Socceroos prepare for WC match against Bangladesh
AGENCIES
AGENCIES, MELBOURNE: The Australian team for the next two 2018 World Cup Qualifier was announced on Tuesday as Australia prepare for matches against Bangladesh and Tajikistan. Ange Postecoglou named his squad, the first to take on both sides. The match against Bangladesh will mark the first time in a decade the Socceroos have played in Perth on September 3. That is a smart decision as it puts them on the west coast ahead of a long trip to Tajikistan just five days later.
The attacking trio of Massimo Luongo, Robbie Kruse and Tom Rogic have all been recalled to the Socceroos squad, after missing the last squad due to injury. Rogic seems to be in a rich vein of form lately impressing for Celtic in Scotlands opening two weeks.
One other very notable inclusion is that of the uncapped goalkeeper Alex Cisak, who replaces the stalwart of squads, Eugene Galekovic. Cisak currently plays his club football for Leyton Orient, and has been getting regular time after spending much of his career on the bench, that sees him in ahead of Galekovic who is currently in the off-season being an A-League player. Aaron Mooy, Adam Federici, Jackson Irvine, and Ryan McGowan all also come in to the squad after taking some time out. With so many players coming in players had to miss out with youngsters Daniel De Silva and Chris Ikonomidis notably left out.
Also having to be dropped because of the inclusions are Oliver Bozanic, Ivan Franjic, Mitch Langerak, Tomislav Mrcela and James Troisi. With Langerak also dropped, Federici fulfils the third goalkeeper spot, not that hell be in that specific role. Its an attacking look for the Socceroos, who will look to put on a clinic against two teams they are highly fancied to defeat. Australia did not impress much in their opening qualifier and so with such an attacking squad they may take this out on Bangladesh and Tajikistan.
