- Aussies won 2-0 in the first leg of the qualifying series
- Had to battle through the loss of two players to injury
- Coach Graham Arnold is dealing with new selection headaches
The Socceroos are facing an injury crisis ahead of their World Cup qualifying rematch against Lebanon after suffering a double blow in the first half of their 2-0 win in Sydney on Thursday evening.
Keanu Baccus put Australia ahead with a screamer in the fifth minute before midfielder Riley McGree rolled an ankle shortly afterwards on Thursday evening.
McGree ended the match with his foot in a moon boot after being replaced by Jordan Bos in the 16th minute, but the winger was also withdrawn from action just before half-time due to a knee injury.
Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold expects to be without the creative duo as he continues to search for the key to unlocking the opposition’s defense before returning to action against Lebanon on Tuesday.
“I’d say they’re both out,” Arnold said of hoping McGree and Bos would recover quickly.
‘Both latecomers. I think they arrived around 1am on Wednesday morning, and it was a little difficult to catch them early in the game.
The Socceroos lost midfielder Riley McGree to an ankle injury in the early stages of the match against Lebanon
His replacement, Jordan Bos, limped off due to an injury just before half-time
“Obviously I used two sub windows in the first half, so in the second half I only had one left, so it made sure we got that sub right.
“But in the end it was a good performance, but we can do better, and we have to do better.”
The Socceroos started with in-form A-League striker Adam Taggart returning to the line-up for the first time in more than two years, teaming up with emerging Kusini Yengi up front.
Veteran Mitch Duke was among the substitutes with minimal game time in his legs, even as the J-League gets underway in Japan.
Graham Arnold will have to reshuffle his squad for the second match against Lebanon
Arnold explained that both fitness and form were behind his decision to play with two top players, in a shift away from his favored single-striker formation.
‘The only reason is actually the injury of all the wingers. If I had the wingers I might not have done it,” Arnold said of the change in formation.
‘But the fact that I have more number 10s and number 8s… I think we needed the two 9s because of the lack of wingers.’
Baccus will also miss the second leg against Lebanon after scoring his first international goal but later receiving a booking that cost him a suspension.
But the Socceroos will be able to call on Craig Goodwin, with the winger recovering from an illness that will rule him out of the first leg.
The 23rd-placed Socceroos can secure their place in the third and final round of the Asian World Cup qualifying stage with two matches to play and another win over Lebanon.
“(Goodwin) is so good he’s already in Canberra waiting for us,” Arnold said. “He’ll be available on Tuesday.”
