This week’s AFC Under-20 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan. There is more than just silverware on offer for the Young Socceroos and their rivals.
The tournament, which was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, also serves as qualification for the FIFA U20 World Cup – 2010 runners-up Australia must reach at least the semi-finals to qualify for May’s showpiece in Indonesia.
Trevor Morgan’s 23-man squad – stacked with Isuzu UTE A-League talent – begin their Group B campaign against Vietnam on Wednesday.
Ahead of their Asian Cup opener, here is everything you need to know.
The squad
| Name | Position | Current Club | Junior Club |
| Alexander BADOLATO | Midfielder | Western Sydney Wanderers | Sylvania Heights FC / Football New South Wales |
| Raphael BORGES RODRIGUES | Attacker | Melbourne City | Western Strikers SC / Football South Australia |
| Rhys BOZINOVSKI | Midfielder | Western United | Spring Hills Stallions FC / Football Victoria |
| Matthew DENCH | Defender | Charlton Athletic | ECU SC / Football West |
| Chris DONNELL | Defender | Perth Glory | Rockingham City FC / Scotland |
| Jed DREW | Attacker | Macarthur FC | Meltham Athletic FC / England |
| Joseph FORDE | Defender | Perth Glory | Forrestfield United SC / Football West |
| Jake GIRDWOOD-REICH | Midfielder | Sydney FC | Sydney Olympic / Football New South Wales |
| Archie GOODWIN | Attacker | Newcastle Jets | Cooks Hill United / Football Nothern New South Wales |
| Alessandro LOPANE | Midfielder | Western Sydney Wanderers | APIA Leichhardt / Football New South Wales |
| Panashe MADANHA | Defender | Adelaide United | Adelaide Olympic / Football South Australia |
| Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI | Defender | Perth Glory | Carramar Cougars Junior / Football West |
| James NIEUWENHUIZEN | Goalkeeper | Melbourne City | Goulburn Valley Suns / Football Victoria |
| Bernardo OLIVEIRA | Attacker | Adelaide United | Port Adelaide / Football South Australia |
| Gabriel POPOVIC | Attacker | NK Rudes | Sydney United 58 / Football New South Wales |
| Joshua RAWLINS | Defender | FC Utrecht | Dianella Junior / Football West |
| Jing REEC | Attacker | AGF Aarhus | Blacktown Workers / Football New South Wales |
| Alexander ROBINSON | Goalkeeper | Macarthur FC | Mt Druitt Town Rangers / Football New South Wales |
| Adrian SEGECIC | Midfielder | Sydney FC | Lidcombe Waratah Junior / Football New South Wales |
| Aidan SIMMONS | Attacker | Western Sydney Wanderers | St George FA / Football New South Wales |
| Nectarios TRIANTIS | Defender | Central Coast Mariners | Canterbury Junior / Football New South Wales |
| Jack WARSHAWSKY | Goalkeeper | Western Sydney Wanderers | Buderim Wanderers / Football Queensland |
| Jonny YULL | Midfielder | Adelaide United | West Torrens Birkalla / Football South Australia |
The Isuzu UTE A-League representatives
Australia are well represented by domestic players with 19 Isuzu UTE A-League representatives in the squad.
Central Coast Mariners defender Nectarios Triantis headlines the roster following his performances for Nick Montgomery’s side this season. The 19-year-old has started 13 of his 16 appearances in 2022-23.
Highly-rated Newcastle Jets attacker Archie Goodwin is also at Morgan’s disposal. The 18-year-old has only amassed 80 minutes of action off the bench this term, but he has still managed two goals.
Then there is Adrian Segecic, who has featured in 11 matches for Sydney FC this season, while Adelaide United’s Panashe Madanha is also in the mix amid his breakout campaign.
The players missing
Due to the tournament happening outside of a FIFA international window, a number of European-based players were deemed unavailable for selection after consultation with their respective clubs – but remain in the frame should the Young Socceroos progress to the U20 World Cup in Indonesia later this year.
Among the overseas contingent, former Perth Glory forward Gabriel Popovic will be leading Australia’s charge, having scored three goals during qualifying.
Garang Kuol is the headline absentee. The 18-year-old wonderkid – on loan at Scottish Premiership club Hearts from Premier League giants Newcastle United – was involved in qualification.
Also throw in former Adelaide teenager Mohamed Toure, who is now playing for Stade de Reims B in France. The 18-year-old was involved in qualification, just like Kuol.
There is also Paul Okon Jr. – the son of Socceroos great Paul Okon – he is currently playing for Portuguese powerhouse Benfica – Kashiwa Reysol goalkeeper Taiga Harper, Wolves’ Dylan Scicluna and Presley Ortiz of Belenenses of Portugal.
The Young Socceroos’ record
Australia’s best performance at the U20 Asian Cup came back in 2010.
That tournament proved to be a sign of things to come as Mathew Leckie has gone on to play for the Socceroos, and enjoyed a fine career in the Bundesliga before returning home to Melbourne City.
Led by Jan Versleijen and boasting the likes of Mark Birighitti, Rhyan Grant, Jason Davidson, Dimitri Petratos, Mustafa Amini, Dylan McGowan, Steven Lustica, Tommy Oar and Kofi Danning, the Young Socceroos made it all the way to the final.
Australia topped their group and overcame the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia before falling 3-2 to North Korea in the decider.
The tournament’s leading goalscorer that year? Kerem Bulut with seven.
In 2008 and 2012, Australia also reached the semi-finals. On both occasions, they went down to the UAE and Iraq.
Interestingly, the Young Socceroos have not missed playing in the finals since joining the AFC in 2006.
The opponents
Qatar, Vietnam and IR Iran.
The Young Socceroos will come up against some past champions in Group B.
Iran and Qatar are both previous winners of the Asian Cup in 1976 and 2014 respectively. Vietnam were also semi-finalists in 2016.
Qatar head into the Asian Cup on the back of a flawless qualifying campaign thanks to wins over Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Bahrain. They scored 14 goals in the process and conceded just once as they prepare for their 14th appearance.
Iran – making their 20th appearance – also impressed on the road to Uzbekistan, topping their qualifying group with nine points.
As for Vietnam… well their route was not as straight forward. The Southeast Asian nation qualified among the five best runners-up after finishing behind Indonesia. However, seven of their eight most recent participations in the Asian Cup have ended in the group phase.
The fixtures
Australia v Vietnam
March 1, 2023
3.00pm (local) / 9.00pm (AEDT)
Istiqlol Stadium
Fergana, Uzbekistan
Australia v Iran
March 4, 2023
3.00pm (local) / 9.00pm (AEDT)
Istiqlol Stadium
Fergana, Uzbekistan
Australia v Qatar
March 7, 2023
3.00pm (local) / 9.00pm (AEDT)
JAR Stadium
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Australia’s matches will be LIVE and FREE on 10 Play.
