Socceroos: Ryan Teague chases World Cup berth against Japan
World Cup qualification would help ease Melbourne Victory star Ryan Teague's pain of losing another A-League grand final.
Victory has tasted defeat in back-to-back A-League deciders, with Saturday night's 1-0 loss to Melbourne City at AAMI Park coming a year after losing last season's grand final 3-1 to the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford.
Throw in Victory's 1-0 loss Macarthur FC in last year's Australia Cup final, and that's three deciders on the trot in which Teague has been on the wrong end of the result.
'It's disappointing to lose a grand final … that's three,' Teague said on Wednesday ahead of Australia's FIFA World Cup qualifier against Japan at Perth's Optus Stadium.
'It was unfortunate because probably a club like Victory is expected to win grand finals and trophies, but there are things to improve on and we can look forward to that going into next (season) … but I'm here in (Perth) now. I've got to put it past me. My sole focus now is the game against Japan.
'It's more about seeing what I can do here, how I can help the team the best I can to get the win against Japan. I'm super happy to be selected again.'
Teague is one of six weekend grand final players – three from Victory and three from City – in the Socceroos squad, the others being his club teammates Daniel Arzani and Kasey Bos, and City's Aziz Behich, Kai Trewin and Marco Tilio.
'They're all great guys,' Teague said of the City trio.
'There was a bit of banter, but we've moved on. We're here supporting the same team now, and playing for the same team.'
Melbourne Victory star Ryan Teague is hoping to secure his second Socceroos cap on Thursday night against Japan. Picture:Teague impressed in his Socceroos' debut in a 2-0 away win over China in March and was hopeful of a second cap on Thursday night when Australia could seal a spot at next year's World Cup with a win, or even a draw, depending on the result of Friday morning's qualifier between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in Riffa.
'Of course it's a big game but I don't try to overthink it,' the 23-year-old midfielder said.
'Japan's a very good squad, but it's about focusing on ourselves and what we can do to break them down and beat them.'
Having already sealed a World Cup berth by topping Group C in the third round of AFC qualifiers, Japan has sent an inexperienced squad to Perth, leaving a host of stars at home.
'Any team Japan puts out is going to be very good and very respectable,' Teague said.
Read related topics: FIFA Women's World Cup 2023
Marco Monteverde
Sports reporter
Marco Monteverde is a Brisbane-based sports reporter for NCA Newswire. He worked in a similar role for The Courier-Mail from 2007 to 2020. During a journalism career of more than 25 years, he has also worked for The Queensland Times, The Sunshine Coast Daily, The Fraser Coast Chronicle and The North West Star. He has covered three FIFA World Cups and the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as well as a host of other major sporting events in Australia and around the world.
@marcothejourno
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