An illness to veteran forward Craig Goodwin and a host of injuries has forced a Socceroos shake-up as the Australians face Lebanon in World Cup qualifying (8.10pm AEDT).
Australia are back in action for the first time since their disappointing quarter-final exit at the Asian Cup, with focus turning now to world No. 115 Cedars.
The Socceroos are targeting a pair of victories when they face Lebanon tonight in Sydney and in Canberra on Tuesday – the latter officially a Lebanon home game that was moved down under due to instability in the Middle East.
Two wins would guarantee the Socceroos a place in the third stage of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifying for the 2026 World Cup with two games in hand.
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The Socceroos beat Bangladesh 7-0 and Palestine 1-0 in their first two World Cup qualifiers – and still have to play those two teams again – while Lebanon drew 0-0 against both nations.
Lebanon are expected to set up defensively and try to hit the Socceroos with rapid counter-attacks, with Socceroos coach Graham Arnold hoping his side can show their offensive weaponry in the final third.
“What I want to see and expect to see is some positive things in the final third … and the boys going for it,” Arnold said yesterday.
“That’s important for me. I feel in that middle third, we’re very good, then we get in the final third, and a lot of it’s down to the individual, and that’s what I expect.”
The two teams have faced off twice in friendly matches, with Australia winning both 3-0.
Craig Goodwin has been ruled out due to illness.Source: Getty Images
But it’s not going to be an easy test.
Jackson Irvine said: “These games just continually get harder as the competition in Asia gets more difficult. I think the standard is getting higher across the Confederation. All the way through, we’ve been tested more and more in these games as time has gone on.”
Should the Socceroos win both matches and book their place in the next stage of qualifying, they will be one of 18 teams split into three groups of six. Each team plays the others in their group at home and away, with the top two teams from each group directly qualifying for the World Cup jointly held in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The third and fourth-placed teams continue to a fourth stage of AFC qualifying – but the Socceroos will hope to avoid the kind of last-ditch qualification journey that saw them book their place in Qatar 2022 only in an intercontinental playoff against Peru.
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TEAM NEWS
The Socceroos have been struck down by a wave of injuries, with three forced changes to the starting team followed by a fourth for form reasons.
Winger Martin Boyle is absent after recently suffering a sickening head knock for his club Hibernian, while Marco Tilio, Aziz Behich, and Awer Mabil are all injured.
Aiden O’Neill is suspended after being sent off in the Asian Cup quarter-final, a 2-1 extra time loss to South Korea – but an ankle injury would have ruled him out regardless.
And right-back Lewis Miller was called up to the squad only to suffer a hamstring injury while playing in Scotland that has now ruled him out.
Meanwhile, veteran winger Craig Goodwin (of English second-tier team Middlesbrough) came down sick while flying home and did not link up with the squad as he recovers. He will not play tonight but the Socceroos are hopeful their regular set-piece taker will return for Tuesday’s match.
Fans will have to wait for the substitions to see a long-awaited return for ‘X-Factor’ playmaker Ajdin Hrustic, who was stuck in club limbo for nearly all of 2023 before securing a move to the Netherlands where much-needed match minutes earned him a recall to the national team.
He played just one of the Socceroos’ 14 matches since the start of 2023.
Arnold said: “I think it’s great to see [Hrustic] back playing. I have been watching him play in Holland, but yesterday was probably the first time I’ve seen him live since, doing the training session, to see the 11 v 11. But it’s great to have him back, he brings that X factor for us that can change games and that’s important.”
Ajdin Hrustic had a nightmare stint at Hellas Verona in Italy, but is back playing … and back in the Socceroos.Source: Getty Images
Perth Glory striker Adam Taggart’s rich vein of scoring form earned him a first start since September 2022, alongside in-form Portsmouth forward Kusini Yengi.
He replaces Duke in one of four changes from the Socceroos’ last match – with the ruled-out trio of Behich, Boyle, and Goodwin forcing Arnold’s hand.
Kye Rowles will deputise at left-back for the injured Aziz Behich, with young gun Jordan Bos having mostly been used as a winger under Arnold instead of his natural left-back role. But Bos was left out of the starting line-up completely, with Riley McGree set to start at winger.
Meanwhile 21-year-old midfielder Patrick Yazbek – a Lebanese-Australian – will be hoping to make an emotional debut, while fellow midfielder Josh Nisbet, striker John Iredale, and goalkeeper Thomas Glover are also potential debutants this series.
CONFIRMED STARTING XI (Possible line-up 4-3-3, L-R)
Mathew Ryan (GK, C)
Kye Rowles, Harry Souttar, Cameron Burgess, Nathaniel Atkinson,
Jackson Irvine, Keanu Baccus, Connor Metcalfe,
Riley McGree, Adam Taggart, Kusini Yengi.
FULL SOCCEROOS SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Maty Ryan (captain), Thomas Glover, Joe Gauci
Defenders: Harry Souttar, Kye Rowles, Cameron Burgess, Nathaniel Atkinson, Jordan Bos, Thomas Deng, Gethin Jones,
Midfielders: Jackson Irvine, Keanu Baccus, Ajdin Hrustic, Craig Goodwin, Connor Metcalfe, Riley McGree, Patrick Yazbek, Josh Nisbet
Forwards: Mitchell Duke, Adam Taggart, Kusini Yengi, John Iredale, Bruno Fornaroli, Brandon Borrello, Sam Silvera
The Australian squad features a 36-year-old in Bruno Fornaroli as well as three uncapped players, one of whom was eligible to play for another nation but was poached by the Aussies.
There are a number of key absences, including injured veterans and some surprising omissions, while the team represents a bold mix of youth and experience as Arnold looks to the future and the road to the 2026 World Cup.
And there’s one young gun who is the big winner from a late rule change.
Here are all the major talking points ahead of the tournament opener on January 13.
Fresh off two wins in World Cup qualifying last month, the Socceroos are preparing to chase just a second-ever Asian Cup crown.Source: Getty Images
Drastic squad overhaul as Arnold eyes 2026 World Cup
Graham Arnold has repeatedly made clear that his major focus is the 2026 World Cup – and rightly so.
Arnold said Friday: “I’ve got one eye on the Asian Cup but I’ve got two eyes on the World Cup (2026) and qualifying directly.”
Though the World Cup is the top priority, the Asian Cup stands behind that tournament as the biggest trophy available for the Socceroos.
It’s also the last tournament that Arnold has not experienced success in, having enjoyed a record-breaking 2022 World Cup with the Socceroos and guiding the Olyroos (under 23s) to an impressive showing at the Tokyo Olympics. Only the Asian Cup, where the defending champion Socceroos were dumped out in the quarterfinals in 2019, remains as a mark on his record.
The need to forge a team capable both of immediate success and long-term development on the road to 2026 presents a difficult balancing act for Graham Arnold.
The result is a squad where veterans, like recalled 36-year-old Bruno Fornaroli, have been mixed with young players – almost on a one-to-one basis.
12 of the 26-man squad were part of the World Cup last year – 13 if you count Martin Boyle, who was ruled out of Qatar through injury but remained in the camp for the tournament as ‘Chief Vibes Officer’.
That’s a significant turnover in a 12-month period, which reflects just how aggressively Arnold is approaching the redevelopment of his squad for the long term. 14 of the 26 players in this squad have fewer than ten caps, including three potential debutants – midfielder Patrick Yazbek, right-back Gethin Jones, and striker John Iredale.
It’s not the first time that Arnold has overseen a dramatic rebuild, having done the same thing when he took over the role following the 2018 World Cup. Arnold inherited a very thin squad in terms of depth after losing players like Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak to retirement.
“It was about really starting again” he says of those early days.
Five years later, and he’s got depth in spades – with the coach revealing he considered “70-75” players for selection.
While Arnold will be desperate to erase the failure of 2019 and win just a second-ever Asian Cup for the Socceroos, the squad shows a refusal to sacrifice long-term development.
It’s not an easy task – but the rewards should come on the long road 2026.
How Arnold pulled off yet another poaching raid
Of the three potential debutants in the 26-man squad, Gethin Jones is perhaps the most intriguing. Jones was born in Perth before moving to England, where he was part of Everton’s Academy before churning through a series of clubs on loan and in permanent transfers. Now 28, the right-back has established himself as a consistent performer at third-tier English League One side Bolton. Having played for Wales up to the under-21 level, Jones is just the latest in a long line of players that were eligible to represent multiple nations but were convinced by Arnold to pledge allegiance to Australia.
The list of recent recruits includes Martin Boyle and Harry Souttar, who have become two key members of the Socceroos unit, as well as Alex Robertson, Alessandro Circati and Jason Cummings (all omitted from this squad). Arnold is also confident that he will eventually win the back-and-forth over the international future of 20-year-old Cristian Volpato, who currently plays for Italy’s under-age teams.
Harry Souttar headlines the list of Socceroos stars that were eligible for multiple nations – but chose Australia.Source: Getty Images
Arnold said of Gethin Jones: “He’s one we’ve had our eye on for the last couple of years. He wasn’t hard to convince but it takes time to get through the FIFA regulations to change his registration.”
“I went and watched him when I was in the UK. Very impressive. Obviously with the Ryan Strain injury it gave us our opportunity.”
He added: “He’s always wanted to play for Australia, he has played for Wales at a junior level.”
Bringing in players at the peak of their careers – like 28-year-old Jones – means they can adapt quicker to the unique pressures of international football compared to a promising teen talent.
Arnold’s ability to convince so many players to don the green and gold is quickly becoming a trademark of the Socceroos coach, and if Jones has half the impact of Souttar or Boyle in the years to come, his recruitment could prove another Arnold masterstroke.
The striker conundrum amid ‘concern’ over veterans
No position sums up the squad overhaul with an eye on 2026 quite as much as the striker role, which Arnold labelled “a concern.”
36-year-old Bruno Fornaroli earned a recall on the back of undeniable form in the A-League Mens competition – 12 goals and an assist in just eight games. Even though the two-cap forward is ageing like a fine wine, the 2026 World Cup looks a step too far. Mitch Duke, the other veteran striker selected, is 32 years old and is a risk for 2026. Jamie Maclaren, who missed out this time, is also 30 years old. Other forwards Mat Leckie, Martin Boyle, and Craig Goodwin are also all 30 or older.
Arnold said: “That’s why I’m searching, that’s why I’m looking. It’s no secret when you look at that squad that we’ve got some older players up front that might not make 2026.”
There are the two youngsters selected this time around – 24-year-old Kusini Yengi who debuted last month and uncapped 24-year-old John Iredale. Iredale plays for Wehen Wiesbaden in Germany’s second tier, and is a strong physical presence coming into his own at the newly-promoted Bundesliga 2 club.
Arnold said that Iredale had been on his radar for many years, and offers versatility since he can play across the frontline and also in a playmaking No. 10 role.
“He’s one I’ve admired for a long time because he’s got that strength and skill and he’s starting to do well in the Bundesliga 2,” Arnold explained.
Kusini Yengi has been excellent for Portsmouth this season.Source: Getty Images
But when it comes to the veterans – including those who missed out this time around – Arnold says that he’s not running a line through their World Cup hopes.
“That’s not my choice, that’s theirs. At the end of the day, the older boys – the (Craig) Goodwins, the Dukes, the Boyles and all these – they’ve got to be performing at their club and fit.
“This is the whole reason, in a way, for Leckie that I’ve left him out. I just want him to get fit and get his body right. He does that, he’ll have a chance – I do believe he’s got a chance of getting to the next World Cup.
“You don’t rule any of those senior players out. It gets down to the club form, it gets down to injuries, match minutes, how much passion they’ve got to get there and how hard they want to work to get there. That’s the biggest thing.”
But he said: “I do plan for the bad scenario or the bad side and make sure we’ve got players ready just in case.”
Leckie has hardly played in the last six months, but Arnold says he’s still a chance of playing in the 2026 World Cup.Source: Getty Images
Olympics balancing act over young guns
When Arnold announced his squad, two players in red-hot form were surprise omissions: Alex Robertson and Alessandro Circati. 20-year-old Robertson is a technically gifted midfielder who plays for third-tier Portsmouth on loan from Manchester City, and made his Socceroos debut in March against Ecuador.
Circati is a 20-year-old centre-back who plays for Italian second-division team Parma, and debuted for the Socceroos in October against New Zealand.
While both were deserving of a call-up based on form, other factors are at play. Both are in teams top of their respective leagues and chasing promotion. Robertson, for example, could miss as many as eight games for Portsmouth if he was selected for the Asian Cup. And the Under-23 Asian Cup is also a key factor in Arnold’s thinking. That tournament takes place in April-May and doubles as qualification for the Olympics in Paris later in the year. Clubs are not required by FIFA to release players for the U23 Asian Cup, so Arnold not selecting those youngsters now increases the chances that their clubs will release them for the Olyroos team in the coming months.
Circati was outstanding on debut in October.Source: Getty Images
Arnold acknowledged there were no guarantees from the clubs around the two players being released for U23 tournaments, but said: “It gives us a better chance. I’ve had great conversations with them and I’ve got to be honest, we’ve got depth in those positions.
“What’s better for the kids at the age of 20? Coming away in a tournament situation and maybe getting a couple of minutes here and there, or staying at their clubs at this age and playing eight competition games and enhancing their future?
“We’ll get rewarded in six months’ time (in Paris).”
But on the other hand, Arnold called up uncapped midfielder Patrick Yazbek, a 21-year-old who has been in incredible form for Viking FK in Norway.
Yazbek racked up two goals and five assists from 28 appearances (all competitions) – but crucially, the Norwegian season just concluded, so Arnold is actually helping the club by giving the youngster high-level training and match minutes.
And when it came to Jordy Bos, Australia’s long-term left back, Arnold simply couldn’t leave the 21-year-old out of the squad.
Bos has been excellent for the Socceroos since debuting in March.Source: News Corp Australia
New Asian Cup rules could revive exiled gun’s career
This week, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decided to expand squad sizes from the traditional 23 players to 26 for the first time ever. It wasn’t even announced in an official press release (unlike, for example, revealing the official match ball). But it’s an important change – and one Socceroo is the biggest winner.
Versatile 21-year-old forward Marco Tilio moved to Scottish giants Celtic in June for a reported A-Leagues record £1.5 million (A$2.8m), but struggled to adjust to the intensity of the Scottish League and also battled injuries. He has played just twice since the move for a total of 28 minutes. The extra three places available in the Socceroos side means Tilio can train in an environment he is familiar with, having made seven international appearances already, and also hopefully get much-needed match minutes.
“I can be honest here and say that if it stayed at 23 there was probably a good chance that Marco wouldn’t come,” Arnold said.
“But the fact that it got extended to 26, it enables us to have someone completely different that can play at left wing, right wing, number 10.
“He’s got that experience of being at major tournaments with me at the Olympics in 2021 and also the World Cup (last year). Also, I do believe this can help his Celtic career.”
Tilio in action for the Socceroos in March.Source: Getty Images
That could mean Tilio gets his chance to show club coach Brendan Rodgers what he is capable of – or potentially earn him a loan move for the second half of the season. But as Arnold says, it’s also about getting him back in form with the Olympics looming.
Arnold said: “Tilio, I’ve looked at how we can also help that Olympic campaign. Conversations with Brendan Rodgers, at the end of the day Tilio hasn’t played much at Celtic but we know what he can do.
“He can bring that bit of difference as an impact player as well and be with us to get that smile back on his face and get him ready for Celtic, but also available and fresh and fit for the Olympic campaign as well.”
