Lydia Williams

Personal Details Date of Birth: 13 May 1988 Place of Birth: Katanning, Western Australia Height: 175 cm (5' 9") Position: Goalkeeper Club Summary Club Games Goals Tuggernong (junior) Woden (junior) Canberra Eclipse (2004-2008) Chicago Red Stars (2009) 0 0 Canberra United (2009-2011) 35 0 Total International Summary Games Goals Australia 'A' (2005-) 29 0 Australia 'B' (2005-2009) 5 0 Australia Under-20 (2006-2007) 14 0

Career Brief

Lydia Williams was born in Katanning and lived in the south-west town until the age of 10. Having dabbled with Australian Rules and netball, she developed a passion for the world game as a midfielder. When the family moved to Canberra in 1999 the young star had to decide whether to play in the top flight as a goalkeeper, or in midfield in the fourth division.

A junior with Tuggeranong and Woden, Williams accepted a place in the Australian Institute of Sport where she came under the watchful eye of respected goalkeeping coach Paul Jones. This in turn led to a place in the Canberra Eclipse squad for the Women's National Soccer League, in which Williams debuted against Adelaide Sensation in October 2004.

Williams was only 17 when she was handed her international debut against South Korea in July 2005. The occasion was a bittersweet one for Australia's teenage 'keeper whose father, Ron, had passed away just four months earlier. In October Williams was selected for Australia's three-game tour of the United States of America where her only appearance was against club side Sacramento Storm.

National youth team committments occupied Williams across the opening months of 2006p. Matildas outings with Mexico and China proceded a clean sheet against Myanmar at the AFC Women's Cup during July. A month later she was between the posts at the Under-20 Women's World Championships in Russia. The year closed with Williams named the Female Sportsperson of the Year at the Deadly Awards, which celebrate Indigenous excellence.

Williams started the Olympic Games qualifier defeat of China in mid-2007 before travelling to China as understudy to Melissa Barbieri at the Women's World Cup. In October she captained the Young Matildas through AFC Under-19 Championship qualifiers. 2008 was a busy time for the Matildas 'keeper with Asian Cup appearances against Taiwan and North Korea interspersed with outings with New Zealand, the United States of America, Canada, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam, the last three at the ASEAN Football Federation Championships in Vietnam.

In September 2008 Williams signed with Canberra United, debuting for the club against Newcastle Jets a month later. Williams has been an ever-present in Canberra's starting eleven, including the 2008/09 Grand Final loss to Queensland Roar, across the first three W-League seasons. She co-captain Canberra into the 2010/11 campaign at the end of which she was named the competitions' Goalkeeper of the Year.

There was little activity for the Matildas in 2009 with Williams only outing being against Italy in Feburary. The following year she donned the gloves in friendly competition with New Zealand, North Korea and Taiwan as well as in the Asian Cup qualifying series against Vietnam and China. Another friendly outing with New Zealand in May 2011 preceded her selection in Australia's squad for the Women's World Cup in Germany.

Matildas Game by Game

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This page was last updated on the 9th September, 2011