It wasn’t long ago that Archie Thompson and Joshua Kennedy featured heavily for the Australian football team, however their presence at international level is dwindling by the day after once again being overlooked for the next batch of upcoming friendlies.
Earlier this week Ange Postecoglou named a young Socceroos side to take on the UAE and 2022 World Cup host country, Qatar. The matches will take place in early October.
The news was better overseas however, as Josh Kennedy’s Nagoya Grampus won 2-1 which played second fiddle of course to making the cover of Japan’s number one English language football magazine, J-Soccer.
Kennedy had time to step away for an interview, as he spent Tuesday’s match on the sidelines as an unused substitute. The win sees Grampus steer well clear of the relegation zone with 9 matches to go.
The draw for the FFA Cup quarterfinals was determined on Tuesday and will see Archie Thompson’s Melbourne Victory take on highflying Perth Glory in Western Australia on October14.
Perth has had a solid pre-season and like Melbourne, will be looking to continue their run of form into the A-league season, which begins the weekend prior to Tuesdays clash.
Both clubs have enjoyed an emphatic return from their new signings with Besart Berisha the stand out. Thompson told the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this week that Berisha is “a pure goal-getter… We’ve all lifted so much since he’s been here.” The Victory’s first A-league match is against the Wanderers at home.
Up north and the rehab continues for Roar star Amy Chapman. The border girl is moving ever closer to a return but still has some conditioning work to do. Brisbane would be pining for her services however, as they have opened the season with two losses, the most recent, at the hands of Sydney FC.
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