2018 a family affair for Australia’s Ryan
SOCHI, Russia: When Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan asked his family if anyone wanted to come and watch him play in the World Cup in Russia, there was an enthusiastic response – from 27 of them.
Today they will all be cheering him on as Australia take on Peru in Group C in Sochi in a bid to qualify for the last 16. The team currently sit in third in the group with one draw from two games, behind France with six points and Denmark with four.
Ryan revealed he was covering the travel expenses for a group that included a three-year old cousin at one extreme and a grandfather in his 70s at the other.
“A World Cup doesn’t come round very often so the chance to share something like this was a no-brainer.”
If the Socceroos beat alreadyeliminated Peru, and if Denmark lose to France, then Australia could sneak through to the knockout stages. Australia are in their fifth World Cup but have progressed from their group only once before, in 2006 in Germany.
The Brighton keeper remains confident of success – and is hoping his hotel bills will keep rising for a few more days.
“We’re focusing on us and what we need to do,” he said. “If we don’t go out and do the job we need to do then there is no point in thinking about France.
“If we are successful in achieving that then we and the whole nation of Australia are going to remember that achievement for the rest of our lives.”
Peru captain Paolo Guerrero has promised to give his Australian counterpart Mile Jedinak “a big hug” before the match between the teams as a thank you for his personal support in overturning Guerrero’s drug suspension.
Although he was given a 14-month ban after testing positive for a cocaine byproduct contained in a tea, Guerrero was allowed to play in the tournament partly because the captains of Australia, France and Denmark appealed on his behalf. “I haven’t had the chance to thank him personally,” Guerrero said. “I hope to do that before the match tomorrow and I hope we can chat. I am so, so terribly grateful to him.
But if the Australians thought Peru’s early exit will make their life easier, those hopes were dispelled by Guerrero.
“We were very disappointed after being knocked out, it is hard to accept after playing so hard,” Guerrero said. “But I see all my team mates with the knife between their teeth. They don’t want to go home empty handed.”
“We are looking forward to it and we’d like to at least go home with three points so we can give a little bit of joy to the fans.”
The usual news conference a day before the game was marked by tributes to coach Ricardo Gareca.
“Thank you to the press from all of Peru’s staff, players, and technical team,” Gareca said. “My high personal approval has been thanks in part to your reports.”