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It was hardly an inspiring performance, but after downing New Zealand 2-0 at Eden Park in Auckland, the question now is just who will Graham Arnold select in his World Cup squad?
Second-half goals from Mitch Duke and substitute Jason Cummings were enough for the Socceroos to see off a stubborn Kiwi side in front of just under 35,000 fans at Eden Park, with the All Whites hindered by the loss of talisman Chris Wood to injury after barely half an hour.
Who exactly were the big winners and losers from Australia’s experimental squad? Here are five things we learned from all the action in Auckland.
Graham Arnold will always play his favourites
Spare a thought for Mitch Langerak. In career best form for Nagoya Grampus, the amiable Queenslander must have thought he was an even-money chance of starting between the posts in Auckland.
Instead, it was Andrew Redmayne who got the nod in goal, and although the Sydney FC shot-stopper had little to do, it was still somewhat of a surprise to see Australia’s penalty shoot-out hero against Peru run out in the starting side.
Having reversed his decision to retire from the national team, Langerak didn’t see a second of action in either of the two games against the Kiwis.
The full-back positions are still up for grabs
Do the Socceroos have a problem at right back? It was Heart of Midlothian flyer Nathaniel Atkinson who got the nod to start in Auckland, but although the former Melbourne City defender turned in a willing performance, the international arena is a big step up in class.
Fran Karacic is the current incumbent but isn’t exactly the most physically imposing defender, while none of Australia’s full-backs are renowned for marauding forward.
Joel King had a couple of decent moments over on the left, but again, when the opportunity was there to take the game by the scruff of its neck and really lay down a marker for the World Cup, the Aussie full-backs were more timid than tenacious.
Garang Kuol of the Socceroos. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Some reputations were enhanced, others weren’t
Let’s start with a positive for Marco Tilio – he put that horrific first-half miss behind him and was one of Australia’s best in his remaining 25 minutes on the park after the half-time break.
But it’s hard to overlook the moment when he should have put Australia in front just before the interval. Perhaps he expected Mitch Duke to shoot, despite the tight angle, but when all Tilio had to do was side-foot the ball home from Duke’s cut-back, he butchered the chance with a finish to forget.
Yet Tilio wasn’t the only Aussie to turn in a so-so display. Atkinson, Harrison Delbridge and Denis Genreau all struggled to stamp their authority on the game. Conversely, Riley McGree was Australia’s most effective midfielder, while Connor Metcalfe and late substitute Keanu Baccus both had some impressive touches.
Mitch Duke looks likely to be Australia’s starting number nine
It’s hard to argue Mitch Duke doesn’t deserve his spot when he continues scoring goals. The bustling striker cops his fair share of criticism – much of which seems to revolve around the fact he only plays second division football in Japan – but whenever he’s called upon, he often proves a handful for defenders up front.
Compare Duke’s quietly effective performance in Auckland with Adam Taggart’s virtual no-show in Brisbane. Taggart will rightly point to the complete lack of service he received at Suncorp Stadium, yet it’s Duke who often manages to inject himself into the game.
In the absence of reliable alternatives, it could be Duke who leads the line against France.
Garang Kuol must go to Qatar and Jason Cummings should join him
If this two-game series proved anything – and not for the first time – it’s that Graham Arnold does not like being dictated to.
‘Conservative’ might as well be Arnie’s middle name, even if he did bow to at least some public pressure and pick Garang Kuol and Jason Cummings in his squad to face the Kiwis in Auckland.
And based on a couple of lively cameos off the bench, both players should be on the plane to Qatar. Teenager Kuol, in particular, will be Australia’s X-factor in the Gulf, yet Cummings should join him as one of the few Aussie attackers willing to run directly at defenders.
Both players will be looking for big starts to the new A-League Men’s campaign.