Australia coach Ange Postecoglou has welcomed back Asian Cup heroes Robbie Kruse and Massimo Luongo as well as attacking midfielder Tom Rogic for the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Bangladesh and Tajikistan in early September, reports socceroos.com.au. All three strike weapons make a return to the Socceroos from injury and add significant weight to Postecoglou’s squad for the games with Bangladesh in Perth on September 3 and Tajikistan in Dushanbe on September 8.
Rogic was last part of the Socceroos set up in the lead up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and his selection follows a bright start to the season with Celtic while Kruse and Luongo also come back into the squad after missing the 2-1 win over Kyrgyzstan in June.
‘It’s a positive that we’ve been able to recall Massimo (Luongo), Robbie (Kruse) and Tom Rogic after they missed recent matches and they add attacking options to the squad for the two matches in Perth and Dushanbe,’ Postecoglou said.
Postecoglou has also drafted Aaron Mooy, Adam Federici, Jackson Irvine, Ryan McGowan and uncapped goalkeeper Alex Cisak into the Socceroo squad, which will return to Perth for the first time since 2005.
They replace Oliver Bozanic, Chris Ikonimidis, Daniel de Silva, Ivan Franjic, Eugene Galekovic, Mitch Langerak, Tomislav Mrcela and James Troisi.
Australia never played Bangladesh or Tajikistan at full international level.
Squad
Aziz Behich, Nathan Burns, Tim Cahill, Alex Cisak (gk), Jason Davidson, Tarek Elrich, Adam Federici (gk), Jackson Irvine, Mile Jedinak, Tomi Juric, Robbie Kruse, Mathew Leckie, Massimo Luongo, Ryan McGowan, Matt McKay, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Tommy Oar, Tom Rogic, Mat Ryan (gk), Matthew Spiranovic, Alex Wilkinson, Bailey Wright.
-With New Age input
