Australia’s qualification for the 2022 World Cup was defined by thin margins. A last-minute loss to Japan and a 1–0 defeat to Saudi Arabia late in the qualifying process meant the Socceroos were going to have to fight through multiple playoffs to reach Qatar. This time, the margins tipped in favor of Graham Arnold’s side. Midfielder Ajdin Hrustic scored an 84th-minute winner over the United Arab Emirates in the Asian playoff to reach the intercontinental playoff against Peru. There, substitute goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne came on for a penalty shootout and made waves with his antics, but eventually made the decisive save to send the Socceroos to their fifth consecutive World Cup.
This isn’t a side with big-name stars like its golden generation of the 2000s. But it’s a team that was able to grind out qualification playing a majority of its matches on the road due to its country’s strict COVID-19 restrictions. Some fresh faces from a winless performance in the 2018 tournament, namely speedy wingers Martin Boyle and Awer Mabil, could inject new life for a nation looking to make the knockout stage for just the second time.
Group D Schedule (all times Eastern)
- France, Nov. 22, 2 p.m.
- Tunisia, Nov. 26, 5 a.m.
- Denmark, Nov. 30, 10 a.m.
Coach
Graham Arnold, hired in March 2018
Mohammed Dabbous/Imago Images
Players to Watch
Mat Ryan, goalkeeper
Ryan may have missed out on the decisive penalty shootout in the playoff, but make no mistake: He is Australia’s No. 1 choice in goal. While he is struggling to keep his starting role at the club level, the most experienced player on this roster will have his third and final chance to make his mark at a World Cup.
Jackson Irvine, midfielder
The 29-year-old has found a home with German second division side St. Pauli after spending the first decade of his career in Scotland and England. Another experienced player, Irvine primarily plays at the base of the Australian midfield but is also capable of helping in the attack from more advanced positions.
Martin Boyle, forward
Boyle is getting his first shot at the World Cup as he approaches 30. The right-sided winger wasn’t picked by native country Scotland, but by virtue of his Australian parents, he is eligible to play for the Socceroos. He was a key addition in qualifying, adding three goals and four assists.
Nigel Owen/Action Plus/Imago Images
Breakout Candidate
Harry Souttar, center back
Souttar, 24, will be in the running for comeback story of the tournament if Australia is able to make some noise. A breakout performance to start qualifying saw him inserted as a fixture of the Socceroos’ back line. But a devastating ACL injury in a match against Saudi Arabia last November sidelined him for almost a year.
Souttar returned to the matchday squad for English second-tier side Stoke City on Nov. 5 after two weeks of game time with the club’s U-21s. His presence will be needed—Australia kept six clean sheets in 10 qualifying matches with the 24-year-old defender, and just two in seven matches without him. He also could provide a crucial goal-scoring threat on set pieces. At 6’6”, he scored six goals in 10 matches, primarily headers off corner kicks.
World Cup History
- Sixth appearance
- Last appearance: 2018 (Group stage)
- Best finish: Round of 16 in 2006
Outlook and Expectations
Australia’s group test in Qatar will look largely the same as 2018: France and Denmark are groupmates once again, and Tunisia replaces Peru. While the Socceroos came away with just a point in three matches in Russia, they pushed France to the brink (a late own goal gave Les Bleus the victory) and conjured a 1–1 draw against a strong Denmark side.
It wouldn’t be unthinkable for Australia to give their two European counterparts trouble once again. To do so, it’ll need the same kind of confidence that saw it go toe-to-toe with Peru in the June intercontinental playoff. The Socceroos successfully absorbed pressure, created good chances on the counter and on set pieces and never let their superior opponents take hold of the match. It’s easier said than done against two of Europe’s best, but any points off those two opponents could lead Australia to an unlikely knockout-stage appearance.
World Cup Squad
GOALKEEPERS: Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC), Mat Ryan (Copenhagen), Danny Vukovic (Central Coast Mariners)
DEFENDERS: Nathaniel Atkinson (Heart of Midlothian), Aziz Behich (Dundee United), Miloš Degenek (Columbus Crew), Thomas Deng (Albirex Niigata), Fran Karačić (Brescia), Joel King (Odense Boldklub), Kye Rowles (Heart of Midlothian), Harry Souttar (Stoke City), Bailey Wright (Sunderland)
MIDFIELDERS: Keanu Baccus (St Mirren), Cameron Devlin (Heart of Midlothian), Ajdin Hrustic (Hellas Verona), Jackson Irvine (St. Pauli), Riley McGree (Middlesbrough), Aaron Mooy (Celtic)
