The Sydney FC women will look to continue their winning start in the AFC Club Championship as they take on Uzbekistan champions team FC Nasaf on Friday Morning at 12am Sydney time (6:00pm Kick Off Local).
In what will be the first time these teams verse each other, Sydney FC will look to back up their 3-0 victory against Iranian Champions Bam Khatoon with an equally impressive performance on Thursday.
Sydney FC were ruthless against their Iranian opponents, nabbing an early goal and then breaking down the defence and controlling teh contest in the middle of the park. The Sky Blues’ attack was fierce, and the midfield and defence were solid, with Tori Tumeth playing brilliantly at the back, denying Bam Khatoon from creating opportunities in the first and second half.
There are no fresh injury concerns for Head Coach Ante Juric with Cortnee Vine, Sienna Saveska and captain Nat Tobin all still in Sydney with injuries picked up on international duty and against the Wanderers.
FC Nasaf opened the tournament with a 2-0 loss to Hyundai Steel Red Angels on Monday night.
The South Koreans exposed FC Nasaf’s left side, with opportunities reigning from that side. However, Sydney FC should not underestimate the Uzbek side, as the host club won their 13th title in the Uzbekistan Women’s League last year. The team were undefeated last season, winning every match and drawing three.
For Matildas fans, six players in this squad played for the Uzbekistan Women’s side in Olympic Qualifying and all six players are in the FC Nasef squad for this tournament. The Matildas will meet Uzbekistan in Olympic Qualifying early next year.
Key Matchup- Karachik Lyudmila vs Jada Whyman
There could be an engaging tussle between FC Nasef’s captain and the Sky Blues goalkeeper.
Karachick Lyudmila has scored nine goals in ten matches for the Uzebekistan national team, scoring two in their most recent 3-0 victory against India. Against the Hyundai Steel, the captain broke through the centre of South Korea’s defence in a valiant solo effort but wasn’t able to make it count.
That could trouble Sydney FC’s Jada Whyman, who was not overly tested against Bam Khatoon and was substituted at half time to manage load. The number one has secured four clean sheets in six matches for the Sky Blues, including the Liberty A-League Grand Final, which saw Sydney FC defeat premiers Western United 4-0. With both players looking to show their skill on the Asian stage, this could be a fascinating matchup.
Match Details
FC Nasef vs Sydney FC
AFC Women’s Club Championship
Friday 10th November, 2023
Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Kick Off: 12:00am AEDT (18:00pm Thursday Local)
Broadcast Live: Uzbekistan FA on YouTube
