard back into the side for Saturday’s visit of Macarthur FC in the Isuzu UTE A-League Men, the 17-year-old having completed his one-game suspension last week.
Lock in your tickets and get behind the Green and Black against Macarthur on Saturday
Leonard is joined in the extended squad by his Western United Academy centre-back partner Luka Coveny, who is elevated onto the 20-man list for the first time.
It will be a special day for two Western United players in particular with Angus Thurgate set to become the youngest ever player to reach 150 appearances in the Isuzu UTE A-League, while Noah Botic is also in line to make his 50th appearance in the competition.
Captain Ben Garuccio is out for the second straight week after he was a late exclusion last weekend with a calf injury.
In the Ninja A-League Women, Chloe Logarzo will unfortunately miss out on a match-up against her former side in Sydney FC with the star Matilda ruled out of Sunday’s clash with a concussion.
Lock in your tickets for a huge Ninja A-League showdown with Sydney FC
Logarzo suffered the injury during the CommBank Matildas’ 3-1 win over Chinese Taipei on Wednesday night and has returned to Western United where she will continue to be assessed by Club staff.
Smith still has plenty of firepower at her disposal and has recalled Alana Cortellino and Kiara De Domizio into the extended squad.
Young centre-back Claudia Mihocic is named in the 18-player list for the first time this season and will be eager to make her Western United debut.
Full Western United Extended Squads
Ninja A-League Women
Western United squad: 1. Alyssa DALL’OSTE (gk), 2. Emily ROACH, 4. Claudia MIHOCIC, 5. Aimee MEDWIN, 7. Kiara DE DOMIZIO, 8. Sasha GROVE, 9. Sara EGGESVIK, 10. Kahli JOHNSON, 13. Avaani PRAKASH, 16. Melissa TARANTO, 18. Grace MAHER, 19. Alana CORTELLINO, 20. Keiwa HIEDA, 22. Alana CERNE, 24. Julia SARDO, 28. Isabel DEHAKIZ, 34. Catherine ZIMMERMAN, 36. Chloe LINCOLN (gk)
Ins: 4. Claudia MIHOCIC (promoted), 7. Kiara DE DOMIZIO, 19. Alana CORTELLINO
Outs: 6. Chloe LOGARZO (injured)
Unavailable: 11. Sandra IBARGUEN (injured), 15. Adriana TARANTO (injured)
Isuzu UTE A-League Men
Western United squad: 1. Tom HEWARD-BELLE (gk), 6. Tomoki IMAI, 7. Ramy NAJJARINE, 9. Hiroshi IBUSUKI, 10. Matthew GRIMALDI, 13. Tate RUSSELL, 14. Jake NAJDOVSKI, 19. Noah BOTIC, 20. Abel WALATEE, 22. Kane VIDMAR, 23. Rhys BOZINOVSKI, 24. Michael RUHS, 29. Charbel SHAMOON, 30. Dylan LEONARD, 32. Angus THURGATE, 33. Matthew SUTTON (gk), 34. James YORK, 44. Jordan LAUTON, 47. Luka COVENY, 77. Riku DANZAKI
Ins: 30. Dylan LEONARD (returns from suspension), 47. Luka COVENY (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 4. James DONACHIE (injured), 17. Ben GARUCCIO (injured), 21. Sebastian PASQUALI (injured), 43. Khoder KADDOUR (injured)
