Subway Joeys’ head coach Brad Maloney has announced his squad of 23 players for the forthcoming AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, with an impressive 20 players hailing from the Isuzu UTE A-League.
The tournament is set to commence on April 3, and the Joeys are gearing up by convening for a training camp to kickstart their preparations for this prestigious event.
Placed in Group B, Maloney’s young team will begin their campaign against Vietnam on April 4, followed by matches against the United Arab Emirates on April 7, and Japan on April 10 to complete the group stage.
One standout selection is teen prodigy Haine Eames from Central Coast Mariners, who has enjoyed regular first-team appearances this season with the reigning Isuzu UTE A-League champions.
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Much like the recent U20 AFC Asian Cup, this tournament will also serve as a qualifying event for the U17 FIFA World Cup, scheduled for November later this year.
The eight highest-ranked teams will secure a spot at the World Cup, meaning if Maloney’s squad successfully navigates the group stage, they will earn their place in the tournament in Qatar—marking their first participation since 2019.
A-League Players Selected for Joeys U17 AFC Asian Cup Squad:
Adelaide United: Amlani Tatu
Brisbane Roar: Quinn MacNicol, Charlie Parkin, Rhys Williams
Central Coast Mariners: Jai Ajanovic, Jared Williams, Logan Sambrook, Haine Eames
Melbourne City: Jonty Benfield, Isiah Boston
Perth Glory: Alex Bolton, Christian Pullella
Sydney FC: Nickolas Alfaro, Jay Maltz
Western Sydney Wanderers: Akol Akon, Kade Baccus, Thomas Cutuk, Zane Stevenson
Western United: Anthony Didulica, Besian Kutleshi
“We’ve been steadily preparing for this Asian Cup, and I believe we’re in a fantastic position as we head into our pre-camp,” remarked Joeys head coach Maloney.
“I’ve been truly impressed by all the players involved in our programme. Their dedication and effort in embracing our playing style and off-field standards have fostered a strong culture that’s crucial to our success.
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“We’ve achieved some encouraging results throughout this cycle, which is a wonderful reward for the hard work from both our players and staff.
“This marks a significant step in our journey, and we are completely focused on reaching the goals we set as a group during our first assembly in Europe earlier this year.”
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The Joeys enter the camp in high spirits after clinching the Hattrick U17 International Tournament in the UAE, alongside winning the ASEAN U16 Boys Championship held in Indonesia.
All Subway Joeys matches at the AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia will be broadcast live and exclusively on 10 Play.
MATCH DETAILS:
Subway Joeys vs Vietnam U17
Friday, 4 April 2025
Okaz Stadium, Taif
Kick-off: 6.00pm local / 2.00am AEDT (Saturday, 5 April)
Broadcast: 10 Play
United Arab Emirates U17 vs Subway Joeys
Monday, 7 April 2025
King Fahd Sports City Stadium, Taif
Kick-off: 8.15pm local / 4.15am AEDT (Tuesday, 8 April)
Broadcast: 10 Play
Japan U17 vs Subway Joeys
Thursday, 10 April 2025
Okaz Stadium, Taif
Kick-off: 6.00pm local / 2.00am AEDT (Friday, 11 April)
Broadcast: 10 Play
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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