Adelaide United’s youngsters, Awer Mabil, Paul Izzo and Ben Warland departed yesterday with the Young Socceroos for the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Adelaide United-s youngsters, Awer Mabil, Paul Izzo and Ben Warland departed yesterday with the Young Socceroos for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The trio are travelling with the squad to play international friendlies in preparation for the AFC U-19 Championship 2014 which will be held in Myanmar from 9-23 October 2014.
Paul Okon, Young Socceroos Head Coach, named a 22-player Young Socceroos squad that headed into a training camp on the Central Coast from Saturday 26 April to Wednesday 30 April. The trio impressed on the camp and were subsequently selected to travel to the UAE with the squad.
The Red-s rising star Awer Mabil, who has only recently received his international clearance to be eligible to represent Australia, was ecstatic by his selection.
“It feels amazing to be selected as one of the players to tour the UAE,” said Mabil from Dubai.
“It-s also a very special feeling knowing that I-m now officially an Australian player. I just can-t wait to represent and give all I have for Australia.”
The squad selected by Okon departed Sydney yesterday and will be in the UAE from 5 to 18 May. They will play two international friendly matches against the Oman U-20 National Team (9 and 11 May) and another two international friendly matches against the UAE U-20 National Team (14 and 16 May).
The Young Socceroos were drawn in Group B, alongside Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates and Indonesia for the AFC U-19 Championship 2014 which will be played in Myanmar this October.
AFC U-19 Championship 2014 groups:
Group A: Myanmar (host), IR Iran, Thailand, Yemen
Group B: Uzbekistan, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia
Group C: Korea Republic, Japan, China PR, Vietnam
Group D: Iraq, DPR Korea, Qatar, Oman
