SYDNEY (19 Aug 2015) – Australia coach Ange Postecoglou has welcomed back AFC Asian Cup heroes Robbie Kruse and Massimo Luongo as well as attacking midfielder Tom Rogic for the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup 2019 joint qualifiers against Bangladesh and Tajikistan in early September.
All three strike weapons make a return to the Socceroos from injury and add significant weight to Postecoglou’s squad for the games with Bangladesh in Perth on September 3 and Tajikistan in Dushanbe on September 8.
Rogic was last part of the Socceroos set up in the lead up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and his selection follows a bright start to the season with Celtic while Kruse and Luongo (pictured, in yellow shirt) also come back into the squad after missing the 2-1 win over Kyrgyzstan in June.
“It’s a positive that we’ve been able to recall Massimo (Luongo), Robbie (Kruse) and Tom Rogic after they missed recent matches and they add attacking options to the squad for the two matches in Perth and Dushanbe,” Postecoglou said in a press release.
“All three have regained fitness and started the season in form so they come back in and give us plenty of options and good depth in an attacking sense. When you add them to the likes of Tim Cahill, Mat Leckie, Tomi Juric, Nathan Burns and Tommy Oar the fans in Perth have a lot to get excited about.
“We started the World Cup qualification process with a win against Kyrgyzstan in tough conditions and now we have to continue that in front of our own fans in Perth and then on another tricky away trip to Dushanbe.”
Postecoglou has also drafted Aaron Mooy, Adam Federici, Jackson Irvine, Ryan McGowan and uncapped goalkeeper Alex Cisak into the squad, which will return to Perth for the first time since 2005.
They replace Oliver Bozanic, Chris Ikonimidis, Daniel de Silva, Ivan Franjic, Eugene Galekovic, Mitch Langerak, Tomislav Mrcela and James Troisi.
“The players we have brought into the squad have all started their respective seasons with some good performances and will get an opportunity to impress while they are in good form and fitness,” Postecoglou said.
Australia have never played Bangladesh or Tajikistan at full international level.
SOCCEROO MATCH DETAILS:
Australia v Bangladesh
3 September 2015
nib Stadium, Perth, Australia
Tajikistan v Australia
8 September 2015
Republican Central Stadium, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
SOURCE: www.the-afc.com
