In less than a week the Matildas are due to fly into the Chinese city where a rapidly spreading deadly virus has already killed six people, and the decision to go is largely out of their hands.
UPDATED: Four players from Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers were called on to help Australia make the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but one has missed the plane due to injury.
A former Adelaide United striker may be about to have his doping ban cut, while Aurelio Vidmar is set to return to coaching and a frozen out Red pushes his case for a recall, in this week’s 90 Minutes column.
He was excited when promoted to Sydney FC’s A-League squad. But now Harry Van der Saag is in China and over the moon about where his football is taking him.
Son Heung-min is looking forward to making history with South Korea at the upcoming Asian Cup. He’s just sorry it has to come at the expense of helping Spurs maintain their EPL title challenge.
He’s turned heads with Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League, and Australia defender Milos Degenek could be about to cash in with a loaded Saudi Arabian giant.
Graham Arnold can’t escape the “unfortunate” nature of Martin Boyle’s Asian Cup injury blow, but the Socceroos boss is some consolation he still has enough time to replace his Scotland-born star before the tournament starts.
Australia’s Asian Cup defence preparations have been dealt a huge blow after winger Martin Boyle was ruled out of this month’s tournament with a knee injury. And another forward will get a second chance because of it.
Mathew Leckie looks likely to stay in Australia’s Asian Cup squad because Graham Arnold is considering gambling on the hamstrung forward in the hope he can play some part in the knockout phase.
With the Asian Cup just around the corner, we check out which teams could really challenge the Socceroos in the UAE.
Veteran Mark Milligan will become just the fifth man to lead Australia into a major international tournament when the Socceroos begin their Asian Cup defence.
Veteran Mark Milligan will become just the fifth man to lead Australia into a major international tournament when the Socceroos begin their Asian Cup defence on Sunday against Jordan.
The Socceroos may be defending Asian Cup champions but in the likes of Japan, South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia they are sure not get their own way over the next month in the UAE.
It’s hard to fathom that in 2016 Chris Ikonomidis was locked inside a Serie A training ground, trapped by the sheer volatility of Italian football, but also learning lessons set to inform his Socceroos awakening.
Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/asian-cup/page/19