Western United is represented in another national team squad with youngsters Besian Kutleshi, Winston Ashburner and William Kengni selected for the Subway Joeys.
The trio have headed to China this week for the Hohhot U16 Tournament where they will take on the host nation, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.
United’s trio will be eager to stake their claim for continued selection with the team preparing to begin its qualification campaign for the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup later this year.
Western United General Manager of Football Mal Impiombato is thrilled with the new wave of Green and Black talents reaching the international stage.
“It is increasingly positive to see our young talents succeeding in our environment and using that as a platform to move onto the international stage,” he said.
“We are delighted with the development of these three individuals in particular and are incredibly proud of their achievements.
“Besian continues to shine in representative teams and for Will and Winston, we can’t wait to see them exposed to this environment and use their experiences to continue to progress on and off the pitch.”
Kutleshi’s call-up is just another in a long list of international involvements with the 16-year-old defender continuing to be a regular in the Under 17’s squad.
After joining Western United in August last year, Kutleshi has been a star performer in the VPL 1 Men and was recently part of the squad that travelled to Hong Kong for the HKFC Soccer Sevens.
Ashburner and Kengni have both received the first tournament selections of their young careers, representing the ever-growing talent pathway at the Western United Academy.
A member of Western United’s inaugural Under 14’s squad in 2023, Ashburner has developed into a weekly fixture in the Under 23’s side this year and featured in a Joeys camp earlier this year.
The 16-year-old is a versatile defender with composure on the ball and athleticism and strength in the challenge, both aerially and on the ground.
Kengni, also a defender, joined Western United from Melbourne Victory last year and has immediately made an impact, featuring heavily for the Under 23’s and even being exposed to training opportunities with the first team.
A strong defender that loves to attack from his left-back position, Kengni joined his brother Yannick in the Academy and is completing his schooling at St Monica’s College in Epping.
Joeys selection for these three Western United stars adds to a big week of international call-ups with Green and Black talents also in the Australian Under 18’s and Under 23’s squads as well as the New Zealand Under 17’s and Under 20’s.
