Butrus: “I just pull out every skill move that I know, and it works”

CommBank Young Matilda Danella Butrus has turned heads this season at club and international level with her eye-catching skills on the ball and ability to run at defenders.

After scoring her first goal for the CommBank Young Matildas in their 5-0 victory over India at the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026™, she revealed the thought process behind her play.

“Not much, really,” she laughed.

“I just pull out every skill move that I know, and it works!”

She said that finding the back of the net in India meant the world.

“I'm feeling great. To get a goal - my first international goal - means a lot, and to get the wins just feels incredible,” she expressed.

The goal was a result of a high press. Butrus won the ball in a dangerous area and, instead of shooting early, took her time to take the ball around the defence and into a better shooting angle.

She said that the goal was a result of the way that she plays.

“It’s how I always play,” she said.

“If anyone watches me, they know I love taking on everyone. So I just thought, you know, might as well take on a few players before shooting.”

Butrus won the penalty that helped Skye Halmarick open the scoring in the first half. Halmarick ended the game with a hat-trick and the match ball, and is leading the tournament golden boot race with five goals in two matches.

“Skye is an amazing player, and she's been having an incredible tournament,” Butrus said.

“I couldn't be happier for her.”

Alongside her Melbourne City teammates, Butrus arrived slightly later in camp after their AFC Women’s Champions League quarter-final on Sunday. She said she arrived to a fantastic team environment.

“The environment is just incredible,” she expressed.

“Everyone, all the coaches, all the girls, are just incredible people. It’s been a very, very good environment to be in.”

The said that the team would take confidence from their first two performances into the final group stage game against Japan on Wednesday.

“It definitely gives us a huge confidence boost - winning by a lot of goals, not just one or two,” she said.

“That gives us a lot of confidence throughout the whole squad.”

AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup 2026™