The training camp and Andorra friendly are part of Alberto Zaccheroni's squad's preparations for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 which will be held in the UAE on January 5-February 1.

Zaccheroni called up a 27-man squad for the first of five training camps in Salzburg and UAE had already played several friendly matches with Austrian and Italian clubs before the Andorra tie at the Untersberg Arena on Saturday.

The squad will return to the UAE on Sunday and the players will report to their respective clubs ahead of the UAE Pro League 2018-19 season, which kicks off with the Super Cup clash between League champions Al Ain and Cup winners Al Wahda in Cairo, Egypt on August 25. The league starts on August 30.

Having demonstrated their quality in the AFC Champions League, AFC Cup and even at the FIFA World Cup, Asian players have attracted growing interest from European clubs. And as we look forward to January's AFC Asian Cup in the UAE, we cast an eye on six players who made the move to the old continent over the summer.

Kim Pan-gon, who heads the Korea Football Association's (KFA) national team coach appointment committee, said Bento will lead Korea Republic through the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The 49-year-old Portuguese will succeed Shin Tae-yong, who handled Korea Republic at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

After a superb performance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, where Iran beat Morocco 1-0, held Portugal 1-1 and fell 1-0 to Spain, Iran climbed five rungs to 32nd to reclaim their position as the Continent’s best ranked team.

IR Iran had relinquished the top spot to Australia just before the FIFA World Cup.

Australia dropped seven spots to 43rd, while Japan moved six spots up to 55th after reaching the Round of 16 in Russia 2018 to replace Korea Republic at third in Asia..

The Taeguk Warriors’ ranking remained unchanged at 57, while Saudi Arabia dropped three spots to 70th to be positioned as the fourth and fifth highest ranked Asian teams.

They may be the only Asian nation to reach the semi-final of a FIFA World Cup, and they may have participated in the tournament more than any other Asian side, but on the continental stage, Korea Republic have struggled to reach similar heights in recent times.

In the past 59 years Korea Republic have reached the AFC Asian Cup semi-finals on eight occasions and the final in four, yet Asia's most prestigious trophy remained elusive.

The AFC President said: “The Local Organising Committee has been working diligently to stage the best-ever AFC Asian Cup edition – one that reinforces the AFC’s Vision and Mission to deliver top-level competitions for our players, teams and passionate fans.

“On behalf of the Asian football family, I want to thank the LOC for sharing our aspirations of “Bringing Asia Together” and for the level of professionalism and dedication demonstrated throughout the planning and final preparation stages.”

To celebrate the 150-day countdown, the LOC has confirmed that registration for the much-anticipated volunteer programme will go live on August 31, 2018 where as many as 5,000 passionate football fans across Asia will have the chance to not only watch sporting history, but be a part of the biggest football event on the Continent.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) announced several additions to the Socceroos staff on Thursday as Australia’s senior men’s national football team transitions into a new era under one of the A-League’s most successful managers.

Highly experienced Dutch coach René Meulensteen has been appointed as an Assistant Coach to Arnold, while Andrew Clark (High Performance Coordinator (Sports Science), Phil Coles (High Performance Coordinator (Physiotherapy), and Doug Kors (Senior Technical Analyst) have also joined the Socceroos set-up.