Iran beat Jordan to complete Women's Asian Cup line-up
Second-half goals from Sara Didar and Negin Zandi in Amman on Saturday earned Marziyeh Jafari's team a win that secured top spot in Group A of the preliminaries ahead of the Jordanians due to their better head-to-head record.
The Iranians are the last team to qualify for the finals after matches in Group A were postponed because of the recent Israel-Iran conflict.
Australia will host the 12-team tournament in Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast from March 1-21, and Joe Montemurro's home side will be among the favourites to lift the trophy.
Defending champions China, who have won the title a record nine times, will also be joined at the finals by South Korea, Japan, Bangladesh, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, the Philippines and North Korea.
The draw takes place in Sydney on July 29.
"There's a real energy building, not just here in Australia but across Asia, and this diverse, high-quality line-up shows just how far women's football has come," said Sarah Walsh, the event's chief organising officer.
"With so much talent and so many great stories coming together, this is going to be a tournament to remember."
The competition will also serve as Asia's qualifying tournament for the Women's World Cup in 2027, with six automatic berths available at the finals in Brazil.
A further two nations will progress to a series of intercontinental playoffs.
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The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Matildas superstar still can't get used to 'insane' cereal box moment
Matildas superstar Mackenzie Arnold is still coming to terms with seeing herself on a cereal box, but she hopes it's a sign that the times are a-changing for women in sport. Arnold has been selected as an "Aussie icon" ambassador for Milo and its new strawberry-flavoured cereal that the goalkeeper actually helped develop. Before she was a world-class goalkeeper, Arnold hadn't seen women in sport given such promotion, but with the onset of the "Matildas effect" following the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia, athletes like her hold influence like never before. Tickets to Matildas games are in demand, the players' own social media accounts have massive followings, contracts now attract higher salaries, and the sporting participation boom inspired by the Matildas in recent years - particularly for girls and women - is well-documented. So it makes sense brands would want to align themselves with top women athletes like Arnold, who is currently playing for US club, Portland Thorns FC. Still, from humble beginnings in the old W-League playing in front of small crowds, to selling out stadiums and becoming a hero to millions of Aussie kids, it's a bit of an adjustment for Arnold to see her face on products at the supermarket. "It's insane," she told The Canberra Times from Portland during a mid-season international break. "Growing up seeing other athletes on cereal boxes, you never really think that's going to be you, and now I get it to do it with Milo as well, which is something I always grew up on - it's pretty surreal to me. "I still don't look at myself as an Australian icon. "Opportunities like this just came after the World Cup, and I think it really showed us, and little girls and boys as well, what actually is possible now. "When I was a kid, I don't really remember women athletes on cereal boxes, so to be that person and hopefully inspire the younger generation after me is really special." Arnold has seen firsthand how the Matildas' march to the Women's World Cup semi-final two years ago was a turning point. "The world has really taken off with women's sport," she said. "You can see at the Euros that are playing at the moment, the amount of exposure they're getting and publicity - it's crazy to see, and I think it's only going to get bigger. "I would have loved to have been a young kid coming through at this stage, for sure. Still got a long way to go, but it's definitely heading in the right direction." In the Arnold household, as a child, the glovewoman used to have arguments with her brother over which flavour was best - chocolate or strawberry. She'd go for a strawberry milkshake and strawberry donut, while he'd go for the chocolate option. Decades later when Arnold was asked by Milo to taste-test the final strawberry flavour that would be used in its limited edition cereal, she was elated. "They sent me some samples and I chose which one I liked," she said. "I've actually given it to some of my teammates in Portland, and they obviously don't know much about Milo, but for them to enjoy it says a lot. "I'm hoping everyone else likes it in Australia as well." Last year, after a four-season stint in England with West Ham United, Arnold joined the Thorns in the USA's NWSL competition. However, injury setbacks have prevented her from playing consistently in the last 12 months. Having overcome triceps and calf injuries, Arnold is now healthy again and gearing up for the Women's Asian Cup in Australia in March. Under new coach Joe Montemurro, Arnold is aiming to lift the Matildas back to world-beating form after a "disappointing" Olympics campaign in Paris. "The Asian Cup is very important for us," she said. "It's another major tournament that we want to win, and then that takes us into the World Cup again the following year. So it's a big couple [of] years. "I've only had one camp with Joe, but from what I experienced, it's going to be a lot more intense. "He knows our Australian players a lot more, and our strengths. I think he's going to take advantage of that style of play we like, make it fast and intense, so we can really go after it. "The Olympics was quite disappointing for us, and we never wanted to finish the tournament like that, especially after the success that we had at the 2023 World Cup. "So we're looking to get back into form now, especially having Joe in. We know that we've got a consistent coach that's going to be there a while, we're going to buy into how he wants to play, and our first test will be the Asian Cup, so it'll be interesting." Arnold expects Australia to get behind the Matildas again when the Asian Cup rolls around, too, which will be a huge advantage for the squad. "You can see how much the home fans helped us at the World Cup and really got us over the line in some of those games that were close," she said. "So we're really excited to have another major tournament back home in front of our fans and hopefully we can do one better than we did at the World Cup and win that for them." Matildas superstar Mackenzie Arnold is still coming to terms with seeing herself on a cereal box, but she hopes it's a sign that the times are a-changing for women in sport. Arnold has been selected as an "Aussie icon" ambassador for Milo and its new strawberry-flavoured cereal that the goalkeeper actually helped develop. Before she was a world-class goalkeeper, Arnold hadn't seen women in sport given such promotion, but with the onset of the "Matildas effect" following the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia, athletes like her hold influence like never before. Tickets to Matildas games are in demand, the players' own social media accounts have massive followings, contracts now attract higher salaries, and the sporting participation boom inspired by the Matildas in recent years - particularly for girls and women - is well-documented. So it makes sense brands would want to align themselves with top women athletes like Arnold, who is currently playing for US club, Portland Thorns FC. Still, from humble beginnings in the old W-League playing in front of small crowds, to selling out stadiums and becoming a hero to millions of Aussie kids, it's a bit of an adjustment for Arnold to see her face on products at the supermarket. "It's insane," she told The Canberra Times from Portland during a mid-season international break. "Growing up seeing other athletes on cereal boxes, you never really think that's going to be you, and now I get it to do it with Milo as well, which is something I always grew up on - it's pretty surreal to me. "I still don't look at myself as an Australian icon. "Opportunities like this just came after the World Cup, and I think it really showed us, and little girls and boys as well, what actually is possible now. "When I was a kid, I don't really remember women athletes on cereal boxes, so to be that person and hopefully inspire the younger generation after me is really special." Arnold has seen firsthand how the Matildas' march to the Women's World Cup semi-final two years ago was a turning point. "The world has really taken off with women's sport," she said. "You can see at the Euros that are playing at the moment, the amount of exposure they're getting and publicity - it's crazy to see, and I think it's only going to get bigger. "I would have loved to have been a young kid coming through at this stage, for sure. Still got a long way to go, but it's definitely heading in the right direction." In the Arnold household, as a child, the glovewoman used to have arguments with her brother over which flavour was best - chocolate or strawberry. She'd go for a strawberry milkshake and strawberry donut, while he'd go for the chocolate option. Decades later when Arnold was asked by Milo to taste-test the final strawberry flavour that would be used in its limited edition cereal, she was elated. "They sent me some samples and I chose which one I liked," she said. "I've actually given it to some of my teammates in Portland, and they obviously don't know much about Milo, but for them to enjoy it says a lot. "I'm hoping everyone else likes it in Australia as well." Last year, after a four-season stint in England with West Ham United, Arnold joined the Thorns in the USA's NWSL competition. However, injury setbacks have prevented her from playing consistently in the last 12 months. Having overcome triceps and calf injuries, Arnold is now healthy again and gearing up for the Women's Asian Cup in Australia in March. Under new coach Joe Montemurro, Arnold is aiming to lift the Matildas back to world-beating form after a "disappointing" Olympics campaign in Paris. "The Asian Cup is very important for us," she said. "It's another major tournament that we want to win, and then that takes us into the World Cup again the following year. So it's a big couple [of] years. "I've only had one camp with Joe, but from what I experienced, it's going to be a lot more intense. "He knows our Australian players a lot more, and our strengths. I think he's going to take advantage of that style of play we like, make it fast and intense, so we can really go after it. "The Olympics was quite disappointing for us, and we never wanted to finish the tournament like that, especially after the success that we had at the 2023 World Cup. "So we're looking to get back into form now, especially having Joe in. We know that we've got a consistent coach that's going to be there a while, we're going to buy into how he wants to play, and our first test will be the Asian Cup, so it'll be interesting." Arnold expects Australia to get behind the Matildas again when the Asian Cup rolls around, too, which will be a huge advantage for the squad. "You can see how much the home fans helped us at the World Cup and really got us over the line in some of those games that were close," she said. "So we're really excited to have another major tournament back home in front of our fans and hopefully we can do one better than we did at the World Cup and win that for them." Matildas superstar Mackenzie Arnold is still coming to terms with seeing herself on a cereal box, but she hopes it's a sign that the times are a-changing for women in sport. Arnold has been selected as an "Aussie icon" ambassador for Milo and its new strawberry-flavoured cereal that the goalkeeper actually helped develop. Before she was a world-class goalkeeper, Arnold hadn't seen women in sport given such promotion, but with the onset of the "Matildas effect" following the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia, athletes like her hold influence like never before. Tickets to Matildas games are in demand, the players' own social media accounts have massive followings, contracts now attract higher salaries, and the sporting participation boom inspired by the Matildas in recent years - particularly for girls and women - is well-documented. So it makes sense brands would want to align themselves with top women athletes like Arnold, who is currently playing for US club, Portland Thorns FC. Still, from humble beginnings in the old W-League playing in front of small crowds, to selling out stadiums and becoming a hero to millions of Aussie kids, it's a bit of an adjustment for Arnold to see her face on products at the supermarket. "It's insane," she told The Canberra Times from Portland during a mid-season international break. "Growing up seeing other athletes on cereal boxes, you never really think that's going to be you, and now I get it to do it with Milo as well, which is something I always grew up on - it's pretty surreal to me. "I still don't look at myself as an Australian icon. "Opportunities like this just came after the World Cup, and I think it really showed us, and little girls and boys as well, what actually is possible now. "When I was a kid, I don't really remember women athletes on cereal boxes, so to be that person and hopefully inspire the younger generation after me is really special." Arnold has seen firsthand how the Matildas' march to the Women's World Cup semi-final two years ago was a turning point. "The world has really taken off with women's sport," she said. "You can see at the Euros that are playing at the moment, the amount of exposure they're getting and publicity - it's crazy to see, and I think it's only going to get bigger. "I would have loved to have been a young kid coming through at this stage, for sure. Still got a long way to go, but it's definitely heading in the right direction." In the Arnold household, as a child, the glovewoman used to have arguments with her brother over which flavour was best - chocolate or strawberry. She'd go for a strawberry milkshake and strawberry donut, while he'd go for the chocolate option. Decades later when Arnold was asked by Milo to taste-test the final strawberry flavour that would be used in its limited edition cereal, she was elated. "They sent me some samples and I chose which one I liked," she said. "I've actually given it to some of my teammates in Portland, and they obviously don't know much about Milo, but for them to enjoy it says a lot. "I'm hoping everyone else likes it in Australia as well." Last year, after a four-season stint in England with West Ham United, Arnold joined the Thorns in the USA's NWSL competition. However, injury setbacks have prevented her from playing consistently in the last 12 months. Having overcome triceps and calf injuries, Arnold is now healthy again and gearing up for the Women's Asian Cup in Australia in March. Under new coach Joe Montemurro, Arnold is aiming to lift the Matildas back to world-beating form after a "disappointing" Olympics campaign in Paris. "The Asian Cup is very important for us," she said. "It's another major tournament that we want to win, and then that takes us into the World Cup again the following year. So it's a big couple [of] years. "I've only had one camp with Joe, but from what I experienced, it's going to be a lot more intense. "He knows our Australian players a lot more, and our strengths. I think he's going to take advantage of that style of play we like, make it fast and intense, so we can really go after it. "The Olympics was quite disappointing for us, and we never wanted to finish the tournament like that, especially after the success that we had at the 2023 World Cup. "So we're looking to get back into form now, especially having Joe in. We know that we've got a consistent coach that's going to be there a while, we're going to buy into how he wants to play, and our first test will be the Asian Cup, so it'll be interesting." Arnold expects Australia to get behind the Matildas again when the Asian Cup rolls around, too, which will be a huge advantage for the squad. "You can see how much the home fans helped us at the World Cup and really got us over the line in some of those games that were close," she said. "So we're really excited to have another major tournament back home in front of our fans and hopefully we can do one better than we did at the World Cup and win that for them." Matildas superstar Mackenzie Arnold is still coming to terms with seeing herself on a cereal box, but she hopes it's a sign that the times are a-changing for women in sport. Arnold has been selected as an "Aussie icon" ambassador for Milo and its new strawberry-flavoured cereal that the goalkeeper actually helped develop. Before she was a world-class goalkeeper, Arnold hadn't seen women in sport given such promotion, but with the onset of the "Matildas effect" following the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia, athletes like her hold influence like never before. Tickets to Matildas games are in demand, the players' own social media accounts have massive followings, contracts now attract higher salaries, and the sporting participation boom inspired by the Matildas in recent years - particularly for girls and women - is well-documented. So it makes sense brands would want to align themselves with top women athletes like Arnold, who is currently playing for US club, Portland Thorns FC. Still, from humble beginnings in the old W-League playing in front of small crowds, to selling out stadiums and becoming a hero to millions of Aussie kids, it's a bit of an adjustment for Arnold to see her face on products at the supermarket. "It's insane," she told The Canberra Times from Portland during a mid-season international break. "Growing up seeing other athletes on cereal boxes, you never really think that's going to be you, and now I get it to do it with Milo as well, which is something I always grew up on - it's pretty surreal to me. "I still don't look at myself as an Australian icon. "Opportunities like this just came after the World Cup, and I think it really showed us, and little girls and boys as well, what actually is possible now. "When I was a kid, I don't really remember women athletes on cereal boxes, so to be that person and hopefully inspire the younger generation after me is really special." Arnold has seen firsthand how the Matildas' march to the Women's World Cup semi-final two years ago was a turning point. "The world has really taken off with women's sport," she said. "You can see at the Euros that are playing at the moment, the amount of exposure they're getting and publicity - it's crazy to see, and I think it's only going to get bigger. "I would have loved to have been a young kid coming through at this stage, for sure. Still got a long way to go, but it's definitely heading in the right direction." In the Arnold household, as a child, the glovewoman used to have arguments with her brother over which flavour was best - chocolate or strawberry. She'd go for a strawberry milkshake and strawberry donut, while he'd go for the chocolate option. Decades later when Arnold was asked by Milo to taste-test the final strawberry flavour that would be used in its limited edition cereal, she was elated. "They sent me some samples and I chose which one I liked," she said. "I've actually given it to some of my teammates in Portland, and they obviously don't know much about Milo, but for them to enjoy it says a lot. "I'm hoping everyone else likes it in Australia as well." Last year, after a four-season stint in England with West Ham United, Arnold joined the Thorns in the USA's NWSL competition. However, injury setbacks have prevented her from playing consistently in the last 12 months. Having overcome triceps and calf injuries, Arnold is now healthy again and gearing up for the Women's Asian Cup in Australia in March. Under new coach Joe Montemurro, Arnold is aiming to lift the Matildas back to world-beating form after a "disappointing" Olympics campaign in Paris. "The Asian Cup is very important for us," she said. "It's another major tournament that we want to win, and then that takes us into the World Cup again the following year. So it's a big couple [of] years. "I've only had one camp with Joe, but from what I experienced, it's going to be a lot more intense. "He knows our Australian players a lot more, and our strengths. I think he's going to take advantage of that style of play we like, make it fast and intense, so we can really go after it. "The Olympics was quite disappointing for us, and we never wanted to finish the tournament like that, especially after the success that we had at the 2023 World Cup. "So we're looking to get back into form now, especially having Joe in. We know that we've got a consistent coach that's going to be there a while, we're going to buy into how he wants to play, and our first test will be the Asian Cup, so it'll be interesting." Arnold expects Australia to get behind the Matildas again when the Asian Cup rolls around, too, which will be a huge advantage for the squad. "You can see how much the home fans helped us at the World Cup and really got us over the line in some of those games that were close," she said. "So we're really excited to have another major tournament back home in front of our fans and hopefully we can do one better than we did at the World Cup and win that for them."
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Iran beat Jordan to complete Women's Asian Cup line-up
Iran handed Jordan a 2-1 defeat to claim the final berth at next year's Women's Asian Cup finals, to be held in Australia in March. Second-half goals from Sara Didar and Negin Zandi in Amman on Saturday earned Marziyeh Jafari's team a win that secured top spot in Group A of the preliminaries ahead of the Jordanians due to their better head-to-head record. The Iranians are the last team to qualify for the finals after matches in Group A were postponed because of the recent Israel-Iran conflict. Australia will host the 12-team tournament in Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast from March 1-21, and Joe Montemurro's home side will be among the favourites to lift the trophy. Defending champions China, who have won the title a record nine times, will also be joined at the finals by South Korea, Japan, Bangladesh, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, the Philippines and North Korea. The draw takes place in Sydney on July 29. "There's a real energy building, not just here in Australia but across Asia, and this diverse, high-quality line-up shows just how far women's football has come," said Sarah Walsh, the event's chief organising officer. "With so much talent and so many great stories coming together, this is going to be a tournament to remember." The competition will also serve as Asia's qualifying tournament for the Women's World Cup in 2027, with six automatic berths available at the finals in Brazil. A further two nations will progress to a series of intercontinental playoffs.
Courier-Mail
4 days ago
- Courier-Mail
Dramatic moment protester ragdolled over fence by security guard at Tour de France
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cycling. Followed categories will be added to My News. This is the dramatic moment a brave security guard takes down a brazen anti-Israel protester at the Tour de France in front of a crowd of shocked spectators. The Sun reports the demonstrator was running down the main track protesting against Israel's participation in the event - before the guard brutally tackled him down to the ground. Tszyu vs Fundora 2 & Pacquiao vs Barrios | SUN 20 JULY 10AM AEST | Tim Tszyu faces Sebastian Fundora in a blockbuster rematch, plus Manny Pacquiao makes his highly anticipated return to the ring to face Mario Barrios. | Order now with Main Event on Kayo Sports In the shocking footage, the unruly pro-Palestine protester is seen sprinting down the bicycle course with his hands in the air. He is seen running mere metres away from several athletes speeding down the track at the same time as him. But seconds later, the rebellious man is suddenly tackled, thrust against the wall and dramatically hauled over like a ragdoll. Cheering spectators suddenly turn their attention to the wild altercation as the guard desperately attempts to fully restrain him. The staff member seemingly throws his hands towards the rogue protester, while trying to keep him on the ground to put an end to his disruptive behaviour. He calls for help from other security staff before launching his walkie talkie at the protester on the floor in the middle of the jam-packed crowd. Startled biking fans then appear to stop the guard and push him back slightly. Stage winner Jonas Abrahamsen and Mauro Schmid (right) sprint at finish line while a pro-Palestinian spontaneous bursts onto the road in Stage 11 of the Tour de France. (Photo by) The extraordinary scenes unfolded just 25 metres from the finish line at the race on Wednesday. Jonas Abrahamsen from Norway narrowly beat out Switzerland's Mauro Schmid in the 11th stage of the three-week race. The brazen protester was wearing a shirt that read: 'Israel out of the Tour.' He also held a keffiyeh, a black-and-white checkered headdress and pro-Palestine symbol. The stunt was directed at Israel's Premier-Tech team, which is registered in Israel - despite not featuring any Israeli bikers at this year's event. The security guard was having none of it. Photo: X. The protester got tackled over the fence. Photo: X. Stage 11 of the Tour de France stretched 156.8 kilometres and took place in and around Toulouse in southern France. The iconic event has 21 stages - with the race ending at the Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 27. Tadej Pogacar powered to victory in an uphill time trial on stage 13 of the Tour de France on Friday to stretch his lead in the race to more than four minutes. Jonas Vingegard and Remco Evenepoel clung on to their places in the overall top three, but this 10.9km time-trial triumph was defending champion Pogacar's second crushing win in two days. Pogacar is in the box seat to win his fourth Tour de France, joining Chris Froome as four-time winners. This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission. Originally published as Dramatic moment protester ragdolled over fence by security guard at Tour de France
