Caltex Socceroos To Host Lebanon At ANZ Stadium This November

Back home . . . FFA CEO David Gallop, Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold and Stadium Australia CEO Daryl Kerry announcing the Socceroos v Lebanon fixture.

FOOTBALL Federation Australia (FFA), together with Stadium Australia, has today announced that the Caltex Socceroos will return to Sydney Olympic Park for an international friendly match against Lebanon in November this year.

The Caltex Socceroos second ever match against Lebanon at senior men’s international level will be played on Tuesday, 20 November 2018, and will be the second fixture that they play during November’s FIFA international window.

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FFA CEO, David Gallop AM, was at Stadium Australia on Thursday morning for the official match announcement.

Gallop said that the fixture against Lebanon – who, like Australia, will compete in next year’s AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates – will provide the Caltex Socceroos with another solid test leading into Asia’s showpiece football tournament early in 2019.

“We are delighted to have worked with Stadium Australia to lock in another quality match for the Caltex Socceroos in Australia in 2018,” he said.

“Stadium Australia has played host to many memorable Caltex Socceroos fixtures in the past, so we’re sure that both supporters and players will be pleased with the news that they will return to the venue this November.”

“Sydney is also home to over 165,000 people with Lebanese heritage. We look forward to the opportunity of engaging with the Australian-Lebanese community over the coming months leading up to the match, and expect to feel a real party atmosphere inside Stadium Australia on game day as the Australian-Lebanese community comes together.”

Caltex Socceroos Head Coach, Graham Arnold, also attended Thursday’s match announcement. Arnold said that the fixture will provide his squad with another opportunity to gel as a unit ahead of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.

“Over the coming months we will have three clear opportunities to develop as a squad ahead of the AFC Asian Cup,” he said.

“We will start this process next week with our camp in Turkey and continue to build in October.”

“In November, the fixtures that have been scheduled in Brisbane and Sydney will provide us with valuable match minutes against strong Asian opponents, and this will only help us to improve as a team.

“The players are excited to return to Australia to play in front of their families, friends, and fans, so we look forward to playing in front of large vocal crowds at both matches.”

Stadium Australia CEO, Daryl Kerry, said Australia v Lebanon in Western Sydney had the potential to create another “Where Were You” moment in Australian football history.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming back the Caltex Socceroos to Stadium Australia and the Australia v Lebanon game promises to be a special event on the Australian sports calendar,” he said.

“Australians everywhere cheered home the Socceroos in their World Cup qualifying wins against Syria and Honduras at Stadium Australia late last year, and this game will have the added excitement of a new generation of Socceroos players under coach Graham Arnold and engagement with the passionate Australian-Lebanese community that will ensure this is an event to remember.”

Mr Kerry said the edge-of-your-seat 2017 World Cup qualifiers had added to a long list of memorable football moments at Stadium Australia, which included John Aloisi’s penalty shootout clincher against Uruguay in 2005, the Josh Kennedy header that took the Socceroos to the 2014 World Cup, and the AFC Asian Cup Final extra-time victory over South Korea in January 2015.

The Caltex Socceroos’ only previous meeting with Lebanon came in September 2012 in a friendly match played in Beirut. On that day goals from Tim Cahill, Matt McKay, and Archie Thompson helped the Caltex Socceroos to a 3-0 victory at the Saida Municipal Stadium. Current Caltex Socceroo Robbie Kruse played 59 minutes in the fixture, which also served as Mark Schwarzer’s 100^th appearance in the green and gold.

Tickets for the Caltex Socceroos’ match against Lebanon are now on sale to members of Australia’s Football Family via www.socceroos.com.au/tickets. Tickets for Australia versus Lebanon will go on sale to the General Public from 9am on Tuesday, 4 September 2018.

Both of Australia’s international friendly matches in November 2018 will be broadcast live throughout Australia on FOX SPORTS and Network TEN.

Supporters are urged to take this opportunity to see the team in action. Due to 2019 AFC Asian Cup commitments and the first stage of 2022 FIFA World Cup™ qualifying, the Caltex Socceroos will not return to Australia again until the second half of 2019.

You can experience Caltex Socceroos v Lebanon, and all football matches and regular sporting events at Stadium Australia, with an Stadium Australia Membership. Enquire here now.

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