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Socceroos XI<\/p>\n
For all the talk of young blood, Popovic will deploy an XI mostly filled with tried and tested players for tonight\u2019s fixture \u2013 which while not as exciting as a widely experimental lineup makes sense from a World Cup preparation standpoint.<\/p>\n
Martin Boyle looks set to lead the line, the centre forward role not something Socceroo fans are used to seeing him do but one that he has often filled for club side Hibernian. He\u2019ll be flanked by Connor Metcalfe, who scored his maiden international goal in Australia\u2019s win over Saudi Arabia back in June, and Ajdin Hrusti\u0107.<\/p>\n
Aiden O\u2019Neill and Ryan Teague will fill the double pivot at the base of the midfield while Jordy Bos and Sammy Silvera will flank a back three of Cameron Burgess, Milo\u0161 Degenek, and Alessandro Circati.<\/p>\n
We do, however, have a debut between the posts, with Paul Izzo\u2019s regular and strong performances with Danish side Randers rewarded with a first-ever international start.<\/p>\n
Lewis Miller takes a spot on the bench for the first time in the Popovic era, as do youngsters Max Balard, Sege\u010di\u0107, Irankunda, Nicolas Milanovi\u0107 and Mo Tour\u00e9.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n Joey Lynch<\/p>\n Howdy all, Joey Lynch here, and welcome to a new chapter in the Tony Popovic era of the Socceroos: their first game following their qualification for the 2026 World Cup, with focus now well and truly shifting towards preparations for the global showpiece.<\/p>\n Aptly, it will come against an opponent that has also already punched their ticket to North America, too, in the form of New Zealand<\/a>, with tonight\u2019s fixture and the return leg in Auckland next Tuesday also marking the resumption of the Soccer Ashes rivalry between the two sides.<\/p>\n From an Australian perspective, much of the build-up for this game has centred on the young and uncapped players that have been selected in Popovic\u2019s squad \u2013 chief amongst them star boy Nestory Irankunda and rising Portsmouth dynamo Adrian Sege\u010di\u0107.<\/p>\n While the coach has preferred continuity and experience throughout qualifying, with World Cup qualification secured, the A-League was still in its offseason, and several key contributors either injured or just resolving their club situation, there are seven uncapped players in the 25-player squad that has been selected for this window, and a further eight possess fewer than ten international appearances.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll be back with lineups shortly.<\/p>\n