In what will be their first match since their elimination from January’s Asian Cup, the Socceroos will face South Korea in Busan on Friday night.
Manager Graham Arnold has named multiple debutants for the match, with an eye on experimentation.
Let’s have a look at the players who could possibly be making their first appearances for the Socceroos:
SC Freiberg player Brandon Borrello is enjoying his career in Europe, formerly running out for fellow German club 1. FC Kaiserslautern. The 23-year-old began his professional career in the A-League at Brisbane Roar, where he scored 13 goals in 75 appearances. He will provide a spark up front and could prove to be an option for Arnold in future matches.
Since joining Sydney FC in 2015, Brandon O’Neill has been a revelation for the Sky Blues and was integral to their championship winning season this campaign. The 25-year-old has previously attracted the interest of the Republic of Ireland and an impressive performance will allow the Socceroos to officially cap him in their next official match. He will be a handy addition to the national side.
At the age of 30, Sydney FC goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne will finally get the opportunity to represent the Socceroos. Redmayne took his game to another level this season and played a large role in his club’s championship. Having trained with Sydney FC goalkeeper coach John Crawley, who has worked with shot stoppers such as Danny Vukovic and Mat Ryan, Redmayne will come into the team in red hot form. Saving penalties has been the goalkeeper’s specialty and he would be useful to have in goals when the time comes.
Having previously represented Scotland’s national youth sides, Harry Souttar looks set to be a Socceroo. The 20-year-old defender, who recently played for Fleetwood Town on-loan from Stoke City, caught the eye of Arnold and at 1.98 metres tall, could be a wall in defence. Good performances would give Souttar a strong chance to cement his places in the starting eleven.
Lawrence Thomas has been one of the A-League’s best goalkeepers for the past few seasons and has received a deserved call-up to the national team. Despite injury keeping him out of the Melbourne Victory side towards the end of the season, Thomas has shown his worth as a keeper and would be a good choice in goals. His man of the match performance in the 2018 A-League Grand Final proves just how much he can impact a game.
Rotherham United player Ryan Williams gets the opportunity to represent his national side on Friday night. Ryan’s brother Rhys has had national team experience before, holding 14 caps with the Socceroos. Williams made 39 appearances for Rotherham in the Championship this season, meaning he has played plenty of football recently.
