Australia

Socceroos return to scene of World Cup heroics uncertain of place among Asian Cup elite | Joey Lynch

10-Jan-2024 14:00:34 | Guardian

Australia head to Qatar looking to rediscover the form that took them to the round of 16 in 2022 as they hunt a second continental title

As Australia prepares to compete in its fifth Asian Cup, commencing against India on Saturday evening, so too arrive the inevitable questions that come with these tournaments. Just how far can they go once the action begins in Qatar? And at what point will they have met a reasonable level of expectations?

The goal of all 24 competing nations is to win. But even with the progress they have made in recent years, narratives associated with the likes of Petar Šegrt’s Tajikis or Kim Pan-gon’s Malaysians not standing triumphant at the Lusail Stadium come 10 February will sharply contrast with those that will be spun if Jürgen Klinsmann’s South Korea or Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan aren’t doing so.