Latest news with #TonyPopovic
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Victory young gun seals German Bundesliga switch
Melbourne Victory young gun Kasey Bos has sealed a transfer to German Bundesliga club Mainz 05, capping off his rapid rise. Bos, who received his first Socceroos call-up for games against Japan and Saudi Arabia, departs the Victory, who receive an undisclosed transfer fee, to sign with Mainz 05 on a four-year deal through to 2029. The 21-year-old left-back, younger brother of Socceroos and Westerlo defender Jordy, made just four appearances off the bench for the Victory in 2023-24 but exploded in the most recent A-League Men season. Welcome to Mainz 05, Kasey Bos! 🔴⚪The 21-year-old defender joins from Melbourne Victory FC and has signed a four-year deal with the 05ers until 2029 ✍️ — Mainz 05 English (@Mainz05en) June 13, 2025 Bos scored four goals and notched two assists as he made 26 appearances, starting 24, including the Victory's grand final defeat to Melbourne City. "I've loved every minute I've played at Melbourne Victory," Bos said. "The club has helped shape my development and build the foundations necessary to take this next step overseas." Bos's season earned him an Olyroos call-up before his first senior camp under former Victory boss Tony Popovic. He will now attempt to kick on at Mainz, who finished sixth in the Bundesliga last season. "For a player to progress from our academy to the A-League team, and now to a top-six Bundesliga club, is a testament to the belief and hard work of many, not least Kasey and his family," Victory football director John Didulica said. "We are incredibly proud to have been part of his journey so far, and have no doubt he will continue to achieve great things with 1. FSV Mainz 05." Earlier on Friday, City confirmed talented young striker Max Caputo had signed a three-year contract extension until the end of the 2027-28 campaign. Defender Callum Talbot meantime departed the champions after three seasons, while Perth have signed former City forward Arion Sulemani on a two-year deal.
The Age
13-06-2025
- Sport
- The Age
What you need to know about the Socceroos' World Cup campaign
With a 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning, the Socceroos qualified for their sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup. It's a year to the day until the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico begins, which means Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has 365 days to ready his team for their first match of the tournament. So now Australia are guaranteed a start, here's what you need to know ahead of kick-off. Where is it, and who is playing? The 2026 World Cup in North America will be the first tournament under the expanded format and will run for about five weeks from June 11 to July 19. Previously, 32 teams have always competed for the title, but that will increase to 48 for the first time next year, and teams will compete across three nations and 16 cities. Extra teams mean that qualification has become a little easier, but the Socceroos have qualified directly, which takes the pressure off the next few months. Ten countries have so far guaranteed their spot at the 2026 World Cup – Australia, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Iran, Uzbekistan, New Zealand, Ecuador, Brazil and Argentina. The host nations are also guaranteed a spot, which means the United States, Canada and Mexico have also booked their tickets.
News.com.au
12-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Craig Goodwin set for foot surgery ahead of Adelaide United's 2025-26 campaign
Returning Adelaide United star Craig Goodwin will have foot surgery next week to ensure he gives himself the best chance of being selected in Australia's squad for next year's FIFA World Cup. Goodwin, 33, is back for a fourth stint with the Reds after spending two seasons in Saudi Arabia with Al-Wehda. '(It) feels like I never left … I'm really looking forward to pre-season and linking up with the boys again,' the veteran winger said. However, before that, Goodwin will have a neuroma removed from his foot, with the recovery set to sideline him until the end of next month. 'It's an inflamed nerve in my left foot that I've been managing for the last three or four years, and the cortisone's no longer working, so I need to remove the lump, and it's a six-week recovery,' he said. The injury prevented him for being selected in Tony Popovic's Socceroos' squad for wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in the past week that secured Australia World Cup qualification. 'It was somewhat disappointing to not be able to be involved … but now mentally I've got that focus on the 2026 World Cup and to try to get myself there,' Goodwin said. 'I know that international football doesn't come unless you're playing well at club level. 'He (Popovic) has made it very clear to any player that it's about playing regularly and playing your best football, 'He has shown by picking multiple A-League players that it doesn't matter whether you're playing here or abroad. 'I made the (Socceroos squad for the 2022) World Cup playing for Adelaide. I had a really good World Cup there (in Qatar) and a lot of my best football has come at Adelaide United, so I look forward to the challenge.' Goodwin was 'looking forward' to working under new Reds coach Airton Andrioli, the club's former youth team boss who has taken over the top job for Carl Veart, who wasn't offered a new deal. 'I've known (Andrioli) for a number of years. He coached me back when I was 13, 14 years old. He's done a great job with the youth team, he knows a lot of the boys, so it's an exciting time in this new phase to be able to link up with those younger players, and try to help them bring the best out of their performance. 'A change of coach has happened, and it's a little bit of a fresh start, not necessarily a full reset, but a transition phase in trying to go to that next level, develop those young players and really try to improve that mentality to believe that we're winners, and that we can win something. 'I'm here to win something with the Reds.'
Kuwait Times
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Australia reach World Cup, Palestine's dreams end
JEDDAH: Australia qualified for next year's World Cup in North America while Oman ended Palestine's hopes of a first appearance at the finals with a last-gasp draw on Tuesday. Tony Popovic's Socceroos, who went into the third round's final match day heavy favourites to progress, defeated direct rivals Saudi Arabia 2-1 in Jeddah to seal the second automatic qualification spot in Group C. Saudi Arabia must instead make do with a place in the fourth round, alongside Indonesia. Japan had already secured top place in the group. 'We've built a good foundation now and we want to really get better, kick on and try and do something special at the World Cup,' said Popovic. Herve Renard's Saudi side went into the decider at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium knowing only a win by a five-goal margin would be enough to usurp Australia in second. The hosts were given the perfect start when Abdulrahman Al-Aboud opened the scoring 19 minutes in. The visitors pulled level just before half-time through Connor Metcalfe's left-footed strike. Australia were soon ahead, when three minutes into the second half Mitch Duke met Martin Boyle's cross to head home from close range. Goalkeeper Mathew Ryan then saved Salem Al-Dawsari's late penalty to earn Australia a memorable victory and secure the country's sixth successive appearance at a World Cup in style. 'To show that character, resilience and then quality to come back and actually take the lead and win the game, I'm delighted,' said Popovic. In Group B, Palestinian hearts were broken when they conceded a penalty deep into injury time to draw 1-1 with Oman in Amman. Palestine, playing their home fixtures at a neutral venue, took the lead on 49 minutes when Oday Kharoub headed Adam Kaied's corner into the top corner. Oman were reduced to 10 men in the 73rd minute after Harib Al-Saadi was shown a second yellow card. Yet the visitors rallied to snatch a precious point in the 97th minute, Issam Al-Sabhi converting a spot-kick following a foul on Muhsen Al-Ghassani. The result means Oman finish fourth in the group at Palestine's expense and therefore advance to the next phase of qualification. The top two teams in each of the three groups go straight to the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, while those in third and fourth move on to the fourth round. Taking place in October, and comprising two groups of three, there are two places at next summer's tournament up for grabs with Oman, UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia all in the running. – AFP
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Asia benefits from World Cup expansion as AFC qualification delivers thrills
Jeddah is more relaxed and laid-back than Riyadh. Tony Popovic should know. On Tuesday, for the second time in his coaching career, he left Saudi Arabia with a big prize, though back in 2014, it had been a far more fierce fight. Then, Western Sydney Wanderers went to the capital to defend their 1-0 first leg lead in the Asian Champions League final and, despite the best that Al Hilal could throw at them, held firm amid the storm for the most unlikely of trophy wins. This week, however, there was a five-goal cushion by the Red Sea, meaning there was only ever going to be one outcome: a seventh World Cup appearance. After successive playoff qualifications, to advance directly to North America is a welcome change and to do so with wins against Japan and Saudi Arabia is especially pleasing. Related: Socceroos taken from brink of disaster to automatic World Cup 2026 qualification | Joey Lynch Advertisement It may have ended calmly, but this campaign has been a real rollercoaster. When Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2006, the basic selling point was that it provided bigger, better and more tests at all age levels. At the senior level, the past few months have certainly provided that. Group C showed that – Japan apart – it can be debated whether the traditional powerhouses on the continent are developing as they should, but those a little lower down the rankings are grabbing hold of the ladder and looking up with determination. Take Indonesia. The goalless draw with the Socceroos in Jakarta in September feels like a long time ago now. It followed a 1-0 loss at home to Bahrain, meaning that the opening two games against the supposed weakest teams in the group had brought just one point. It also brought the resignation of Graham Arnold. In came Popovic but after 45 minutes of the next home game against China, whose fatalistic fans claimed they are actually the weakest team in the group, Australia were a goal down and in real trouble. They came back to win 3-1 and while it wasn't a done deal, a corner had been turned. There were no more defeats. The competitiveness of the group helped in some ways too. It turned out that a draw in Jakarta was not a bad result, with only Japan managing to win and the other three teams losing. The rapid naturalisation of European-born players, mostly Dutch, has brought a rapid improvement and while this may be seen as an easy route, it is not guaranteed. China would attest to that. In past campaigns Saudi Arabia had capitalised on Australian stumbles but not this time. There will be easy narratives about how the influx of foreign talent has stifled domestic opportunities and development. Roberto Mancini complained about this before getting his marching orders, but the Italian would still have been in a job had Salem Al-Dawsari not missed a penalty against Indonesia in September that would have turned a draw into a win. The team would probably have made the top two had the same player – deservedly named the Saudi Pro League player of the year – not missed another against Bahrain. Advertisement But the Green Falcons have at least fallen into the safety net that the fourth round of qualification now provides. There are concerns that expanding the 2026 World Cup from 32 teams to 48 in North America will dilute quality at the tournament. That remains to be seen, but Asia now having 8.5 places has brought a new dimension to qualification. The four spots in the past were more often than not taken by the usual suspects leaving little for the other 40-plus AFC members to get excited about. Now though, four extra places mean that many more can dream. Being in Amman for the final games was testament to the expanded excitement. Jordan qualified for the first time, taking one of those six spots, as the city went into party mode. Final day opponents Iraq, led by Graham Arnold, were disappointed not to make it into the top two but at least know that there will be more opportunities. With the top two spots in Group B filled, the new format meant that there was still something to play for and the big game in Asia on the final matchday was, incredibly, Palestine against Oman, also in Amman. The 'home' team – King Abdullah II stadium is located in the eastern part of the Jordanian capital and close to the largest Palestinian refugee camps – needed to win. The excitement around the camp was palpable, as was the tension. Oman too, one of the friendliest national teams in Asia, were unusually grim-faced, knowing that a big prize was within reach but could be snatched away in just a second. And so it was, from Palestine, as Oman scored a dubious 97th minute penalty. Australia's journey is also over, but there are still six teams with much to play for. Some will have awoken on Wednesday morning disappointed, others may have been so excited that they didn't sleep at all, such is the thrill of World Cup qualification in Asia.
