Matildas midfielder Tameka Yallop tests positive to COVID-19 at Asian Cup

The Matildas' Asian Cup campaign in India has taken a hit with experienced midfielder Tameka Yallop testing positive for COVID-19.

The news comes just over 12 hours before Australia is scheduled to play its third group-stage match against Thailand, which kicks off at 1am AEDT on Friday.

Football Australia said the rest of the squad and staff returned negative tests and Yallop was in isolation, following the AFC's and Australia's COVID-19 protocols. They revealed no other information about how Yallop may have contracted the virus.

While Yallop's appearance in the first two wins over Indonesia and the Philippines suggested the 30-year-old may have been rested for the Thailand match regardless, the positive result means head coach Tony Gustavsson would now be forced to improvise.

This is not the first time the Matildas have been faced with a positive COVID-19 test while in camp.

Last year, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold returned a positive test while in camp during Australia's two-game friendly series against Brazil.

Arnold was successfully isolated from the team and no other players were affected.

The Matildas' two opening wins have assured them safe passage through to the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup, but the past week has shown how quickly a tournament campaign can be derailed by the pandemic.

Tournament host India was forced to withdraw when positive COVID-19 cases and injuries meant the team was unable to field the minimum required 13 players for its group-stage game with Taiwan.

As a result of the forfeited match, India was disqualified from the tournament altogether.

India head coach Thomas Dennerby told local reporters on Thursday that the AFC, which runs the Asian Cup, was «not professional» in their handling of bio-secure