Subway Joeys’ Head Coach Brad Maloney has named a 24-player squad for the PacificAus Sports Football Tour against the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Under-19 Men’s Teams next month as further preparation for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2025™ Qualifiers.
The three-match tour will see games played at the National Stadium in Honiara, Solomon Islands on Thursday, 15 August (6.00pm local / 5.00pm AEST) and Sunday, 18 August (6.00pm local / 5.00pm AEST) plus Wednesday, 21 August (3.00pm local / 2.00pm AEST) at Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Football Australia appreciates the support of the Australian Government, through PacificAus Sports, which has made the tour possible.
Fresh off the back of their 2024 ASEAN U-16 Boys’ Championship win in Surakarta, Indonesia, Maloney has opted to select a core group of players who successfully secured the first piece of silverware for an Australia’s men national football team since 2019.
Jai Ajanovic (Central Coast Mariners FC) will travel to the Pacific along with Alex Bolton (Perth Glory FC), Jay Maltz (Sydney FC), Charlie Parkin (Brisbane Roar FC) and Rhys Williams (Brisbane Roar FC).
Maloney, who recently attended the National Youth Championships Boys’ Tournament, is also providing opportunities to players who impressed in Wollongong including the U16s leading goal scorer, Akol Akon (Western Sydney Wanderers FC); as well as Max Anastasio (Marconi Stallions FC), Max Naylor (UWA Newlands FC) and Samuel Stanway (Lions FC).
The warm weather camp and matches provide the opportunity for Australia to prepare for their AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025™ Qualifiers to be contested in Kuwait between 19-27 October, 2024.
The Subway Joeys have been drawn in Group G alongside Indonesia, Kuwait, and Northern Mariana Islands, where they will be looking to secure their place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025™ Qualifiers to be hosted by Saudi Arabia in April of next year.
This tour sees the squad depart Australia on Sunday, 11 August and will not only support the Subway Joeys’ performance objectives but provide an opportunity for the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu National Youth Teams to play strong opposition as part of their own development programs.
Subway Joeys’ Head Coach, Brad Maloney said the tour will provide an excellent platform to build depth in his squad ahead of AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025™ Qualifiers.
“We had a fantastic tournament in Indonesia and the players involved were so deserving of that result, I was really proud of the work and effort they all put in,” Maloney said.
“When looking to the Qualifiers in October, I wanted to give a core group of that existing squad the chance to experience more time on the road as a collective, in different conditions, and against older opposition. It’s equally important we find ways to integrate new players who are impressing with their club or academy, and I saw several players at the National Youth Championships who I felt deserved this opportunity.
“They’ll now get some invaluable international exposure to support their ongoing development, which equally gives them a chance for selection as we continue down our qualification path.
“I’d also like to thank PacificAus Sports for their support of this tour and the opportunity provided to this group of players,” Maloney concluded.
Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Rod Hilton said, “We are excited to welcome the Joeys to the Solomon Islands for a series of two games with the national U19 men’s team in August.
“The Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports program strengthens high performance pathways for Pacific athletes, providing increased opportunities for teams to train and compete at the highest levels, and for our nations to come together through a shared love of sport.”
Ticketing information for all matches will be available via the Solomon Islands Football Federation and Vanuatu Football Federation. Broadcast information will be released in due course.
These international friendlies are supported by the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports program.
PacificAus Sports is an Australian Government sports diplomacy initiative developing pathways for Pacific teams and athletes to compete in elite competitions and access high performance coaching in Australia and internationally. The program partners with Australian national sports organisations to support a range of Pacific sports, with funding split evenly between women and men. PacificAus Sports also partners with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to promote Pacific sport through ABC Television’s ‘That Pacific Sports Show’ and ABC Radio’s ‘Fresh Off the Field’. The high-performance outcomes of PacificAus Sports are complemented by the Australian Government’s Team Up program, which focuses on sport for development in the Pacific. For more information about PacificAus Sports and its initiatives, visit www.pacificaussports.gov.au and follow PacificAus Sports on Facebook.
MATCH SCHEDULE – 2024 PACIFICAUS SPORTS FOOTBALL TOUR
Match One
Solomon Islands U-19 v Subway Joeys
Thursday, 15 August 2024
Kick-off: 6.00pm (local) / 5.00pm AEST
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands
Match Two
Solomon Islands U-19 v Subway Joeys
Sunday, 18 August 2024
Kick-off: 6.00pm (local) / 5.00pm AEST
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands
Match Three
Vanuatu U-19 v Subway Joeys
Wednesday, 21 August 2024
Kick-off: 3.00pm (local) / 2.00pm AEST
Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu
SUBWAY JOEYS SQUAD | 2024 PACIFICAUS SPORTS FOOTBALL TOUR
Name | Position | Current Club | Junior Club / Member Federation |
Jai AJANOVIC | Goalkeeper | Central Coast Mariners FC | Gymea United FC / Football NSW |
Akol AKON | Attacker | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | St Marys Convent SC / Football NSW |
Nickolas ALFARO | Midfielder | Sydney FC | Nepean FC / Football NSW |
Max ANASTASIO | Midfielder | Marconi Stallions FC | Marconi Stallions FC / Football NSW |
Liam ARMSTRONG | Defender | Perth Glory FC | Murdoch University Melville FC / Football West |
Mathew BAKER | Defender | Melbourne City FC | Malvern City FC / Football VIC |
Jonty BENFIELD | Goalkeeper | Melbourne City FC | Taringa Rovers FC / Football QLD |
Alex BOLTON | Midfielder | Perth Glory FC | Bayswater City FC / Football West |
Isiah BOSTON | Attacker | Melbourne City FC | East Kew Panthers / Football VIC |
Anthony DIDULICA | Midfielder | Western United FC | St Albans Saints SC / Football VIC |
Bryce HARRISON | Defender | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | Marconi Stallions FC / Football NSW |
Chris IRAKOZE | Attacker | Adelaide United FC | Cumberland United / Football SA |
Zayd KASSABY | Defender | Melbourne Victory FC | FC Bulleen Lions / Football VIC |
Feyzo KASUMOVIC | Defender | Adelaide United FC | Croydon Fc / Football SA |
Jay MALTZ | Midfielder | Sydney FC | Mongo FC / Football NSW |
Daniel MATINA | Attacker | Melbourne City FC | FC Bulleen Lions / Football VIC |
Max NAYLOR | Attacker | Perth Glory FC | UWA Nedlands FC / Football West |
Henrique OLIVEIRA | Midfielder | Adelaide United FC | Adelaide Port Pirates / Football SA |
Charlie PARKIN | Defender | Brisbane Roar FC | Grange Thistle SC / Football QLD |
Marco SANTANGELO | Defender | Sydney FC | Mounties Wanderers FC / Football NSW |
Samuel STANWAY | Attacker | Lions FC | Lions FC / Football QLD |
Zane STEVENSON | Defender | Sydney FC | Balgownie Rangers / Football NSW |
Oskar VON SCHRENK | Goalkeeper | Melbourne Victory FC | East Bentleigh FC / Football VIC |
Rhys WILLIAMS | Midfielder | Brisbane Roar FC | Kawana FC / Football QLD |