LIVE: Coach Graham Arnold will ring the changes for the Socceroos’ second friendly against Ecuador tonight, promising ‘six or seven’ alterations to the XI that claimed a thrilling 3-1 win in Sydney on Friday.
Arnold handed out two debuts in the opening friendly, the Socceroos’ first game of 2023 and the first step towards next year’s Asian Cup and then the 2026 World Cup.
That saw Aiden O’Neill of Melbourne City start, and Alexander Robertson of Manchester City come off the bench in an inspired cameo.
Now, three more debuts are on the cards for the Melbourne rematch (7.30pm AEDT) – goalkeeper Joe Gauci, fullback Jordy Bos, and forward Nestory Irankunda, who at 17 could become the youngest-ever Socceroos player.
Arnold would not give anything away when it came to Irankunda’s potential debut, saying only ‘we’ll see’.
Centre-back Harry Souttar has been sent back to Premier League side Leicester City after picking up an ankle injury in Friday’s win. Veteran Bailey Wright will replace him in the defensive line.
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One other confirmed change will be Riley McGree starting.
“He will start. I can’t wait, because he’s been in unbelievable form for Middlesbrough,” Arnold said.
“[They’re] on the edge of, hopefully, promotion, to give us another English Premier League player. But Riley’s form has just been incredible. I think if you asked him two years ago, when we went to the Olympics, he would have questioned whether he belonged on that stage.
“But the more you do it, the more you believe. He honestly now believes he belongs at the top. Physically, his body’s changed completely, he’s much more an athlete because he’s playing much more. Technically, he’s so much better because he’s doing it more, every day. And mentally, he believes so much more in himself, and that’s a massive thing.”
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