Hello and welcome to Qatar as we attempt to pick up our first trophy win in this year’s International Journeyman, where we are going to the AFC Asian Cup which has been re-organised from the Summer of 2023 to the January of 2024, because Qatar is bloody boiling hot. Me and the lads have been given some of those huts you saw at the World Cup. They’re awful, no running water, nothing. Could be smelling the urine for months. Anyway, here we are. I’m going to keep you up to date with all of Australia’s games this tournament, and we’re also going to see how the tournament as a whole goes as well.
Massimo Luongo Retires! The first thing to take into account when I finalise my squad shortly, is that Massimo Luongo won’t be coming to Qatar with us. He has retired from international football at the age of 31, and he would have been one of my experienced heads as we try to go for the title. It will be interesting to see if he decides to come to the World Cup in 2026 should we make it, as we try to convince him to come out of retirement then.
Australia AFC Asian Cup 2024 Squad: We have been asked to select a 26-man squad for the Asian Cup in Qatar, so we have duly obliged. The names that have been involved so far are there, obviously they are my main men. Thankfully, Jackson Irvine is back in the squad, as he was missed during the November international break, no matter what happened with those two comfortable wins. These will be tougher fixtures coming up, and with the older heads around the squad, and players that have won this tournament, this is probably the best squad I could have picked looking through my National Pool.
Monday 8th January 2024: Australia 2-0 Korea Republic (International Friendly) Our only warm up friendly was played at home to another favourite of this tournament, South Korea, and we produced a convincing 2-0 win to boost our confidence ahead of the Asian Cup. From the right, a near post corner from Hrustic was headed home by Harry Souttar to score our first goal of 2024. We sealed the win in the second half. As the ball was cleared by the Koreans, it went as far as Bos, who produced a first time cross from the left, and Connor Metcalfe was flying in to nod home at the far post, to give us a huge win against one of our rivals for the Asian title.
Saturday 13th January 2024: Australia 6-2 Uzbekistan (2024 AFC Asian Cup Qatar Group B) A strong start to our Asian Cup, as we beat Uzbekistan inside 15 minutes, winning this game surprisingly comfortably 6-2. We took the lead inside the first minute, Kuol played the ball out wide right to Karacic, as he fired a ball into the box, for Adam Taggart to volley home for 1-0. A minute later, Jamie MacLaren capitalised on some terrible defending, took the ball off their centre back, and slid under the keeper for 2-0. A one-two between Arzani and Metcalfe made it worse for the Uzbeks as Arzani’s cross was converted into his own net by Khusanov to make it 3-0 inside 15 minutes. They got one back 10 minutes later, as O’runov took the ball out right, and made a run, which allowed him to find Shomurodov who fired into the top corner for 3-1. We regained our 3 goal advantage before half time, Metcalfe finding Dougall in the middle, who found Kuol cutting in from the right, and he fired home from an acute angle, leaving the keeper no chance. A ball into the box found O’runov on the right of the box, and he played it across goal for Shomurodov to tap home from 2 yards out for 4-2. A Karacic throw then found Kuol on the right, who played it into the near post along the floor, and MacLaren turned it home for his second of the game, and Australia’s 5th. Karacic then set up the 6th from a free-kick from the left, which found the head of Cameron Burgess at the far post, as our tournament got off to the perfect start. What a result!!!
Thursday 18th January 2024: India 0-4 Australia (2024 AFC Asian Cup Qatar Group B) Another game wrapped up by half time, means we confirmed our place in the last 16, in a 4-0 thrashing of India. As we kept the ball down the right early on, the ball found it’s way to Metcalfe in the middle, who found an unmarked Riley McGree on the left side of the box, and he slid it home across the keeper into the bottom corner. A misplaced pass in the middle by us nearly stopped our second goal, but somehow Daniel Arzani managed to steal the ball from their defender on our right, and he didn’t stop running, as he managed to slide the ball past the keeper, and it hit the post and went in. Arzani then turned provider, as his low cross found Mitchell Duke at the near post to put it beyond all doubt. Harry Souttar wrapped the points up, as he connected perfectly with a Riley McGree corner at the near post. No goals in the second half as India had a couple of chances, but no worries, and now we can just enjoy our game against Syria.
Tuesday 23rd January 2024: Syria 2-3 Australia (2024 AFC Asian Cup Qatar Group B) We needed a point to confirm top spot in this group, but the boys turned an early deficit around, and we managed to beat Syria 3-2. We couldn’t deal with a Ham corner from the right early on, and Al-Somah managed to get his header over everyone and into the top corner to give the Syrians an early lead. We equalised 5 minutes later, Harry Souttar won the ball at the back and nodded down to Kuol, who played a long ball over everyone and Jamie MacLaren ran free and slotted past the keeper for 1-1. We then took the lead after 32 minutes. Again, Syria gave the ball away to Jackson Irvine this time, he played it forward to Hrustic, who found Garang Kuol to his left inside the box, and he spun and shot into the bottom corner to give us the lead. Ajdin Hrustic then slotted home from the penalty spot with 8 minutes to go in normal time. Syria got a goal back in injury time though. A counter attack led to Elias finding Hasar who managed to shoot into the bottom corner while unchallenged, but that was it. We top the group. I’ll show you the other groups next, and how the last 16 looks.
Group A: Lebanon took Group A by storm, winning every game and becoming the shock leaders of that group on 9 points. There was a three-way tie for second, but it was the hosts, Qatar, that had the better record ahead of Tajikistan and China PR. Tajikistan go through as one of the best 3rd place teams.
Group B: As you saw, Australia won the group on 9 points, with Syria grabbing second after picking up 4 points from three matches. Uzbekistan managed to get through in third, after picking up a final day win over India. It’s the Blue Tigers that prop up the group as expected.
Group C: There were only really two teams in this group, as the UAE comfortably won the group with 3 wins from 3, and Iran coming behind them in second, as they managed to beat the bottom two quite comfortably. Palestine and Hong Kong drew each other 0-0, neither of them stood a chance of qualifying in 3rd.
Group D: 2007 champions, Iraq have qualified for the last 16 as group winners, beating Japan in the process, who themselves came second on 6 points. Indonesia picked up two credible draws against both Iraq and Vietnam, but lost 4-2 to Japan in the game that decided if they would go through. Vietnam sit bottom.
Group E: Korea Republic win the group on 7 points, scoring 10 goals in the process. Bahrain managed to get into second place, and Jordan managed to get through in third place, despite only getting 2 points in the process. Malaysia are the unlucky team to miss out, and they go home.
Group F: Saudi Arabia top the group on 7 points, winning it by 2 points from Oman, and all credit to the latter, they ended unbeaten with 1 win and 2 draws. Kyrgyzstan came 3rd but managed to qualify as one of the best third placed teams. Thailand are the final team to go home.
AFC Asian Cup Last 16 Draw: Qatar, the holders, face Iran in a tough tie for both teams. Australia get what should be a comfortable match against Tajikistan. Iraq face Uzbekistan in what I also think will be a tight clash. Lebanon play Jordan, and Lebanon’s dream run could continue here. UAE will face Kyrgyzstan after also winning all their matches in the group. Bahrain‘s reward for qualifying is a tough game against Saudi Arabia. A heavyweight clash awaits us as well, as South Korea face Japan. And finally, Oman face Syria.
Sunday 28th January 2024: Australia 4-2 Tajikistan (2024 AFC Asian Cup Qatar Second Round) We confirmed our place in the Quarter Final of the Asian Cup with a 4-2 win over Tajikistan who showed real effort to get into the game and not be broken by our attack. Jackson Irvine gave us the lead after 9 minutes, getting his head to a Hrustic free kick from the right. Hrustic set up the second goal as well, playing the ball down the line of the area down the right, finding Adam Taggart in the box, and he slotted it beyond the keeper for 2-0. A Jalilov run down the right allowed him to cut back, and a couple of passes later, it found it’s way to Mabatshoev who slotted home from the left into the bottom right corner for 2-1. Hrustic also set up the third goal, as his corner was headed on by Souttar, cleared away, and then Jamie MacLaren met it with an unbelievable volley just inside the box to regain our two goal lead. Dougall found Hrustic on the right in the second half, and the assist king played it across the box for Taggart to tap in and get his second goal today. Umarbaev received the ball in the middle, and played a perfect through ball to Toirov who slotted home into the corner to get a consolation for Tajikistan. But they couldn’t get anywhere near us, and we get a quarter-final slot. We face the host nation Qatar next.
Last 16 Results: Qatar go through, knocking out Iran 1-0, as the 2019 champions and host look to go for their second consecutive title. Australia beat Tajikistan 4-2 in what was a pretty straightforward game. Another former champion through are Iraq who have beat Uzbekistan 2-1. Jordan have gone the furthest they’ve ever gone, as they’ve beaten Lebanon on penalties after a 1-1 draw. UAE beat Kyrgyzstan 2-0 in a routine win for them. Saudi Arabia booked their quarter final spot with a 4-1 thrashing of Bahrain. South Korea are going for their first title since 1960, and have thrashed Japan 5-2. Syria are also through to the quarter-finals after beating Oman comfortably 3-0.
Quarter Final ties: The last two winners take each other on, as Australia face the hosts Qatar. A Middle Eastern clash could get fiery, as Jordan play Iraq, and Jordan are on an historic run. Saudi Arabia play UAE for a place in the last 4, and finally South Korea, who as I said, are looking for their third title, but their first in 64 years, face Syria.
Friday 2nd February 2024: Australia 1-2 Qatar (2024 AFC Asian Cup Qatar Quarter Final) My attempt at the AFC Asian Cup title ended in disappointment as we were defeated 2-1 by hosts and defending champions Qatar. Despite early pressure, we fell behind on 4 minutes, when Al-Haydos had the ball on the right, playing it to his left to Madibo, who found Abdulaziz Hatem on the left, he cut inside, and fired a fizzing shot past Matt Ryan for 1-0. Like before, we equalised just a couple of minutes later, when Fornaroli’s corner from the left found the head of Jackson Irvine who made it 1-1. That’s how it remained at half time. In the second half, Qatar retook the lead. Abdulaziz Hatem played the switch ball from right to left to find centre-back Boualem Khoukhi in the area, who cut inside in a carbon copy of the first goal, and smacked it past Ryan to put the hosts in front. Ryan saved a penalty later on from Al-Haydos, but we couldn’t find that equaliser, and my quest for the Asian Cup will have to go on.
This is how the rest of the tournament went. We would have played Iraq in the semi final as they beat Jordan 3-2. South Korea beat Syria 3-0, and Saudi Arabia were ruthless in thrashing UAE 4-0. In the semi finals, Qatar’s run carried on to a second successive final, beating Iraq 2-1, whereas Saudi Arabia beat South Korea 4-2. The Koreans could have to wait another 3 years to get their first Asian Cup since 1960. It’s Saudi Arabia that win their fourth title though, as they beat Qatar 3-2 in the final, to deny the hosts a second successive victory in the tournament.
Round-Up: That is the end of the first tournament of the career mode, as we saw our Australian side dumped out in the quarter-finals. This won’t lead me to leave the Socceroos just yet though, as we have World Cup Qualifiers. But if someone does come in for me, and I like the look of it, I may just go for it. Don’t forget that this Summer, there’s the Copa America and the Euros, where we could nab a job from somewhere. To see what happens, come back next time as I continue the International Journeyman.
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