Ryan, Mooy return for Socceroos as Goodwin gets train-on spot

Australia welcomes back two of its stars for a friendly against South Korea later this month.

Published : Nov 08, 2018 12:21 IST

Mat Ryan has been in good form in goal for Brighton and Hove Albion.
Mat Ryan has been in good form in goal for Brighton and Hove Albion.
lightbox-info

Mat Ryan has been in good form in goal for Brighton and Hove Albion.

Mat Ryan and Aaron Mooy are set to make their Australia returns against South Korea, while the in-form Craig Goodwin has been named as a train-on player.

Ryan and Mooy missed the Socceroos' 4-0 friendly win over Kuwait last month due to minor injuries, but the Premier League duo is back for the clash in Brisbane on November 17.

Austria Vienna midfielder James Jeggo and Scotland-born Hibernian attacker Martin Boyle could make their debuts for Australia.

They were named in a 23-man squad, while four players – Goodwin, Melbourne Victory defender Thomas Deng, Sydney FC's Rhyan Grant and Newcastle Jets attacker Dimitri Petratos – are train-on players.

Goodwin has made a spectacular start to the season for Adelaide United, scoring eight goals in seven games.

"We made some great progress in Turkey in September, as well as in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait last month," Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold said.

"However, this window will be exceptionally important for us as we have only had 15 days to work together as a team on the training pitch. In training, and in our friendlies against Korea Republic and Lebanon, we will be looking to introduce more players to the Socceroos system and reward a number of locally based players for their performances in the Hyundai A-League and FFA Cup.

"With limited opportunities and matches to prepare for next year's AFC Asian Cup it is important that we make the most of every day that we have together, and by calling in additional train-on players from Hyundai A-League clubs this will ensure that more players are exposed to our style and standards as we edge towards the tournament.

"Several players who have been in and around the squad over the past 12 months, such as Andrew Nabbout and James Jeggo, will also be reintroduced to the group as we continue to add depth to the national team player pool."

Australia will face Lebanon on November 20, with Tim Cahill to make his 108th and final appearance for the Socceroos.

However, Arnold will wait until two days prior to that clash to name another 23-man squad.

 

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment