The Socceroos might be two steps away from qualifying for their sixth consecutive World Cup, but remain no closer to solving the team’s age-old problem, one that has dogged them since the retirement of Tim Cahill: finding a striker they can consistently rely upon.
In that regard, it’s been two steps forward, two steps back. Again.
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic.Credit: Getty Images
Tony Popovic’s squad flew from Sydney to Hangzhou on the weekend, ahead of Tuesday night’s showdown with China, without two players: injured strikers Adam Taggart and Kusini Yengi, who have both returned to their clubs Perth Glory and Portsmouth.
Taggart was taken off at half-time of Australia’s 5-1 win over Indonesia on Thursday night after aggravating his groin while Yengi was not involved at all after hurting his hamstring in training, having only just recovered from a knee injury he picked up in last November’s 2-2 draw with Bahrain.
Veteran Mitch Duke, who Popovic has acknowledged was unfortunate to miss his initial squad, has flown in from Japan to help bolster their numbers up front.
Duke, 34, and Western Sydney Wanderers star Brandon Borrello, 29, are now the only classic centre forwards in the squad, though even the latter has spent most of his career in the A-League in a wider role.
Kusini Yengi, who is out of Australia’s squad due to injury, and Mitchell Duke, who has come in to help replace him.Credit: Getty
Martin Boyle plays up front for his club Hibernian in Scotland, but as part of a classic big man-little man partnership, not as a solo striker, and seemed to talk down his prospects of playing in that position on Tuesday night if called upon in an interview on Sunday.
“I started my career as a striker and then drifted out wide. I feel like it’s certainly a position that I could fill … but I’m contributing at the moment [as a winger] and trying to learn what he wants me to do and adapt,” he said. “As long as I’m in the squads or on the team sheet, then I’m a happy guy.”
Victory against China, ranked No.90 in the world by FIFA, is likely to ensure the Socceroos will need only one point from their final two matches in June – at home to Japan at Perth’s Optus Stadium, then away to Saudi Arabia – to confirm their spot at the 2026 World Cup. It would also mean they could finish no lower than fourth position in Group C, regardless of what happens in June, guaranteeing passage through to the fourth round of AFC qualifying in a worst-case scenario.
But the best-case scenario, clearly, is to get the job done as quickly as possible – not only for peace of mind but so Popovic can begin to get experimental, particularly when it comes to his options in the final third.
None of the striking options available to him, as things stand, are slam dunks. Yengi, 26, appears to be the most favoured of the lot but is prone to injury, which is in turn disrupting the progress of his club career. Duke is getting on and barely playing for his J.League club Machida Zelvia, and will need to change that or move back to the A-League next season to get himself back up the pecking order. Taggart impressed in his first appearance under Popovic on Thursday night but is 31 and, like Yengi, has been held back by his body, while Borrello has not yet shown enough to be considered a regular starter at international level.
Others outside the squad are pressing their case, led by Western United’s Noah Botic, who leads the race for the A-League’s golden boot and celebrated with a ‘call me’ signal – a clear message to Popovic – when he scored a goal against Newcastle Jets last Sunday, days after missing the cut for his 26-man squad.
Hindsight is 20-20, but in retrospect, Yengi’s selection was a missed opportunity by Popovic, who could have instead taken a look at the in-form 23-year-old and how he fits into the Socceroos’ set-up.
While Popovic could have brought him into camp for the China game, the high-stakes nature of Australia’s current qualification prospects and their travel logistics demanded a tried and tested striker like Duke, who knows the system and can slot straight in with no friction.
Assuming the pressure of qualification is removed in June, Popovic will have five international windows over 12 months to schedule friendlies, play around with his selections and find the right mix – the longest run-in the Socceroos will have ever enjoyed leading into a World Cup, thanks to FIFA’s decision to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 teams.
WORLD CUP QUALIFYING PERMUTATIONS FOR THE SOCCEROOS
If the Socceroos WIN their next match against China:
- they will remain in second position on Group C and move to 13 points
- third-placed Saudi Arabia will have between 9-12 points (next match is away to Japan, who have already qualified)
- if Saudi Arabia loses to Japan, the Socceroos will need one more point to clinch a top-two finish and seal World Cup qualification
- if Saudi Arabia draws with or beats Japan, the Socceroos may need up to three more points to clinch a top-two finish
If the Socceroos DRAW their next match against China:
- they could drop to third place in Group C if Saudi Arabia beats China
- ensures they will need a win over Japan (home) or Saudi Arabia (away) to stay in control of their top-two destiny
If the Socceroos LOSE their next match against China:
- they could drop to third place in Group C if Saudi Arabia beats China, but will have just a one-point gap over China and potentially Indonesia or Bahrain, if one of them beats the other
- would place top-two hopes in extreme risk and leave open the possibility of missing qualification altogether without two wins in June
