Why is this being called the 2023 Asian Cup?
No, you have not fallen into a space-time wormhole. This tournament was supposed to take place mid-last year in China, but because of their zero-COVID policy, they surrendered hosting rights. The Asian Football Confederation threw it open to tender, and four countries submitted a bid – including Australia – but when it became apparent that Qatar was basically a shoo-in, everyone else withdrew, and here we are.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has some happy memories in Qatar.Credit: Getty
The whole thing was pushed back by six months – partly because of the short lead-in, partly because of the scorchingly hot weather in the Middle East in June and July, and partly because Qatar were playing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. For whatever reason, the AFC has decided to keep referring to it as the 2023 edition, much like how the Tokyo Olympics are still officially the 2020 edition.
Ah, right, Qatar. Of course.
Indeed. It feels like only yesterday that the world’s eyes were trained on Doha for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Every stadium that was used for that tournament will be used again for the Asian Cup, with the sole exception of Stadium 974 – the one made from shipping containers, which is reportedly now being dismantled.
For the Socceroos, Doha is their home away from home. They will be returning to the site of some of the most famous matches in their recent history: their first game is at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, where they beat Peru to qualify for the World Cup and then pushed Argentina all the way in the round of 16, while their last in the group stage is at the Al Janoub Stadium, where they toppled both Tunisia and Denmark. Good memories.
Al Janoub Stadium is where Australia beat Tunisia and Denmark at the 2022 World Cup.Credit: David Ramos/Getty Images
Who’s in the Socceroos’ group?
They’ve landed in Group B with India, Syria and Uzkbekistan, and are hot favourites to top the group. Australia smashed India 4-0 the last time they met, which was at the 2011 Asian Cup (also in Qatar, would you believe), and that opening fixture on Saturday night (10.30pm AEDT) will probably be their easiest.
Syria, you’ll recall, were a nightmare opponent for Ange Postecoglou’s side in that qualifying play-off for the 2018 World Cup, and were also a tricky group-stage opponent for Australia at the Asian Cup five years ago – but they are not the team they used to be, and should be pushed aside when they face the Socceroos on Thursday (10.30pm AEDT).
And then there’s Uzbekistan, the perennial rising power of Asian football, who frustrated the Socceroos in the round of 16 at the last Asian Cup and forced them to a penalty shootout. They are missing their best player and captain, Eldor Shomurodov of Italian Serie A side Cagliari, but should still not be underestimated. That game is on Tuesday, January 23 (10.30pm AEDT).
Jackson Irvine controls the ball during a Socceroos training session this week in Qatar.Credit: Getty
What does Australia’s squad look like?
Familiar and yet fresh. Only half of Graham Arnold’s World Cup squad has been retained – players like Mathew Leckie, Awer Mabil, Garang Kuol, Milos Degenek, Ajdin Hrustic and Fran Karacic are either injured, out of form, or in the case of the latter two, don’t even have a club at the moment. Meanwhile, Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic and Massimo Luongo have retired.
Eleven members of the 26-man squad have five caps or fewer, but most of the starting XI is still around. Maty Ryan is still the captain, although he might not be fit to play against India as he recovers from a broken cheekbone. Harry Souttar, despite barely playing this season for Leicester City, still leads the defence, Jackson Irvine and Keanu Baccus are the preferred double-pivot in midfield, Mitch Duke is the main man up top, and Martin Boyle will finally get the chance to play at a major tournament for Australia after missing the last two due to injury.
Tthere’s a few wildcards: Bruno Fornaroli, the Melbourne Victory star in red-hot goalscoring form, Gethin Jones, the Perth-born defender from Bolton Wanderers who played for Wales at youth international level, and John Iredale, a striker from Germany’s second division who Arnold has long admired.
Harry Souttar is still the main man at the back for Australia.Credit: Getty Images
So this tournament should be fairly easy for Australia, then?
Hold your horses. On one hand, there’s reason to be confident: the Socceroos were excellent at the World Cup and have put in some very encouraging performances against big nations in friendlies and in early World Cup qualifiers. Play like that and there’s no reason why they can’t go all the way. But will they even be able to play like that?
The big question around Arnold’s tactics hasn’t yet been answered. He knows how to set up a team that can play on the counter-attack, and create a siege mentality that brings out their best against top-ranked, highly fancied opponents. But can he still deliver success when the Socceroos are expected to dominate possession and make things happen against teams who set up to frustrate? We are about to find out.
And as for Asia, we should know by now it’s never as straightforward as it looks on paper.
Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma scored against Australia during World Cup qualifying in 2022.Credit: AP
Yes, Australia should top Group B, but they’re on the same side of the draw as two of the big contenders for the title. Saudi Arabia, now coached by Roberto Mancini, will probably await in the quarter-finals and are very difficult to beat in the Middle East. The winner is likely to face Japan in the semi-finals, and the fact they could find no room in their squad for Celtic’s goal machine Kyogo Furuhashi says a lot about their incredible depth. They’ve got three Premier League players in their squad: Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Takehiro Tomiyasu from Arsenal. The Socceroos have zero.
Right. Are they the main challengers?
It’s them and the other perennial favourite, South Korea, whose captain and talisman Son Heung-min is back to his imperious best thanks to Postecoglou’s ongoing miracle at Tottenham Hotspur. Qatar are the reigning Asian Cup champions but fell into a hole right after winning it and didn’t bother to emerge for their home World Cup, and there’s no reason to think they will now. Iran is always a handful, too.
Son Heung-Min and Tottenham teammates celebrate a goal.Credit: Getty Images
Any stars playing?
Aside from the ones I’ve already mentioned, yes, quite a few – probably more than you’d think. Japan’s Takumi Minamino also used to play for Liverpool – he’s now at Monaco, as well as a bunch of others who play in Europe’s top five leagues. South Korea are stacked, too – striker Hwang Hee-chan plays for Wolverhampton, winger Lee Kang-in for Paris Saint-Germain, defender Kim Min-jae for Bayern Munich. Followers of Brentford will be familiar with Saman Ghoddos, the versatile Iranian star who scored the Premier League’s goal of the month in November.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The quality of Asian football is improving at a rapid rate.
How do I watch it?
The whole thing is being covered by Network Ten, but only the Socceroos’ matches will be on free-to-air. The rest is on Paramount+, which requires a paid subscription.
OK, cheers – I’m off to the pub. But before I go, I need a bit of Asian Cup trivia so I can show off to my mates.
Here’s a doozy. Sardar Azmoun is one of Iran’s best players – he plays for José Mourinho’s AS Roma, on loan from German side Bayer Leverkusen, and is known as the ‘Iranian Messi’. You will never guess what one of his favourite movies is. Go on, have a go.
Ride Like A Girl. Yep, the 2019 Aussie sports biopic on Michelle Payne, the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup.
Azmoun, a keen equestrian himself, messaged Payne on Instagram when he saw it, and they became friends. She now trains a horse he owns, Sky Horse, his first foray into Australian racing. “He loves horse racing and he is a huge support and has been great for me,” Payne told Racing.com a couple of years ago.
Watch every match of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League on Stan Sport. All the action streaming ad-free, live and on demand, with select matches in 4K UHD.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
