18-year-old Socceroos bolter Garang Kuol has made another massive statement in his bid to earn a place in the Australian 26-man squad for the World Cup.
Coach Graham Arnold will announce his side for the Qatar tournament on Tuesday afternoon but his selection headaches continue to grow after five A-leagues players thoroughly impressed on Saturday.
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Kuol emerged off the bench for the Central Coast Mariners and needed just four minutes to break the game open – but with his defence, rather than his trademark dazzling attack.
The breakout teen quickly closed down Western Sydney Wanderers defender Ruon Tongyik as he tried to play the ball out of his own penalty area. Kuol brilliantly slid in to rob Tongyik of the ball, which deflected to fellow substitute Michael Ruhs to score the opener with just his second touch since coming off the bench alongside his young teammate.
Kuol wasn’t done there, teeing up Ruhs in the 72nd minute with a clinical ball across the face of goal, with Ruhs tapping home from close range to seal the result.
Kuol still hasn’t started a senior football match, but his game-breaking ability off the bench should earn him a place on the plane to Qatar.
However, teammate Jason Cummings, who scored on debut for the Socceroos after Kuol won a penalty against New Zealand in September, may have spurned his final chance to break into the World Cup side.
Cummings missed a golden opportunity to score in a one-on-one situation, had another shot saved on the line, and hit the post from range in the final 30 seconds. Despite a strong performance in the match – after a goal and a trio of assists last week – he could yet miss out on a place in the final 26, especially with Jamie Maclaren shining for Melbourne City in Saturday’s other match.
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Maclaren stored twice in a 4-0 win over Perth Glory, continuing a brilliant start to the season for the 29-year-old who leads the golden boot race with seven goals in five matches. With Mitch Duke likely locked in to the Socceroos squad, Arnold looks set to decide between Maclaren, Cummings, and Japan-based Adam Taggart for the other two striker spots.
Meanwhile, City’s wingers Mat Leckie and Marco Tilio also delivered standout performances in the win, ensuring Arnold will have a very tricky task to decide his attacking corps for Qatar.
Veteran Leckie – who has the most international goals of any current Socceroo – was exceptional out wide and later in a more central No. 10 role, with his versatility and experience making him a lock for Qatar. He capped off a man-of-the-match effort with a stoppage-time goal.
Tilio assisted Maclaren for the opener, then scored a delightful low shot from the edge of the box in the 82nd minute, the cherry on top of a sterling performance.
Asked afterwards whether he believes he’s done enough to make it to Qatar, Tilio told Paramount+: “It’s out of my hands. I just knew I had to perform and work hard. That’s all I’ve been trying to do since the start of the season.
“If I’m there, I’m there. If I’m not, I’ll just keep growing as a player. But fingers crossed I’m there.”
The 21-year-old has represented Australia five times already, growing in confidence on each occasion, and appears to be locked in a tight race with Kuol for one of the last attacking places in the squad. Reliable wingers Martin Boyle, Awer Mabil, and Leckie are all virtual locks, despite Boyle recently suffering an injury and Mabil’s lack of game time in Spain. 30-year-old Adelaide captain Craig Goodwin has been in red-hot form and has one last chance to lock in his spot against Western United on Sunday afternoon.
It might come down to club combinations, with City’s star attacking trio of Tilio, Leckie, Maclaren facing off with the Mariners pairing of Kuol and Cummings.
Former A-leagues striker Roy O’Donovan said on Paramount+: “He [Cummings] has to go.
“Kuol has to go. Both of them have something different to offer.
“Kuol especially is a game changer. 10-15 minutes off the bench. Fresh. Absolutely. It’s a yes from me!”
But former A-leagues star and Paramount+ analyst Daniel McBreen said after City’s game: “Leckie in particular for me, he has been amazing. Majority of their play every week comes down his left side.
“When he moves into that 10 role, he is so influential there. To get his goal at the end capped off a really great performance for him.
“Maclaren just can’t stop scoring, can he?
“Then you talk about Tilio. What can you ask of him? Go and create things, and score goals. When he’s had his opportunity, he’s done it.
“Big headaches for Graham Arnold coming up to make the selections.”
