Tony Popovic’s tenure begins with a critical home match against China that will go some way to determining Australia’s qualifying path through Asia.
Tony Popovic’s first match as Socceroos coach is the team’s most consequential World Cup qualifier in years,but he appears to be very much ready to meet the moment that awaits on Thursday night against China.
Players have to take their share of the blame for the results that led to Graham Arnold’s exit as coach,Socceroos star Craig Goodwin says,as a new era beckons this week.
As unpleasant as it is to say,Australia’s struggles in possession against anything resembling an organised defence are starting to look like a Graham Arnold problem.
Following last week’s shock 1-0 defeat to Bahrain,Australia’s hopes of direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup have taken another massive hit.
While Australia’s loss to Bahrain was a surprise,the way they played was sadly not.
It was supposed to be a relatively simple outing to start the third round of World Cup qualification,but it ended up as a night of historical lows for Graham Arnold’s men.
Follow all the action as Australia play the first of a series of critical clashes in the tougher third round of World Cup qualifying.
In Australia,some struggled with Ange Postecoglou’s name. In the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium,tens of thousands of Brits chant it.
The Socceroos will host a pivotal FIFA World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in November and a Matildas home game could be in the pipeline as well.
The sports that should be celebrated at the Games are those whose athletes have a singular goal – Olympic gold.