Festival needs a Hiro

The Sydney tournament has arrived, and Sunday will see the four international teams line up against each other in what is to be a huge day of football. Sydney FC first go head to head with AEK Athens at 12:45pm, while Blackburn Rovers and Rangers FC fight it out from 3pm.

The games, perfect for all teams for their respective pre-season build-up, will be a chance for Sydney FC to introduce their newest signing, Japanese midfielder Hiro Moriyasu. The former APIA-Leichardt player was unveiled yesterday, and is due to feature in the upcoming festival. It is a meteoric rise for Moriyasu, who arrived in Australia earlier this year after playing in the lower leagues of Japanese football. Ultimately looking at securing an A-league contract, Moriyasu smartly trialled in the NSW Premier League in the hope of being noticed. And that he was - he consequently trialled for a month with the Sky Blues.

"I knew I had to come and try out here. This is unbelievable,” Moriyasu said.

“I just brought a ticket to Australia so I am just so happy right now.

“The facilities, the standard of football and the coaching staff are just fantastic. I am so happy and want to win.”

Sydney FC Coach Viteslav Lavicka was satisfied with the signing.

“Hiro is a very versatile player. He impressed me. Since he came to us and trained he has done very well. We are very happy he has signed with Sydney FC,” he said.

For your chance to see Hiro and the rest of the boys in sky blue take on world-class opposition, head along to the Sydney Football Stadium this Sunday. Tickets are still available for all the double header games via Ticketek.