Awer Mabil is about to earn his first cap along with another South Sudanese Thomas Deng when the Socceroos face Kuwait
WHEN ex-Adelaide United attacker Awer Mabil looked up to another South Sudanese refugee Peter Deng when he was playing in SA he had no idea his brother Thomas Deng would be his new Socceroos room mate.
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WHEN former Adelaide United attacker Awer Mabil looked to another South Sudanese refugee Peter Deng for inspiration during his playing time in SA, he had no idea his brother Thomas Deng would be his new Socceroos roommate.
Mabil, 23, is on the cusp of earning his first cap alongside the Melbourne Victory defender Deng when the Socceroos face Kuwait in Kuwait on Tuesday morning.
If it does happen, Mabil will be the first known refugee from the third largest camp in the world, Kakuma in Kenya, to make an international soccer debut.
Mabil revealed it was the influence of Peter Deng, 25 – who represented South Sudan in an African Cup of Nations qualifier last year – that captured his imagination.
They all played street soccer together at Andrews Farm, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
The trio were born in Kenya after their families fled the conflict in South Sudan.
“We went to the same school and every day we’d be playing in the park together,” Mabil said about his Socceroos roommate Thomas Deng from the United Arab Emirates camp.
“We have a very strong relationship off the field and I’m very happy for him and that he is involved now with the national team and also really pleased that a fellow Sudanese is also representing Australia.
“We never thought that “10 years from now” after we played a lot together that we’d be in a Socceroos camp.”
The Deng brothers moved with their family to Melbourne as teenagers after Thomas Deng made his first brilliant impression as a footballer as an Adelaide Blue Eagles junior.
Thomas Deng made his A-League debut in 2015 for Victory.
Mabil made his mark on the A-League in 2013 with the Reds after earning a prestige Martyn Crook foundation scholarship in 2010. He currently plays for Danish club Midtjylland.
“Peter Deng was a big motivator for us when we were young with Thomas and the whole Sudanese community,’’ Mabil said.
“He was playing at that time with Adelaide City, it was a big thing, he was one of the first from our people to be playing in the finals of the NPL. That was something to look up to when we were younger.’’