Asian Cup: Jordan first on Australian soil; Saudi Arabia, Bahrain to follow shortly

THE countdown to next month’s Asian Cup is on after Jordan flew in on Tuesday night to become the first team to arrive on Australian soil.

THE countdown to next month’s Asian Cup is on after Jordan flew in on Tuesday night to become the first team to arrive on Australian soil.

On the same day the host nation named their 23-man squad for the 23-day tournament, Jordan landed in Melbourne where they will hold a training camp at Mazenod College in Mulgrave.

The Socceroos and Jordan will be joined by Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in hosting pre-tournament training camps in Victoria.

The Saudis arrive on Saturday and will head to Torquay where they will use the Surf Coast Football Club’s pitches until January 4, while the Bahrainis will arrive on Sunday and base themselves at the Ballarat Regional Soccer Facility for 10 days.

Fans in those regions will have the chance to see two friendly matches, for which tickets will be free.

Bahrain will take on Saudi Arabia at Geelong’s Simonds Stadium on December 30, before playing Jordan at Ballarat’s Morshead Park on January 4.

Kuwait, Australia’s opponent for the opening Asian Cup game on January 9, will arrive in Melbourne in the days leading up to the game after initially spending their first days in Australia at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Jordan arrived from Dubai where it lost 2-1 in a friendly against fellow Asian Cup finalist Uzbekistan on Monday morning.

Michael Brown, chief executive of the Asian Cup local organising committee, said the arrival of the team known as “Al-Nashama” was a “huge milestone” ahead of the tournament, which starts in 16 days.

“Having spent years preparing for this event, Jordan’s arrival brings it all one giant step closer to reality,” Brown said.

“Over the next two weeks the other teams will be arriving one by one, until finally we amass the cream of Asia’s football talent in Australia for the first time.

“It will be the biggest football tournament we have ever staged in this country, and the excitement now is palpable.”

Originally published as Asian Cup: Jordan first on Australian soil; Saudi Arabia, Bahrain to follow shortly