SOCCEROOS RAMP UP ASIAN CUP PREPARATION WITH GRITTY WIN OVER BAHRAIN

The Socceroos have officially kickstarted the preparations for the upcoming Asian Cup later in January with a tight 2-0 win over Bahrain in the UAE. Coach Graham Arnold took the opportunity to bleed some new faces into the squad, with the most notable debut being Bolton Wanderers star Gethin Jones. Midfielder Jackson Irvine took the armband in place of injured skipper Maty Ryan, as his availability for the tournament remains in doubt. Despite could be a seen as a disappointing showing in a warmup game, Arnold saw plenty of positives from the clash. “It was a great hitout,” Arnold told Paramount +. “It was quite a physical game, and playing against these types of nations, (and) how they sit back, as much as you can do presentations and train and get ready for it, it’s always great to play against opposition that play that way. “It was the perfect game that we could have had leading into the Asian Cup. “These types of nations, especially against us, they always sit back and they always t...