The Socceroos will face Bahrain in an international friendly before starting their AFC Asian Cup campaign in Qatar.
The Australian national team, coached by Graham Arnold, will play Bahrain ahead of the Asian Cup on Saturday 6th January in Abu Dhabi.
The match at the Baniyas Stadium will be the Socceroos’ last chance to prepare for the Asia Cup, which begins on January 13 against India.
The Socceroos, the 2015 champions, will face Syria (January 18) and Uzbekistan (January 23) in Group B.
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“Given how the international window works and the distance we travel, our preparation usually requires one or two training sessions before the match,” Arnold said.
“It will be very beneficial to have the players together for almost a week in the conditions expected during the Asian Cup and for international matches against teams like Bahrain.
“This is an opportunity for us to fine-tune our preparations, just as we would when representing Australia, but we are determined to do our country proud and lay the foundations for a successful campaign in Doha. That’s what I’m aiming for.
“We have built great camaraderie within our team over a long period of time, and I know our players are excited to get into camp and put in the work.”