Women’s World Cup star Cortnee Vine has been ruled out of the Matildas’ upcoming Olympic qualifying playoff against Uzbekistan after withdrawing from the squad due to personal reasons.
The Sydney FC winger, who memorably scored the winning penalty in Australia’s quarter-final shootout against France last year, has been replaced by in-form forward Sophie Harding in the 23-woman squad for the crucial pair of games later this month.
No more details were given about Vine’s withdrawal, but her absence is a further blow for coach Tony Gustavsson, who will be deprived of a potentially incisive option on the right hand side in Tashkent on 24 February and the return leg in Melbourne four days later.
The Matildas are already without injured captain Sam Kerr, who is convalescing after rupturing her ACL; veteran Michelle Heyman was called up last week to replace the the talismanic striker.
The result of the final home-and-away fixture of the qualifying tournament will determine Australia’s fate in their bid to reach the Games in Paris – and a third straight Olympics appearance.
Harding has been rewarded with her first national team call-up after scoring nine times in 15 games for Western Sydney Wanderers so far this season. The 24-year-old currently sits equal second on the A-League Women’s scoring charts – behind Heyman – and has also laid on two assists in what is the richest vein of form of her career to date.
Harding said she had been “overwhelmed” when she took the call to inform her of the call-up.
“It’s a super-important moment for me,” Harding told Western Sydney’s media. “It’s obviously extremely exciting, something I’ve dreamt about for a long time.
“Sometimes it didn’t really seem achievable so this season’s been super important in playing a part in that and I’m really excited to just take in as much knowledge as I can and learn as much as I can.
“They’re some of the best female players in the world so just playing around them in itself is a privilege.”
Football Australia also announced on Thursday that Young Matildas’ midfielder Daniela Galic will join the camp in Dubai as a train-on player next week.
The Matildas are seeking to become one of two representatives from Asia at the football tournament in Paris, where 12 nations will vie for the gold medal.
