As featured on NewsNow: Football news

Huddersfield ace Mooy, Bournemouth pair in Australia squad for Saudi Arabia, Japan

Ange Postecoglou has named his Australia squad for the next round of 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The Socceroos meet Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on October 6 before hosting Japan in Melbourne on October 11 in AFC qualifying for Russia 2018.

Postecoglou has revealed his 23-man selection for the pair of fixtures which comes in the wake of Australia's wins over Iraq and the UAE in the opening third round matches last month.

Huddersfield Town star Aaron Mooy, on loan from Manchester City, has been included alongside Celtic midfielder Tommy Rogic and Queens Park Rangers talent Massimo Luongo, making it a very deadly midfield for Postecoglou.

AFC Bournemouth duo Adam Federici and Brad Smith are in while Preston North End defender Bailey Wright is back from injury.

There is a call-up for Sturm Graz midfielder James Jggo, who is uncapped, as well as Sparta Rotterdam's Craig Goodwin.

Postecoglou said: "We've made a couple of slight tweaks to the squad in line with our mantra of selecting players who are in form and fitness and we'd like to have a good look at Craig Goodwin and James Jeggo, who have started their seasons well in Europe.

"Bailey Wright also comes back in after he missed the first two matches through injury and we go to Saudi Arabia and then back to Melbourne with a squad we are comfortable can continue the good start we achieved last month."

He added: "When the draw was released we acknowledged that this window was a real challenge with a very tough away game followed by the clash with Japan at home but that doesn't mean we stray from the way we prepare ourselves for every match."

Australia currently sit on top of the Group B qualifying table with six points from two matches, ahead of second-placed Saudi Arabia on goal difference, and three points clear of Japan.


Australia squad for Saudia Arabia and Japan qualifiers

Goalkeepers

Adam Federici (AFC Bournemouth, ENG)
Mathew Ryan (Valencia ESP)
Mitchell Langirak (VfB Stuttgart, GER)

Defenders

Milos Degenek (1860 Munich, GER)
Alex Gersbach (Rosenborg, NOR)
Matthew Spiranovic (Hangzhou Greentown, CHN)
Trent Sainsbury (Jiangsu Suning, CHN)
Ryan McGowan (Henan Jianye, CHN)
Bailey Wright (Preston North End, ENG)
Brad Smith (AFC Bournemouth, ENG)

Midfielders

Mile Jedinak (c) (Aston Villa, ENG)
Mark Milligan (Baniyas, UAE)
Massimo Luongo (QPR, ENG)
Tom Rogic (Celtic, SCO)
Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town *on loan from Manchester City, ENG)
Chris Ikonomidis (AGF Aarhus, DEN *on loan from Lazio, ITA)
Jackson Irvine (Burton Albion, ENG)
Craig Goodwin (Sparta Rotterdam, NED)
James Jeggo (Sturm Graz, AUT)

Forwards

Tim Cahill (Melbourne City)
Robbie Kruse (Bayer Leverkusen, GER)
Mathew Beckie (FC Ingolstadt, GER)
Tomi Juric (Luzern, SUI)

Video of the day:

Andrew Slevison
About the author

Andrew Slevison

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free