Women's World Cup Countdown: What's in the news ...

• by Soccer America , Feb 20, 2019

1. Australia has appointed Ante Milicic as the Matildas' new head coach less than two weeks before they host New Zealand, South Korea and Argentina at the inaugural Cup of Nations. Milicic was an assistant coach for the Socceroos -- Australia's men's team -- at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and has never coached a women's team. He replaces Alen Stajcic, who was controversially fired in January, on a short-term contract that expires following the Women's World Cup.

2. England's squad for the 2019 SheBelieves Cup includes nine players from Manchester City, including defender Gemma Bonner, who hasn't played for the Three Lionesses since 2017. Six players based with foreign clubs are in Phil Neville's team: goalkeeper Mary Earps (Wolfsburg), defenders Lucy Bronze (Lyon) and Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), midfielder Isobel Christiansen (Lyon) and forwards Toni Duggan (Barcelona) and Jodie Taylor (Seattle Reign).

3. Nigeria will make its first appearance at one of Europe's major late winter tournaments when it plays in the Cyprus Cup, which begins on Monday. The Super Falcons have played in every Women's World Cup but rarely gather between official competitions. They split two games in January at a tournament in China, beating Romania (4-1) and losing to the host country (3-0). Three other World Cup finalists -- Italy, South Africa and Thailand -- will be at the 12-team Cyprus Cup.