Mile Jedinak is back and Nikita Rukavytsya, who has not played international football since 2014, has been recalled to the Socceroos’ squad ahead of next month’s make-or-break World Cup qualifier against Syria.
Coach Ange Postecoglou on Tuesday named a provisional 30-man squad for the two-legged tie to be played in Malaysia and Sydney that will either send his team into a final qualifying tie with a team from the Concacaf region or end Australia’s hopes of reaching a fourth consecutive World Cup.
Captain Jedinak returns to the squad after missing June’s Confederations Cup in Russia and the recent qualifiers against Japan and Thailand with a niggling groin injury.
Rukavytsya, 30, left Western Sydney Wanderers in September 2015 and has been playing in Israel since, first with Beitar Jerusalem and more recently with Maccabi Haifa, where he has scored twice in four league games so far this season.
Rukavytsya is one of five additions to the squad, which will be trimmed to 23, alongside Aziz Behich, Mark Birighitti, Craig Goodwin and James Jeggo. Defender Matthew Spiranovic has been left out.
“There is a short turnaround from the last matches so we are fully focused on these upcoming fixtures against Syria,” said Postecoglou.
“The players that we have selected for these crucial matches all have the benefit of several club matches under their belts over the past few weeks, and I am confident whichever 23 players we settle on will be able to do the job next month.
“Now that the match venues have been confirmed, we will prepare for our fixtures against Syria just like every other international opposition we faced throughout this campaign.
After a week of speculation about the venue for Syria’s “home” leg, Football Federation Australia confirmed the game will take place at Hang Jebat Stadium in Malacca on 5 October. The return leg will be played at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium five days later.
Australia squad: : Mustafa Amini, Aziz Behich, Mark Birighitti, Tim Cahill, Milos Degenek, Alex Gersbach, Craig Goodwin, Jackson Irvine, Mile Jedinak, James Jeggo, Tomi Juric, Matthew Jurman, Robbie Kruse, Mitchell Langerak, Mathew Leckie, Massimo Luongo, Awer Mabil, Jamie Maclaren, Ryan McGowan, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Josh Risdon, Tom Rogic, Nikita Rukavytsya, Mathew Ryan, Trent Sainsbury, Brad Smith, James Troisi, Daniel Vukovic, Bailey Wright.
