Australia's goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and team mates from Autralia's national football team attend a training session at the Park Arena in Sochi on June 25, 2018, on the eve of the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup Group C football match between Australia and Peru. / AFP / Nelson Almeida
Australia's goalkeeper Mathew Ryan in action in training. Nelson Almeida / AFP

Australia goalkeeper Matthew Ryan happy to have family support for Peru showdown



There is no chance of Mathew Ryan getting homesick at the World Cup - the Australia goalkeeper has paid for 27 members of his family to come out to Russia and support him and his teammate.

"It is the first time other than my mother and my sister that I've paid for my family to come across and watch," Ryan said yesterday, ahead of Australia's crucial final Group C game in Russia against Peru.

"Obviously a World Cup doesn't come around every so often, so the chance to share something like this with them, it was a no-brainer.

"I asked my family members if they were interested, if they were able to come across, and half of them said yes, so half of them are still at home. It's a little better for the bank account I guess!"

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The 26-year-old goalkeeper from New South Wales has had his family in tow as he played in both of Australia's matches so far, a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of France and then a 1-1 draw with Denmark.

"There is nothing better than being able to treat your family well and look after them and I'm very fortunate and thankful to football for allowing me to do that," said Ryan, who now plays for Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League.

His entourage ranges from his three-year old cousin to his grandfather, who is in his 70s.

It is a larger group than Bert van Marwijk's entire squad of 23 who still have a slim chance of emulating Guus Hiddink's team of 2006 that reached the last 16 in Germany.

"Fortunately the life I live now enables me to try to give back to them a little bit, and for me to share this experience with them is going to be something I'll remember for the rest of my life."

Australia need to beat already-eliminated Peru at the Fisht Stadium and hope Denmark lose to France at the same time in order to avoid a group-stage elimination.

And despite the strain on his wallet, Ryan, who has also played for Club Brugge and Valencia since leaving his homeland in 2013, is hoping the family adventure is not going to end just yet.

"Definitely not. Our plan is not to leave and it won't be their plan either," he said.

Peru are already out but performed well enough in narrow defeats against Denmark and France to ensure that the Australians will not be taking them lightly.

The South Americans will have a huge support with them by the Black Sea as they attempt to claim a consolation victory in their first appearance at the World Cup since 1982.

"I know that Peru is a good team, and has shown it already here at the World Cup, although they are not qualified for the next round," said Van Marwijk.

Meanwhile, Peru coach Ricardo Gareca confirmed that forward Jefferson Farfan will miss his side's final game as he recovers from a concussion suffered in training.

"We don't want to leave here empty-handed," warned veteran forward Paolo Guerrero.

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Eco Way
Started: December 2023
Founder: Ivan Kroshnyi
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Electric vehicles
Investors: Bootstrapped with undisclosed funding. Looking to raise funds from outside

TWISTERS

Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung

Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos

Rating:+2.5/5

RESULTS

5pm: Watha Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 2,000m

Winner: Dalil De Carrere, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Mohamed Daggash (trainer)

5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m

Winner: Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Pharitz Al Denari, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mahmood Hussain

6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Oss, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi

7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash

7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m

Winner: AF Almajhaz, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi

8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m

Winner: AF Lewaa, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qaiss Aboud.

Race 3

Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

EMIRATES'S REVISED A350 DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULE

Edinburgh: November 4 (unchanged)

Bahrain: November 15 (from September 15); second daily service from January 1

Kuwait: November 15 (from September 16)

Mumbai: January 1 (from October 27)

Ahmedabad: January 1 (from October 27)

Colombo: January 2 (from January 1)

Muscat: March 1 (from December 1)

Lyon: March 1 (from December 1)

Bologna: March 1 (from December 1)

Source: Emirates

Company Profile

Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000

Scorebox

Sharjah Wanderers 20-25 Dubai Tigers (After extra-time)

Wanderers

Tries Gormley, Penalty

Cons Flaherty

Pens Flaherty 2

Tigers

Tries O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly

Cons Caldwell 2

Pens Caldwell, Cross

Bridgerton season three - part one

Directors: Various

Starring: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Jonathan Bailey

Rating: 3/5


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