Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Dortmund: Mitch Langerak, who was back up to Australia's first-choice keeper Matt Ryan at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, put the pressure on the Belgium-based stopper in the early running for the Socceroos starting berth as Australia host the 2015 AFC Asian Cup by keeping a clean sheet in Borussia Dortmund's 2-0 DFL Super Cup victory over Bayern Munich.
While the former Melbourne Victory keeper played a key role in ensuring the German champions failed to find the target the 25-year-old's counterpart Manuel Neuer, winner of the Golden Gloves award for the best keeper at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, was beaten by Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as Dortmund won the Super Cup for the second year in succession.
With Australia's historic hosting of Asia's flagship tournament looming large, Langerak will be hoping his performance in the victory over Bayern will earn him more game time in the Bundesliga, with Roman Weidenfeller, number two to Neuer in the Germany national team, currently the preferred choice of Dortmund head coach Jurgen Klopp.
Australia will open the 2015 AFC Asian Cup on January 9 when they take on Kuwait in the tournament curtain raiser in Melbourne.
Photo: AFP