U23 Australia coach: 'We truly deserve this title'

20/08/2025 01:03:00 PlaymakerHub

The head coach of the Australia U23 women's squad shared her happiness about her players' victory at the 2025 ASEAN Cup.

"I am extremely pleased with the team's performance," Coach Joe Palatsides of the Australia U23 team began the press conference following their 1-0 win over Myanmar.

"I believe the last time Australia won a tournament was in 2008. Seventeen years have passed, and this is a special group of young women who have played exceptionally well together. This match was decided by the players' intelligence. As the game went on, our defense showed some gaps, but the girls made themselves, the team, and the country proud," The strategist conveyed his pride in his players.

Although Australia only brought a U23 squad to the tournament, they still demonstrated a significant advantage over their Southeast Asian rivals, especially in tactics and physicality. After stumbling against Myanmar in their opening match, the Aussies made remarkable improvements, winning all four subsequent games.

"In football, opportunities to celebrate are rare. The players and coaching staff are the most important people. We will celebrate together. I want to thank Australia for joining us in this victory. We truly deserve this title. As I said, the girls will be very proud,", coach Joe Palatsides continued to share.

In the final, although the Vietnamese women's team did not play, many fans stayed at Lach Tray Stadium to cheer for both teams. Holly Furphy, the tournament's best player, was touched and thanked the Vietnamese supporters:

"It’s absolutely wonderful to see fans come out and support football. I know Vietnam wasn't playing in this match, but they still came and supported the tournament. Even during the semifinals, they showed a strong love for the game. Playing in front of such a big crowd is amazing. My dream has come true. I always wanted to play in that kind of atmosphere, and today was truly special."

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