A Sydney FC team have flown out to China this morning, headed for the Free Port Trade International Cup Tournament in Haikou City.
The Sky Blues will take on Chinese Super League teams Shanghai Shenhua and Changchun Yatai FC in the four-team tournament which also includes Hyundai A-League rivals Newcastle Jets.
A young Sydney FC team will travel to the comp which takes place on the south China island of Hainan, however the squad does contain several players who have been part of our AFC Champions League and FFA Cup squads with the senior team.
The competition will celebrate the opening of the newly built Haikou Stadium and the two exhibition matches will be held on Friday 6th July and Sunday 8th July.
Head Coach Rob Stanton said: “This is a great opportunity for our players to test themselves at another level and our players are extremely excited.
“We are looking forward to the challenge and it will provide our boys with an invaluable experience which they will learn from and be better players when they come back to Sydney.
“Both our opposition are extremely experienced and we felt this was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.”
The squad will return to Sydney on Tuesday 10th July following the six day trip.
The squad is as follows:
1. DURO DRAGICEVIC (jersey #30)
2. MITCHELL EVANS (#1)
3. PATRICK SCIBILIO (#5)
4. PATRICK FLOTTMANN (#3) – co captain
5. LIAM MCGING (#4)
6. JOEL KING (#14)
7. ANDREA AGAMEMNONOS (#6)
8. JERRY SKOTADIS (#7)
9. SAM MCILLHATTON (#8) – co captain
10. CAMERON DEVLIN (#10)
11. LUKE IVANOVIC (#11)
12. JEREMY COX (#15)
13. JORDAN SWIBEL (#13)
14. JACKSON BANDIERA (#12)
15. WILLIAM MUTCH (#16)
16. DANIEL MASKIN (#9)
17. DANIEL BLACHURA (#2)
