Qatar 2022: Australia’s Aaron Mooy to miss China match as Shanghai Port call him back
- Socceroos schemer ‘devastated’ as Chinese Super League club recall him ahead of World Cup qualifiers, says coach Graham Arnold
- Australia meet group leaders Saudi Arabia in first game at home since 2019 before heading to UAE to face Li Tie’s side
Australia’s Aaron Mooy will miss the Socceroos upcoming Fifa World Cup qualifying matches against China and Saudi Arabia after his Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port called him back.
The Socceroos take on group B leaders Saudi Arabia next Thursday at the CommBank Stadium in Sydney before travelling to the UAE to take on China on November 16 in the final stage of Asia’s Qatar 2022 qualifiers.
“His Chinese club made him come back to China because he hadn’t been in China for a couple of months,” Socceross boss Graham Arnold said of his missing midfielder.
“The Chinese government’s rules and regulations are that he had to do 14 days quarantine, and then after 14 days quarantine it’s 14 days self-isolation, which (went) days into our camp.
“I’ve had conversations with Aaron. He’s devastated that he can’t be here but he’s contractual situation in China with the salary he’s getting paid has made him go back.”