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AAP
AAP
Sport
Anna Harrington

Ecuador friendly a pointer to the future for Socceroos

Graham Arnold is considering as many as six changes for the Socceroos' return clash with Ecuador. (Steven Markham/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

The Socceroos will field a team with an eye to the future when they attempt to cap off a successful post-World Cup homecoming with victory over Ecuador in Melbourne.

Coach Graham Arnold has flagged five or six changes to the starting line-up from Friday's 3-1 win in Sydney as he attempts to build squad depth.

The Ecuador series is considered the start of Australia's journey towards next year's Asian Cup and ultimately the 2026 World Cup.

"Right from the day I re-signed, it was all about these games being preparation (leading into) the Asian Cup," Arnold told reporters.

"That's all I'm focusing on at the moment. I'm not even looking past the Asian Cup at all. It's just about getting players ready for that.

"We'll use these two games, I want some good games in June, September. Obviously we got England at Wembley, my dream, in October and our World Cup qualifiers start in November.

"So it's just important in this little window we do have, of six months, that we build depth and we get ready for that."

Bailey Wright will replace Harry Souttar (ankle) at centre-back while Riley McGree is a certain starter after missing the first game through illness.

Arnold has flagged fielding a mix of youth and experience at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday night.

"We can't just throw all the kids in on their own," he said.

"We've got to make sure that we've got the senior players out there and around them to help them with their debut or early in their careers."

Garang Kuol scored in Sydney while Arnold was cagey on whether 17-year-old Adelaide wunderkind Nestory Irankunda would debut in Melbourne.

The squad freshening-up is most evident in midfield.

With Aaron Mooy (back) sidelined, 30-year-old Jackson Irvine is the most senior midfielder.

Melbourne City's Aiden O'Neill, 24, impressed on debut on Friday along with substitute Alexander Robertson (19) while Keanu Baccus (24) has established himself as a mainstay, like McGree (24).

Irvine's FC St. Pauli teammate Connor Metcalfe, 23, will also be eyeing more game time.

Veteran left-back Aziz Behich will start in his home city but Melbourne City boom youngster Jordan Bos (20) is snapping at his heels and could debut.

But Behich, 32, said older players weren't concerned about fighting for their spots.

"Our focus is the start of this new campaign ... and the Asian Cup coming up, that's the next plan and what we're looking forward to next," he said.

"There's players in every position. We compete, we push each other but at the end of the day, we're all leading towards the same goal."

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