As June rolls towards us and the A-League toilet seat is hung up next to the bar in Melbourne, Asia is getting ready.
The new World Cup qualification format means more meaningful games for more teams and nations we don’t normally see are gearing up for the contest.
Jordan aside, our immediate opponents are something of a mystery to most of the Australian footballing community. The mountain clad nations’ names conjure images of the Great Game and the Cold War. But those days are long past, and these vibrant and culturally enriched nations are to play host to some fortunate footballers and fans from Down Under.
Hence let us have a look at our Central Asian opponents.
Kyrgyzstan: Nestling against the mighty Ala-Too mountain range is Bishkek, where the national-side play out of the 23,000 seater Dolen Omurzakov Stadium which is, like most stadiums in Central Asia, both multi-purpose and the home ground of the most dominant side in the country. The backbone of the side comes from one team, Dordoi, whom I’ve had the pleasure of cheering on in two different countries in the President’s Cup.
This presents a problem for Kyrgyzstan. On one hand their side knows each other well and is familiar with the ground, on the other their dominance (winning the league 9 times in the last 11 years) means that they rarely play under pressure and are guilty of spending too long on the ball.
They also often chip high defensive lines with their wings pushing forward and their full-backs playing a more traditional defensive role. They are very persistent and I have seen Dordoi overcome more technically gifted opposition through playing a more tactically astute game.
Hence they will have done their homework against us and will be prepared.
Recently the Kyrgyz managed to give Kuwait problems and played a decent game against China in recent times and have shown that they can work together as a cohesive defensive unit, though consistency remains a problem.
One player to watch is 20-year-old Akhlidin Israilov, a left winger with a decent touch who is currently plying his trade in Dynamo Kyiv’s development squad. If they are sitting deep they may look to him and Dordoi’s Mirlan Murzaev to catch us on the break, though with their full-backs sitting deep and the midfield covering, these two are likely to be lacking support.
We visit Kyrgyzstan mid-June which is good for us as the temperature will be in the mid-20s and dry, though Ange will have to take the 800m altitude into account.
For the fans, Dordoi Bazaar (yes, your assumption is correct) is a lively place to visit and if you have time, head for the mountains. All the Kyrgyz I have met have been fantastic, including those running Dordoi who are passionate and work hard to improve football in the country.
Tajikistan: Over the mighty Pamirs lies Dushanbe, where the Central Republic Stadium fits a similar description of that of Kyrgystan, complete with the dominant side, Istiquol, having it as their home ground. It’s a stadium I’ve watched a few games at and I can confirm that I had a ball, though that’s mainly due to the Tajiks as opposed to the stadium.
Istiquol are strongly connected with the ruling elite in Tajikistan and this is reflected in the national side make-up. Despite the fact that Ravshan won the domestic league in 2012 and 2013 (though had a less impressive 2014), and are currently fifth in the league, only one of their players made the last national squad. Meanwhile, Istiquol contributed a full 13 players out of the 19-man squad.
Like Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan would have taken note of the Socceroos’ game against Macedonia and will be preparing a packed defence. Unlike Kyrgyzstan they will be a little more static and more likely to concede fouls in dangerous areas if we attempt some guile. It could be the type of game where Tommy Oar may excel in if he plays more centrally and the type of game Rogic would be ideal for if he’s fit.
Istiquol relied much upon the services of Visiev, and I imagine Tajikistan will do the same. Rabimov will try to chime in from the midfield however whether he gets the service to do so remains to be seen. Their evergreen captain, Tuychiev, is reliable in goals however I have seen him flap at crosses.
He may struggle with Jedinak’s free kicks or with set pieces if the likes of Spiranovic is in the mix to put him off a little.
Tajikistan have managed some credible results with some friendly wins over the likes of Malaysia and Afghanistan, two sides that are playing decent football at the moment, though haven’t really tested themselves against strong opposition. We strike gold on the timing as Dushanbe has bitter winters and stinking hot summers. We visit them in autumn though when the place is an absolute delight; low teens at night time and high twenties during the day.
For the fans Dushanbe is a small place but has a great Soviet styled market full of dried fruit and nuts while the local beer, Sim-Sim, can be sampled in the open air in the middle of town which is laden with trees and parks. There is also a hiking group that meets every Sunday and heads into the mountains against which Dushanbe rests.
In all we are lucky to have these two countries in our group and they are a testament to the cultural diversity that Asian presents. These countries are a delight to visit and for our players and some intrepid fans, the trip of a life-time awaits.
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