Asian Cup: Tournament defence a mighty challenge for Socceroos
The Socceroos head into their Asian Cup defence without Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak and missing four injured stars. Their task appears a mighty one but the new-look team is up for the challenge.
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There’ll be no home advantage, just a series of steep challenges and potential banana skins in a region Australia has not historically dominated.
The 17th Asian Cup looms as the Socceroos’ first major tournament in more than a decade without stalwarts Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak.
It will also, quite literally, be the biggest in its 62 year history, expanded to 24 teams from the 16 that battled it out Down Under four years ago.
Continental newbies Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines, Yemen and Vietnam are among the eight additions that ensure a new round of 16 and lengthier path to the trophy.
Fifty-one games will be played over 28 days in eight different venues across four host cities Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain and Sharjah, starting with host nation United Arab Emirates against Bahrain in the capital on Saturday.
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Days out from the tournament, though, crowd expectations remain a veritable unknown.
In Australia the punters defied expectations and came in droves, though there’s no guarantee of a repeat.
The Emiratis, who made the final last time they played host in 1996, have demonstrated via last month’s Club World Cup that a local love for the game can be stirred if there is success.
Al Ain’s stunning run past River Plate to the final against Real Madrid could not have come at a better time, though there’s no denying the Spanish giants’ star power would have contributed, and the absence of injured UAE standout Omar Abdulrahman from this tournament will not help.
The biggest name hands down is Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, who’ll take leave from the Premier League in time to link up with highly fancied South Korea for their third group game against China, who are stuttering under decorated Italian manager Marcello Lippi.
And a sporting event in Asia would not be complete without a geopolitical rivalry.
The highlight of this instalment resides in Group E, where Saudi Arabia will face neighbours Qatar, with whom they severed diplomatic ties 18 months ago over Doha’s alleged – and denied – support of terrorism.
For their own part, controversial World Cup hosts Qatar will just be hoping they can offer signs they won’t be embarrassed come 2022.
Then there are the fairytale-seekers such as 2007 winners Iraq, Yemen, and Socceroos group foes Syria and Palestine, all nations bearing the hardships of regional turmoil.
Reigning champions Australia are without doubt the hunted, in a part of the world they’ve struggled in recent decades and without post-World Cup retirees Cahill and Jedinak.
“Obviously Timmy and Mile captaining the team for so long, and having such a heavy influence on it, you do miss those players around,” said new skipper Mark Milligan.
“We’ve had to have other people step up into those roles and fill the leadership gap that’s been left which is obviously massive, but the majority of players have taken that on and stepped up.”
On paper Group B is very straightforward, but the Socceroos have learnt the hard way there’s no such thing as an easy ride.
Syria, the feel-good story of the World Cup qualifiers, pushed Ange Postecoglou’s side all the way in the 2018 play-offs and loom as the biggest challenger.
Palestine will present a sterner test four years on from their maiden Asian Cup appearance in 2015, and first-up opponents Jordan have twice beaten Australia in the Middle East despite sliding down the rankings.
Further down the track the heavier favourites loom in Paulo Bento’s attack-happy South Korea, who the Socceroos dramatically beat in the last final, 1997 World Cup play-off nemesis Iran, and perennial powerhouse Japan, along with regular World Cup attendees Saudi Arabia.
And, should the Socceroos top the group, they’ll find themselves on a quarter-final collision course with Japan.
Carlos Queiroz’s defensively impregnable Iran, Asia’s top-ranked team at world No.29, potentially await in the semis.
Whoever the Socceroos meet, new coach Graham Arnold has consigned the epic 2015 triumph to history.
“If you look at the last four years and the World Cup qualifiers, we finished probably fifth best in Asia and qualified in fifth place more or less, played off against Syria and Honduras,” Arnold said.
“I just see it’s totally different. Different group of players. Different staff. Everything’s different.
“You can’t compare it, and there’s a lot of fresh faces who are doing great things.”
That is true, and training form certainly suggests Arnold is onto a good thing with his new order and flexible philosophy.
But there’s no denying the injury-inflicted absences of Aaron Mooy, Daniel Arzani and Martin Boyle are a significant blow.
Not to mention the absence of Mat Leckie during the group stage, though the hamstrung forward looks likely to be remain in camp to provide impact later in the tournament as part of a rejigged attack.
Even then the squad remains strong, and there’s X-factor potential in youngsters such as Chris Ikonomidis and Awer Mabil, with more established faces including Jackson Irvine, Massimo Luongo and Tom Rogic well primed.
Still, if Australia goes all the way under current circumstances it’ll be something of a miracle. Good thing Arnold believes in them.
ASIAN CUP GROUP B
AUSTRALIA
World ranking: 41
Coach: Graham Arnold
Star player: Tom Rogic
Previous appearances: Three
Best finish: Winners - 2015
Last appearance: Winners - 2015
Having gone through three coaches within a year and an overhaul each time, things are feeling positive but still very newfor the defending champions under Arnold. Hope is very much on youth, along with the remnants of experience left followingthe retirements of all-time top-scorer Tim Cahill and skipper Mile Jedinak plus some key injuries.
Australia are certainlyfancied, but no longer favourites, though they should top the group. In three Asian Cups since switching confederations fromOceania, they’ve made the quarter-finals, finished runners-up and won.
JORDAN
World ranking: 109
Coach: Vital Borkelmans
Star player: Musa Al-Taamari
Previous appearances: Three
Best finish: Quarter-finals - 2004, 2011
Last appearance: Group stage - 2015
Despite Jordan’s two quarter-final runs in three appearances, Australia will fancy their chances against a nation 68 FIFA rankings places adrift and a lowly 19th in Asia.
That said, the Socceroos’ record against them is hit and miss. In four World Cup qualifiying meetings over the past two cycles they’ve twice lost away and twice won big at home. Borkelmans’ decision to axe star striker Hamza Al Dardour is was surprising, but 21-year-old Cyprus-based rising star Al-Taamari leads some attacking quality.
PALESTINE
World ranking: 99
Coach: Noureddine Ould Ali
Star player: Jonathan Cantillana
Previous appearances: One
Best finish: Group stage - 2015
Last appearance: Group stage - 2015
Have overcome much adversity to get this far. Israel often refuses to let players based in the Gaza Strip travel, forcing them to play and train elsewhere. But they have utilised diaspora players, many from South America, and undergone marked improvement since coming last in their 2015 group after three losses, including a 5-1 thrashing by Jordan.
Cantillana is a reliable scorer while fellow Chile-born teammate Yashir Islame played for Chile at youth level before switching allegiance. And watch out for exciting young Egypt-based Al-Masry striker Mahmoud ‘The Tower’ Wadi.
SYRIA
World ranking: 74
Coach: Bernd Stange
Star player: Omar Al Somah
Previous appearances: Five
Best finish: Group stage - 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2011
Last appearance: Group stage - 2011
A remarkable World Cup qualifying story, the civil war forced Syria to play their home games in Malaysia. Regardless, theysurprised the world by taking their campaign all the way to the play-offs against Australia.
Had Al Somah’s last-gasp free-kickin the second leg at ANZ Stadium snuck in instead of hitting the post the Socceroos wouldn’t have even made it to Russia.Syria’s quality is now a known entity and expectation has risen under former Perth Glory coach Bernd Stange. This is their chance for revenge over the Socceroos.
SCHEDULE:
Australia v Jordan - Sunday January 6 10PM AEDT
Palestine v Australia - Friday January 11 10PM AEDT
Australia v Syria - Wednesday January 16 12.30AM AEDT
All matches live on Fox Sports.
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