Australia, undeterred by facing football legend Lionel Messi in recent months, now gears up to meet South Korea's Son Heung-Min in the Asian Cup quarterfinal. While maintaining respect for Son's prowess, the Socceroos exhibit confidence after their defensive resilience against global megastars, emphasizing their stout defense and physical advantage ahead of the crucial clash. In a dramatic Asian Cup quarterfinal setup, Australia readies itself for a showdown against South Korea, marked by a 99th-minute equalizer in Korea's previous game against Saudi Arabia. Australia's
Wataru Endo, in high spirits after Liverpool's 4-2 victory over Newcastle United, is gearing up for the AFC Asian Cup with confidence. The midfielder, who has been a standout performer for Liverpool, showcased his skills in the recent Anfield triumph. Although leaving Liverpool temporarily for the Asian Cup brings mixed emotions, Endo emphasizes the importance of representing his national team. Endo's stellar performances have solidified his role as a key player under Jürgen Klopp since joining Liverpool from VfB Stuttgart in the summer.
RIYADH: Singapore returned to World Cup and Asian Cup qualifying action after more than 18 months on Thursday (Jun 3) with a 4-0 loss to Palestine. The second round of joint qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in China has resumed after a lengthy delay caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Palestine raced to a three-nil lead in the first half at the King Fahd International Stadium, prompting Singapore head coach Tatsuma Yoshida to