Yesim Servet Uzunlar, known as Servet Uzunlar, (born 8 March 1989) is an Australian soccer player who most recently played for the Western Sydney Wanderers in the Australian W-League competition in the 2018–19 season, and with the Northern Tigers in the National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s competition.

Servet Uzunlar
Uzunlar playing for the Western Sydney Wanderers
Personal information
Full name Yesim Servet Uzunlar[1]
Date of birth (1989-03-08) 8 March 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Sydney, Australia
Height 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Centre-back / Defensive midfielder
Youth career
2004–2008 NSW Sapphires
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Sydney FC 42 (3)
2010 Ottawa Fury
2012–2014 Western Sydney Wanderers 15 (3)
2013 Chungbuk Sportstoto
2014–2015 Sydney FC 13 (0)
2016–2017 Sydney FC 9 (0)
2018–2019 Western Sydney Wanderers 9 (0)
International career
2006–2007 Australia U-20 13 (4)
2008– Australia 48 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 October 2017
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 June 2015

Background edit

She was born in 1989 in Sydney to Turkish Australians Nilgün and Bulant Uzunlar.[2][3]

Club career edit

Uzunlar played junior football for North Sutherland Rockets. The club now presents an annual award in her name to junior girls players who have improved their game over the year.[4][5]

Uzunlar played for NSW Sapphires in the Women's National Soccer League (WNSL) in 2004.[6]

Ahead of the 2008–09 W-League season, Uzunlar joined Sydney FC.[7]

In 2010, she played with the Ottawa Fury.[8]

Uzunlar signed for Californian team Pali Blues for the 2012 USL W-League season.[9]

In October 2012, Uzunlar moved to Western Sydney Wanderers.[10]

She scored the first goal in Western Sydney Wanderers history. In fact she scored the first two.

On 20 October 2012 against Adelaide United, the Wanderers played their maiden W-League game, with Uzunlar scoring in the sixth and 21st minutes.

Mark Bridge scored the Wanderer’s A-League team’s first goal a week later, meaning Uzunlar’s first goal was the club’s first ever goal.

After an ill-fated spell in Korea with Chungbuk Sportstoto, Uzunlar retired from football in 2013 at the age of 25. After a year out of the sport, she rejoined Sydney FC with the aim of playing in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[11][12]

In October 2017, it was confirmed that Sydney FC had not re-signed Uzunlar for the 2017–18 W-League season,[13] and after a year off she signed with the Western Sydney Wanderers for the 2018–19 W-League season, returning to the club that she played for from 2012 to 2014.[14]

She won the Wanderers Medal as the team’s Best & Fairest winner, adding to her 2012/13 award.

She played 24 games overall for the Red & Black.

International career edit

Uzunlar was a member of the Australian squads that played at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship and the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She made her senior debut for Australia in 2008, in a 5–0 loss to China.[15][16]

At the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, she played every minute of Australia's four games.[17]

She was named to Australia's 23-player squad for the 2015 Women's World Cup, she appeared in one game as Australia was eliminated in the quarter-finals.[18]

International goals edit

Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first.

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 18 October 2008 Thanh Long Sports Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam   Myanmar 2–0 5–1 2008 AFF Women's Championship
2 20 November 2012 Bao'an Stadium, Shenzhen, China   Chinese Taipei 5–0 7–0 2013 EAFF Women's East Asian Cup preliminary round 2

Honours edit

 
Uzunlar playing for Australia

Club edit

Sydney FC

Country edit

Australia

Individual edit

References edit

  1. ^ "List of Players — 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  2. ^ S. Uzunlar at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  3. ^ Leigh, Sales (presenter); Julia, Holman (reporter) (8 June 2015). "Matildas 'fired up' for Women's World Cup's group of death". 7.30. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC. Transcript.
  4. ^ Parkinson, Andrew (21 May 2015). "Matildas 'shire girl' Uzunlar is ready to take on Vietnam at Kogarah Oval". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Fairfax Regional Media. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  5. ^ "End of Year Awards for 2016". North Sutherland Rockets Soccer Club. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Australia – Women 2004/05". RSSSF. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Sydney Off To A Flier In W-League". Australian FourFourTwo. Haymarket Media. Sportal Australia. 25 October 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Fury Coaches Like what They See". Ottawa Citizen. 19 May 2010.
  9. ^ "Blues sign Australian Servet Uzunlar". Pacific Palisades, CA Patch. Patch Media. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  10. ^ Bossi, Dominic (17 October 2012). "Born in west, but sky blue tugs at Simon's heart". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  11. ^ Bossi, Dominic (11 June 2015). "Matildas defender Servet Uzunlar only resumed playing nine months before 2015 World Cup". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Kyah Simon and Servet Uzunlar to return to Sydney FC". The Women's Game. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Complete preview for each W-League team for season 2017/18". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. 26 October 2017.
  14. ^ "Foundation player returns to Wanderers for 2018/19". 31 August 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  15. ^ Howe, Andrew. "Official Media Guide of Australia at the FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011" (PDF). Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 3 July 2017 – via WomenSoccer.com.au.
  16. ^ Servet UzunlarFIFA competition record (archived). Retrieved 3 July 2017
  17. ^ "S.Uzunlar". Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  18. ^ "Westfield Matildas name World Cup squad". 11 May 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  19. ^ "Uzunlar takes out FC's Player of the Year". The Women's Game. 27 March 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Bridge voted best for the Wanderers". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2017.

External links edit