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Adelaide United are one game away from being the first Australian team to qualify for the Knock-Out phase of the AFC Champions League following their 1-0 victory over Pohang Steelers.

United are currently at the top of Group E on 13 points with Changchun Yatai (China) closely behind on 11 points whilst the other teams in the group, the Pohang Steelers (Korea Republic) and Binh Duong (Vietnam) have 4 and 0 points respectively.

A win or draw against Changchun Yatai will be enough for United to progress through to the quarter-final stage of Asia's premier club football competition.

Only the winner of each of the seven groups will progress to the Quarter-Final stage along with the current champions, Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan.

AFC Champions League 2008 – Remaining Group E Fixtures
CHANGCHUN YATAI (CHINA PR) v ADELAIDE UNITED (AUSTRALIA)
Changchun City Stadium, Changchun, China
Wednesday 21 May 2008
Kick-Off 15:30 (17:30 AEST, 17:00 ACST)
NAM DINH FC (VIETNAM) v KASHIMA ANTLERS FC (JAPAN)
MY Dinh Stadium
Wednesday 21 May 2008
Kick-Off 17:00 (19:00 AEST)

Football Federation Australia today announced that the Hyundai A-League 2009 Grand Final will be played on Saturday 28 February 2009 following the release of the Hyundai A-League 2008-09 Season draw.

The first round of the Hyundai A-League 2008-09 season, which will kick off on Friday 15 August, features the Hyundai A-League 2008 Grand Final rematch between reigning Champions the Newcastle Jets and their local rivals and defending Premiers the Central Coast Mariners.

The rivalries continue on Saturday 16 August when Sydney FC host Melbourne Victory, whilst Sunday 17 August sees the Queensland Roar travel across the ditch to face the Wellington Phoenix and Adelaide United hosts Perth Glory to complete round one.

In addition to the opening round the Hyundai A-League 2008-09 season draw highlights include:
· three breaks within the Hyundai A-League 2008-09 season to accommodate FIFA match dates (6 September 2008, 11 October 2008 and 11 November 2008. An additional break will occur during the Hyundai A-League 2009 Finals Series (11 February 2009).
· Boxing Day double between the Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners and also Perth Glory and Adelaide United.
· Round 18 will see a New Years Eve blockbuster between Central Coast Mariners and Perth Glory at Bluetongue Stadium and Adelaide United host Sydney FC at Adelaide Oval on Saturday 3 January 2009.
· Every match broadcast live and exclusive on FOX Sports.
· The Hyundai A-League 2008-09 season will again be contested over 21 rounds. The final round of the season (Round 21) is scheduled for the weekend of 23-25 January 2009.

The Hyundai A-League 2009 Finals Series will be contested by the top four teams at the end of Round 21. The first leg of the Hyundai A-League 2009 Semi-Finals will be played on Friday 30 January 2009 and Sunday 1 February 2009 with the Hyundai A-League 2009 Preliminary Final scheduled for Saturday 21 February 2009 with the Hyundai A-League 2009 Grand Final on Saturday 28 February 2009. The winner of the Hyundai A-League 2009 Grand Final will be crowned Champions.

“Following the success of the Hyundai A-League 2008 Grand Final, we have moved this season’s finale to Saturday night to allow more fans to attend the event no matter where the match is held,” Said FFA Chief Executive Officer Ben Buckley.

“During this season we will also see the launch of the new National Youth League competition. The establishment of this development league will provide a perfect training ground for the Hyundai A-League players of the future.

Football Federation Australia will be reaching as many fans as possible with the release of its 2008 Pre-Season Cup draw.

Bunbury (WA), Caloundra (QLD), Cessnock (NSW), Mandurah (WA) and Mt Gambier (SA) and will all host matches for the first time, while Launceston (TAS), Campbelltown (NSW), Port Macquarie (NSW) and Wollongong (NSW) will again welcome Hyundai A-League clubs for the annual Pre-Season Cup.

The 2008 Pre-Season Cup comprises two groups of four teams (Group A: Adelaide United, Melbourne Victory, Perth Glory, Newcastle Jets; Group B: Sydney FC, Queensland Roar, Wellington Phoenix, Central Coast Mariners) with each team to play the other teams in their group once.

The top teams from each group after the three rounds will play-off for in the final on Wednesday 6 August with the winner presented the 2008 Pre-Season Cup.

The Hyundai A-League 2008-09 Season will commence on Friday 15 August 2008

The Matildas are aiming for their first win against the number one team in women's football, the USA, according to captain Cheryl Salisbury. The sides will meet on April 27 in Cary, North Carolina, and May 3 in Birmingham, Alabama.

In 18 encounters, Australia is yet to defeat the United States having drawn twice and lost 16 times.

"USA is the current Olympic champion and with Beijing not far away, they will be going all out to put in a good performance."

"We've come very close to beating them in our past two or three matches and hopefully the first breakthrough will happen on this tour," said Salisbury. "The players are excited to be together again. It's the first time we have gone away since the World Cup and we have the Asian Cup in Vietnam next month so this tour will give us great preparation."

"Making the quarter finals of the World Cup really put us on the map and there are nations now chasing us for matches ."

The Matildas squad for the United States tour is:

Goalkeepers – Melissa Barbieri (Melbourne), Lydia Williams (Canberra)
Defenders – Di Alagich (Sydney), Kim Carroll (Brisbane), Lauren Colthorpe (Brisbane), Kate McShea (Brisbane), Karla Reuter (Brisbane), Cheryl Salisbury (Newcastle), Clare Polkinghorne (Brisbane)
Midfielders – Joanne Burgess (Brisbane), Amy Chapman (Canberra), Heather Garriock (Sydney), Collette McCallum (Perth), Amber Neilson (Newcastle), Joanne Peters (Newcastle), Sally Shipard (Brisbane)
Forwards – Kate Gill (Newcastle), Caitlin Munoz (Canberra), Kyah Simon (Sydney), Sarah Walsh (Sydney)
(current home city)

Tour Fixtures:
Sunday, April 27
USA v Australia
WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, Nth Carolina, 7pm local time (9am AEST Monday)

Saturday, May 3
USA v Australia
Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama, 4pm local time (7am AEST Sunday)

Qantas Under 23s coach Graham Arnold believes that similarities between last night's draw for the 2008 Beijing Olympics Football tournament and the 2004 version will work to his side's advantage.

Just like in 2004, Australia drew Argentina, Serbia and an African nation (Ivory Coast in 2008 compared with Tunisia in 2004) and Arnold is hopeful of emulating the performance of four years ago when the team made it out of the group stage.

"Last time we had a similar group and we did very well to make the quarter finals," said Arnold who was an Assistant Coach in Athens in 2004.

"We know we can get through this group, we have history and also we have had such a tough schedule just to make it this far which will hold us in good stead."

"Playing in Asia has taught us a lot about the conditions we will face in China and that could give us an advantage also."

Arnold said he expects the team to play at least 12-13 games between now and the opening match.

"We have a tournament in Malaysia coming up and also it's been a bonus to have so many of the players involved with the Qantas Socceroos," added Arnold.

"The preparations will be better than I had hoped for and we will go there to be successful."

Australia's opponents have been impressive in their qualifiers with defending champions Argentina who qualified after finishing runners-up to Brazil in the 2007 South American Youth Championships, Serbia who made the final of the 2007 UEFA European under 21 Championships and Ivory Coast who topped their final qualifying group in Africa with a comprehensive five wins from six matches.

Australia is yet to win a medal at the Olympic Games having had their best finish of fourth in Barcelona in 1992.

AUSTRALIA'S DRAW FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Australia v. Serbia
7 August 2008
Shanghai

Australia v. Argentina
10 August 2008
Shanghai

Australia v. Ivory Coast
13 August 2008
Tianjin