Thought it was available somehow and changing to Czech VPN, it does. Germany has Sportdigital as rights holder so that's why it doesn't work here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utO48DEc7BY

NordVPN server Prague 120 doesn't work but 97 does. So much easier on YouTube.

What a tackle by Indonesia. Nice to see Jordi Amat formerly of Swansea out there for Indonesia.

I swear every other team possess better fundamental passing smarts and technical ability to do it. It kills me how we seem to choose the dumbest passing options or just hoof it. The worst thing is the soft pass and the receiver starts running away from the ball while it loses speed for an easy intercept. Zero firmness. 

Excellent play by Indonesia to equalise. 1:1!

Some highlights from AFCON surely have fake crowd noises. The Nigerian game had 8k but the roar sounded a lot louder.

Lots of empty seats at AFCON so far. Asian Cup has fared alright so far. I wonder how AFCON is priced. I get the majority in the Ivory Coast are broke but the African middle class has grown a lot that I'd expect a bit more travel. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8LzGrzSbuo

Those Mozambique goals against the traditional strong defensive Egypt. If we just put our best ballers on the pitch we can do that too. Genreau's Saudi away performance was sound. Another who can actually play with the ball.

Jordan 2:0 up after 18 in a nightmare start for Malaysia. Australian born Davies the culprit for the penalty and the first goal was a great curled shot with the keeper somewhat off his line. 

The microphones on the YouTube streams are great at picking up the crowd unlike the German broadcast that turns it down and the commentary drones. Watching Australia India again and now I can hear the noise being made.

Jordan fans having a night as a 3rd goal is ruled out. Malaysia with stage fright but their fans are going hard too. 

Looking at our wingers for the Asian Cup ATM, with Boyle getting knocked off his feet a lot when he tries to push the ball in front of defenders and outpace them, and being fairly puny in physique - whilst Goodwin is   reluctant to take players on, unless he  sees he has a highly advantageous body position compared to his marker, preferring to pass and move, or cross, than run with the ball and take defenders on - Daniel Arzani is starting to terrorise the AL again.

Arzani is looking like his old self - flashy body swerves, La Croquetas, inside and outside stepovers, Brazilian drags and lovely changes of pace, whilst at the same time having a stocky  physique and low centre of gravity - making him hard to push off the ball. Importantly, he is also beating players, creating overloads. 

The way he played against  CCM - Socceroos need him in Qatar. Arzani has a real swagger and confidence about him again. He is having a good battle with Farrell. CCM are often putting two players on him when he has the ball.

The  Asian Cup has come 6 months too early for the Socceroos.

Oman VAR pen and rightly so. Counter attack by Oman and the Saudi chaser wants to get goal side of the runner and first grabs the shoulder then steps on the foot in the box. Saudi final pass in front of goal costing them dearly. Oman plan very organised and they strike with speed.

Thailand with a good 2:0 win over Kyrgyzstan. 

Numerous times point blank and the Oman keeper is keeping Saudi at bay. Good reflexes with legs.

Pathetic Saudi simulation. Oman keeper goes up to catch with a high knee and the Saudi player begins his flying through the air in collision direction a second before minimal contact. 20 seconds later and he's totally unhurt. HT Oman 1:0.

FFs where are the cards? Saudi player walks up to assistant ref and puts a full palm into his chest. Hardly a shove but standing over an official like that.

Saudi score a late winner. VAR checks for given offside. Ref blows, raises arm, crossed arms to show taken back and does right arm goal signal and points to centre circle. Oman players celebrate and Saudi players complain. 22 players who don't understand gestures.... 

https://www.youtube.com/live/tvRBKeR9Rro?si=Fz5h7u_2sjMjRHUW

Australia press conference live now. 

Won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but that mint green shade of China’s kit is kinda fire imo

Don't mind it at all and a lot of clubs have used it too. Australia have had navy away for a while which I like. Wouldn't mind a white for one cycle.

Qatar beat Tajikistan 1:0 in a dire game. China Lebanon ended goalless. Qatar have won the group and will face 3rd CDE combo.

China is in a tricky spot. If Lebanon Tajikistan has a winner, China will have to beat Qatar to be 2nd. 3 draws for China and a low goal count makes a 3rd spot for advancement tough.

I'm worried about the Socceroos squad.

Arnie hand picked a team whose greatest qualities are recovering the ball from opposition counter attacks. He hasn't selected enough players more adept at breaking down deep block/Partial Press defences. Many of  the opponents in friendlies have come at Aus, ceding space in midfield and defence. 

The likes of Irvine and Metcalfe, are not good enough  operating in small amounts of space between and within the lines.

Arnie needs the likes of Arzani ( resurgent in the AL) out wide to beat players, creating overloads. Arnie could also do with the skill of Hrustic.

 Arnie  should play a midfield of O'Neill, Baccus and McGree ( faster handling speeds), with Arzani out wide on the right and Bos at Left Wing.

Nisbet, Hollman and Ikon have recently displayed these qualities in the A L.

China should be the best team in Asia. 

The difference is Japan have formulated a strategic plan. China's is ad hoc.

Because the AFC chose to randomly select teams into the pots for the draw for this tournament, it's difficult to read too much into the first round. However, significantly, Thailand is the only pot 4 team from the original draw based on rankings in April 2023 that had a win, and against a pot 2 team.

We have seen their club teams do well in the Asian Champions League, it looks to be baring fruit for the National Team as well.

Why? 

They largely don't pursue sport. They also don't have the facilities and resources. They certainly have never really had a really good player

Lebanon played well and should have won. I was surprised by their quality in this match and attacking endevour. 

Given the amount of money they've injected in their league and towards football in general.

They have created amazing facilities and resources. Arnie is banging on about it all the time - Asian resources in general and China in particular.

Look at what  China has done in Olympic sports.

They always randomly select teams into the groups from the pots in these national tournaments.

Fair play to Lebanon.

Thailand won against pot 3, not 2

Have been told by a Chinese friend that the government demand$ a cut should athletes go pro..... a major reason for them not really pursuing sport.

I have been told that is ONLY for Chinese athletes competing overseas, like old mate the 20 foot tall basketballer in the NBA a few years ago... Could be wrong though.

President Xi of China was determined for China to become a global power in football, but as CNN reports: "But more than a decade on from when Xi first outlined his dream, China's soccer fortunes have fallen as quickly as they once rose. Poor financial decisions and alleged high-level corruption coupled with a three-year pandemic have left the sport in tatters".7 Apr 2023
China started doing a decade ago what the Saudis ae doing now, importing foreign stars. But of the top ten most expensive imports only one is still playing in China, the rest have left (including a handful of naturalised Brazilians who had no Chinese heritage) some to avoid China's strict Covid restrictions, most because the money was drying up.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/07/china/xi-jinping-china-football-dream-fail-intl-hnk-dst/index.html#:~:text=But%20more%20than%20a%20decade,left%20the%20sport%20in%20tatters.