Adelaide United sensation Nestory Irankunda headlines an extended 28-player Joeys squad selected to represent Australia in the AFC U17 Asian Cup in Thailand from June-July 2023.
Irankunda, 17, is a rising star to watch in the Isuzu UTE A-League Finals Series, as Adelaide meet Central Coast Mariners in the second of two Semi Final legs on May 20.
Irankunda is joined in the Joeys squad by Adelaide clubmates Nathan Amanatidis, Bailey O’Neil, Sotiri Phillis and Fabian Talladira, as well as Mariners trio Andre Parkes, Anthony Pavlesic and Miguel Di Pizio as eight of 26 A-League Men players selected for the age-group continental tournament.
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The 28-strong Joeys squad features six players from Perth Glory, five players from Sydney FC, two from Western United and Western Sydney Wanderers, and one player from Melbourne City, Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory. The squad will be shaved down to 23 players prior to the tournament.
Australia finished top of their qualifying group in October 2022, and have been drawn in Group C against Saudi Arabia, China PR and Tajikistan. Should the Joeys reach the semi-finals of the tournament, they would qualify for the 2023 FIFA U17 World Cup in November-December (host nation TBD).
Subway Joeys head coach Brad Maloney says the squad has been selected after a year spent monitoring close to 120 players.
“Over the past year, we have been monitoring close to 120 players based in Australia and abroad, as we look to assemble the strongest available squad for these challenging World Cup qualifiers,” Maloney said.
“We have deliberately selected a squad which provides both depth and versatility in addition to individual excellence to reflect the opposition we will face during the group stage and the demands of the tournament format.”
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AUSTRALIA U17 EXTENDED SQUAD l AFC U17 ASIAN CUP THAILAND 2023 (15 JUNE – 2 JULY
Supplied by Football Australia.
| NAME | POSITION | CURRENT CLUB (as at 16 May ’23) | JUNIOR CLUB / MEMBER FEDERATION |
| Nathan AMANATIDIS | Attacker | Adelaide United FC | Adelaide Comets FC / Football South Australia |
| Peter ANTONIOU | Defender | Melbourne City FC | FC Bulleen Lions / Football Victoria |
| Nathan BARRIE | Defender | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | Seaforth FC / Football New South Wales |
| Daniel BENNIE | Attacker | Perth Glory FC | Sorrento FC / Football West |
| Rylan BROWNLIE | Attacker | Olympic FC | Moreton Bay United FC / Football Queensland |
| Robert COOK | Goalkeeper | Perth Glory FC | Joondalup City FC / Football West |
| Giovanni DE ABREU | Midfielder | Perth Glory FC | Sorrento FC / Football West |
| Zachary DE JESUS | Defender | Sydney FC | Lakeside Lions JFC / Football New South Wales |
| Miguel DI PIZIO | Midfielder | Central Coast Mariners FC | AC United / Football New South Wales |
| Campbell DOVISON | Attacker | Western United FC | East Bentleigh SC / Football Victoria |
| Mitchell GLASSON | Attacker | Sydney FC | Liverpool Rangers SC / Football New South Wales |
| Daniel GRASKOSKI | Goalkeeper | Northcote City FC | Glen Eira FC / Football Victoria |
| Aden GREEN | Defender | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | Maccabi Hakoah JFC / Football New South Wales |
| Jordan HOEY | Attacker | Melbourne Victory FC | FC Bulleen Lions / Football Victoria |
| Edward INCE | Midfielder | Brisbane Roar FC | Pine Hills FC / Football Queensland |
| Nestory IRANKUNDA | Attacker | Adelaide United FC | Adelaide Croatia Raiders SC / Football South Australia |
| Andriano LEBIB | Defender | Perth Glory FC | Dianella White Eagles / Football West |
| Jonathon LEITHEAD | Defender | Perth Glory FC | Subiaco AFC / Football West |
| Jacob McLACHLAN | Defender | Sydney FC | Georges Rivers FC / Football New South Wales |
| Richard NKOMO | Defender | Sydney FC | South West Wanderers / Football New South Wales |
| Bailey O’NEIL | Defender | Adelaide United FC | Western Strikers SC / Football South Australia |
| Andre PARKES | Defender | Central Coast Mariners FC | Castle Hill United FC / Football New South Wales |
| Anthony PAVLESIC | Goalkeeper | Central Coast Mariners FC | Sydney United 58 FC / Football New South Wales |
| Sotiri PHILLIS | Defender | Adelaide United FC | West Torrens Birkalla / Football South Australia |
| Tiago QUINTAL | Midfielder | Sydney FC | Baulkham Hills FC / Football New South Wales |
| Corey SUTHERLAND | Midfielder | Perth Glory FC | Cockburn City / Football West |
| Fabian TALLADIRA | Midfielder | Adelaide United FC | Adelaide City FC / South Australia |
| Michael VONJA | Goalkeeper | Western United FC | Caroline Springs George Cross FC / Football Victoria |
Joeys U17 Asian Cup fixtures
Australia v Saudi Arabia
Friday, June 16
Kick-off: 8.00pm AEST
Chonburi Stadium
Australia v China PR
Monday, June 19
Kick-off: 8.00pm AEST
Chonburi Stadium
Australia v Tajikistan
Thursday, June 22
Kick-off: 8.00pm AEST
Rajamangala National Stadium
U17 Asian Cup groups
Group A: Thailand, Yemen, Malaysia, Laos
Group B: Korea Republic, IR Iran, Afghanistan, Qatar
Group C: Tajikistan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China PR
Group D: Japan, India, Vietnam, Uzbekistan