LIVE: The Socceroos are hosting Ecuador in Melbourne in the second of a two-game friendly series, with an early goal putting Australia ahead 1-0 in the opening 20 minutes of a physical and chaotic encounter.
Graham Arnold made seven changes from Friday’s 3-1 win over the same opponent in Sydney, handing out yet another debut – this time to Adelaide gloveman Joe Gauci, who made a handful of exceptional saves in the opening minutes.
Australia’s high-pressing defence and rapid counter-attacking, which led to the second goal on Friday, was even more influential this time around, leading to Brandon Borrello scoring his first-ever Socceroos goal by buring the rebound after Riley McGree struck the post.
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In the opening five minutes, Australia countered quickly from a high press as Riley McGree and Connor Metcalfe scythed through the defence before earning a corner, but McGree’s follow-up shot sailed over.
Hardly a minute later, Ecuador’s Kevin Rodgiruez burst into the box from a tight angle and lashed a shot towards the bottom corner, with Australia’s debutant goalkeeper Joe Gauci showing supreme reflexes to tip it past the post.
Andy Harper said on Channel 10: “That’s as good as scoring with your first touch!”
The end-to-end action continued with Australia carving another opportunity five minutes later when Brandon Borrello whipped a cross into the area for a late-arriving Jackson Irvine, but his head was well over the bar.
Then in the 16th minute, Jackson Irvine broke down the left and fed it to Craig Goodwin who was given far too much space as he ran towards the box down the middle. His strike from outside the box that slammed into the post. It rebounded to Brandon Borrello, the striker calmly tapping the ball into the net for his first-ever international goal.
Connor Metcalfe could well have made it two-nil just three minutes later when Goodwin floated a brilliant cross to the back post, but his half-volley screwed horribly wrong.
Then Rodriguez showed remarkable power to bundle Deng off the ball to get on the end of a through ball in the 22nd minute, only for Gauci to make another brilliant save. Gauci held firm as a header from the following corner was directed straight at his chest – his fourth save in the opening 23 minutes.
In the 26th minute, young midfielder Cameron Devlin charged in to make a sliding challenge on Estupinan, only for the knee of the Ecuadorian to slam into the Australian’s head. Blood immediately began pouring from the Aussie, with the referee calling for medical assistance – and Ecuador’s own doctors racing to assist him, such was the concern. Fortunately, he was able to continue after some rapid strapping – and a change of shirts.
Bailey Wright then suffered a head knock in another scary moment five minutes later, colliding with the shoulder of an opponent while leaping for the ball. He looked dazed as he hit the ground, but the referee would not even let Australia’s medical staff enter the field of play to assess him – something Andy Harper in commentary called a ‘gross failure’.
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TEAM NEWS
Coach Graham Arnold rang the changes to his starting XI, handing out another starting debut in a much-changed line-up to the one that claimed a thrilling 3-1 win in Sydney on Friday.
Arnold handed out two debuts in the opening friendly, the Socceroos’ first game of 2023 and the first step towards next year’s Asian Cup and then the 2026 World Cup.
That saw Aiden O’Neill of Melbourne City start, and fellow midfielder Alexander Robertson of Manchester City come off the bench in an inspired cameo.
For the Melbourne rematch, Joe Gauci will start at goalkeeper for his international debut. The 22-year-old Adelaide United star is viewed as a long-term successor to Socceroos gloveman Mat Ryan, who had a ‘small groin injury’. Arnold told Channel 10: “The goalkeeping department is one that’s open … Joe Gauci’s been excellent at Adelaide.”
Two more debuts are possible off the bench: fullback Jordy Bos, and forward Nestory Irankunda, who at 17 could become the youngest-ever Socceroos player.
Arnold would not give anything away when it came to Irankunda’s potential debut, saying only ‘we’ll see’.
Centre-back Harry Souttar has been sent back to Premier League side Leicester City after picking up an ankle injury in Friday’s win. Veteran Bailey Wright will replace him in the defensive line, while Thomas Deng replaces the other centre-back in Kye Rowles.
Milos Degenek and Aziz Behich maintain their places at fullback.
In midfield, Riley McGree and Cameron Devlin enter the fray in place of O’Neill and Keanu Baccus. Jackson Irvine maintains his spot and takes the captain’s armband for the first time in his career, and in his hometown to boot.
Craig Goodwin keeps his spot on one wing, but Connor Metcalfe (maiden start) and Brandon Borrello replace Awer Mabil and Mitch Duke in the other attacking positions.
All up, that’s seven changes as Arnold again balances youth with experience.
Marvellous Mabil scores Socceroos second | 00:47
Besides Gauci on debut, it’s Borrello sixth cap, while others are also in single figures: Deng (3rd), Devlin (2), Metcalfe (7).
Arnold’s message to the younger players was simple, as he shared on Channel 10: “Show us everything you’ve got. Show us those qualities. That’s why we picked you.”
But there is still plenty of experience – especially in the defensive line where Behich is making his 59th cap alongside Degenek (44th) and Wright (29th). Irvine (55th) also stabilises the midfield.
Arnold said: “I’m looking for the senior players, the ones who have come in today… to really step up and help these kids through. The senior boys are really important to the younger boys”.
Ecuador made five changes, including an all-new front three. But Brighton superstar Moises Caicedo starts again, as does Piero Hincapie of Bayer Leverkusen – one of the most gifted young defenders in world football. Brighton left-back Pervis Estupinan takes the captain’s armband at left-back.
The Socceroos will also wear black armbands for tonight’s fixture after the death of all-time Australian football great Manfred Schaefer aged 80. Schaefer represented Australia on 73 occasions including 49 A-Internationals, starting every game of the 1974 World Cup campaign.
MATCH CENTRE: Live stats and updates
SOCCEROOS XI: Gauci; Degenek, Deng, Wright, Behich; Devlin, Metcalfe, Irvine; McGree, Goodwin, Borrello.
ECUADOR XI: Galindez, Torres, Pacho, Hincapie, Preciado, Mendez, Caicedo, Estupinan, Franco, Rodriguez, Sornoza.
LIVE BLOG
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