The Socceroos have capped their World Cup preparations with a clean sweep of New Zealand, winning the second and final friendly 2-0 at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday.
After giving his World Cup qualifying heroes an opportunity to thank their home fans in a 1-0 win in Brisbane on Thursday, Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold used the final friendly to test the depth and versatility of his squad.
With almost all of his senior players returning to their clubs following the first match, Arnold handed out a number of senior debuts and much-needed minutes across the field.
Korea-based centre-back Harrison Delbridge earned his first cap when he started alongside former Olyroos captain Thomas Deng, who himself had just one appearance for the senior side coming into this game.
Young fullbacks Nathaniel Atkinson and Joel King started on either side of the centre-back pairing, flanking an entirely new midfield made up of Connor Metcalfe, Denis Genreau, and Riley McGree.
The Socceroos' most experienced players came in the form of captain Mathew Leckie and Japan-based Mitch Duke, who scored the opening goal in the second half, while emerging Melbourne City winger Marco Tilio rounded out the experimental starting XI.
It was that unfamiliarity that arguably saw the Socceroos struggle in front of a heaving 34,985 fans, who'd flocked to see the All Whites play on home soil for the first time in five years.
New Zealand were far the better side in the opening 45 minutes, inspired by the last international appearance of captain Winston Reid, who announced his retirement after losing the World Cup play-off qualifier against Costa Rica earlier this year.
After a scrappy opening 15 minutes, it was the home side who began to ease their way into the contest, having rotated just three players from their first friendly on Thursday. While Australia had some flurries through Leckie in the opening periods, chances were few and far between as the Kiwis dominated possession and showed effective collective press to win the ball back at every opportunity.
Home fans were left wanting when Newcastle United striker Chris Wood was substituted just after the half-hour with a rib complaint, leaving New Zealand without their talismanic striker to aim for. Emerging players Matt Garbett and Elijah Just were New Zealand's most dangerous players down the left, often combining with overlapping Empoli defender Liberato Cacace, but some stoic defending from Deng and Delbridge ensured goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was rarely called upon.
The best chance of the half fell to the Socceroos when a charging run from Connor Metcalfe saw Mitch Duke nip in behind New Zealand's defence before squaring to an unmarked Marco Tilio at the back post. However, the Melbourne City winger sent his shot trickling wide.
After going into the sheds at 0-0, it was Australia who emerged from them a side reborn. Tilio in particular seemed intent on atoning for his earlier miss and began running at players with confidence and swagger, while the Socceroos' midfielders were braver and more emphatic going forward.
The opening goal came just 10 minutes after the restart when Metcalfe clipped a delightful ball towards the six-yard line for Mitch Duke to head home, giving the visitors a deserved lead after their energetic return to the field.
A flurry of substitutions just on the hour resulted in some of the most exciting football produced by Australia in some time. Debuts to Scotland-born Jason Cummings, 18-year-old Central Coast Mariners sensation Garang Kuol, and Heart of Midlothian midfielder Cameron Devlin were inspired moves by Arnold, with the former two combining for the second goal.
The teenager stole the ball inside his own half and breezed past New Zealand's scrambling defenders, charging into acres of open space near the top of the box. Instead of shooting, Kuol squared for the inrushing Riley McGree, whose first shot was saved by Kiwi keeper Oliver Sail by before Cummings' follow-up strike hit the hand of Cacace on the line.
Cummings stepped up to tuck the penalty home and cap off a dream debut for his adopted country. St Mirren duo Ryan Strain and Keanu Baccus also received their first caps towards the back-end of the half.
With no more windows in which to test out players before the World Cup, Arnold now must zero in on the squad he believes can achieve something special in Qatar and hope that their club minutes translate into country magic.
If the latter half of this second friendly was anything to go by, he's got a number of players who have shown they can do just that.
"I'm going to reach out to Panadol for a sponsorship," Arnold joked afterwards.
"I'm gonna have quite a number of headaches to fit into a 26-man squad... but I want those headaches, I need those headaches."
Check out how the match unfolded in our live-blog below.
Key events
Live updates
By Samantha Lewis
Final thoughts
I don't know about you folks, but that second half was everything I want the Socceroos to be.
They were brave, positive in possession, varied and multi-faceted when going forward, powerful and fairly error-free in defence.
A couple of fringe players who stood out for me in that second 45 were Thomas Deng, Cameron Devlin, Marco Tilio, and, of course, Garang Kuol.
Each of them played like they knew this was the final chance to impress Graham Arnold, and they absolutely lifted the energy of both the team and us fans back home watching them.
Arnold will have a lot of thinking to do between now and mid-November, when he must announce his final 26-player squad for Qatar.
The most exciting thing, for me, is that he has more breakout players to choose from than he maybe thought coming into this final friendly.
Anyway, that's it from me for today. Thanks so much for tuning in, and keep an eye on ABC Sport over the next few weeks as I profile a number of the players as they get ready for the World Cup.
By Samantha Lewis
Full-time: New Zealand 0 - 2 Australia
Well, that was exactly the kind of second-half fans wanted from a game filled with new and emerging stars.
After a slow, scrappy start in which New Zealand were undoubtedly the more convincing side, the Socceroos came out absolutely firing in the second half in one of their most exciting 45 minutes of play for many months.
A towering header from Mitch Duke and a penalty to debutant (and cult figure) Jason Cummings gave Australia the win, while yet another electric appearance from teenager Garang Kuol - who started the move that resulted in Cummings' penalty - showed fans that the future of the Socceroos is bright.
By Samantha Lewis
91'
Thomas Deng with two crucial touches in his own box as New Zealand throw everything they've got at the goal.
He gets a crucial toe on a cross before leaping high to clear a cross in the air while surrounded by three white shirts.
This has been a brilliant performance from Deng. Another player who's put his name up in lights for Qatar, you'd think.
By Samantha Lewis
Three minutes of added time
Jason Cummings is doing his best to make an impact beyond the penalty.
He sprints in behind and clips a ball back into the box for McGree, but it's cleared.
Kuol carries the ball back towards the by-line and wins a corner, that Australia try to take short and keep in the corner but New Zealand muscle their way out.
By Samantha Lewis
88' A moment to appreciate another substitute
Cameron Devlin has been excellent since coming on in the 60th minute alongside Cummings and Kuol.
He's won more balls in dangerous areas than Genreau did and very rarely coughed it up in possession. Very clever in his movements and decision-making.
Exactly the kind of stable presence the Socceroos needed at the base of midfield to give their central midfielders more space to flock foward.
By Samantha Lewis
87' Kuol with the chance!
He created it out of nothing! He takes a beautiful touch around a defender and finds himself one-on-one with Sail, but takes a little too long to shoot and a white shirt throws themselves in front of it.
This kid. Seriously.
By Samantha Lewis
82' Another debut
Connor Metcalfe is replaced by Keanu Baccus in midfield.
By Samantha Lewis
79' GOAL AUSTRALIA!
Jason Cummings slams home a penalty after an absolutely chaotic phase of play to make it 2-0 to Australia.
It started with Garang Kuol, who made a blazing run down the left wing past New Zealand's defenders. The kid was in acres of space as he charged into the box, squaring for Riley McGree coming through the middle.
McGree's shot is deflected by a backtracking defender, falling into the path of Cummings. The Scotsman follows up with a strike that hits the hand of Cacace who's stationed on the line before McGree's next shot hits the crossbar.
The referee blew the whistle and showed Cacace a yellow, pointing to the penalty spot.
I honestly didn't even know how to write this post in a way that made sense. Just watch it all unfold here instead:
By Samantha Lewis
76' Chance NZ
A free kick is given away by Ryan Strain on the left side, about 40 yards out.
Tuiloma takes a long, straight run-up and tries to knuckleball it over the wall and into the net, but it flies over the crossbar instead.
By Samantha Lewis
73' Winston Reid gets his final farewell
The New Zealand skipper gets a standing ovation from the 34,985 people at Eden Park. Banners saying "Thanks Winston" hang over the barricades. He applauds the crowd and gives a high-five to every player and staff member in the New Zealand area. What a stint.
He's replaced by Ben Old.
By Samantha Lewis
71' IT'S GARANG TIME!
18-year-old Garang Kuol comes on to replace Marco Tilio.
He hasn't started a single game in the A-League Men. But after some stunning appearances off the bench for the Central Coast Mariners and for the A-League All Stars against Barcelona, he's earned this call-up.
What a moment for him and his family.
By Samantha Lewis
70' Chance NZ!
Okay, the Kiwis are coming back.
Waine pounces down the right and curls a cross back towards the penalty spot, where Matt Garbett is charging in.
He throws himself in the air to try and connect with his head but sends the ball out for a goal kick.
The Socceroos aren't the only one whose kids are capable of good things today.
By Samantha Lewis
69' Yellow card
Marco Tilio gets the first card of the match after a heavy touch forces him to slide in on Ben Waine, clipping the attacker in the process. Deserved slice of cheese, that.
By Samantha Lewis
67' Chance NZ!
One of the few errors that Harrison Delbridge has made: a poor clearance is deflected into the path of the substitute Alex Greive just inside the box, but he shoots right at Redmayne.
Beyond that, the Kiwis haven't had any glimpses of goal so far this half.
By Samantha Lewis
Even the Socceroos' official channels are getting around the Cumdingo memes
By Samantha Lewis
62' You get a debut! And you get a debut!
Three debutants make their way onto the field for Australia!
Jason Cummings is on for Mitch Duke.
Cameron Devlin replaces Denis Genreau.
Ryan Strain comes on for Nathaniel Atkinson.
Arnold handing out debuts like Oprah.
By Samantha Lewis
60'
Marco Tilio makes another blitzy, slaloming run through a bunch of players and wins a free kick.
This has been the most electric 15 minutes the Socceroos have played in quite some time, and the fact it's coming through a bunch of players who've basically only just met is pretty encouraging.
Their structure has facilitated that: they're playing with a higher line and the midfield is being given more license to move forward. New Zealand's press has softened slightly, too, which has helped.
By Samantha Lewis
57' Chance Aus!
This is what we like to see!
Joel King bombs up the left and latches onto a nice switch pass from Tilio. He curls a square pass towards the front post and Mitch Duke throws himself at it, but he just misses and Sail collects.
Loving this new energy.
By Samantha Lewis
55' New Zealand substitution
Elijah Just comes off for Alex Greive.
By Samantha Lewis
53' GOAL AUSTRALIA
And it's Mitch Duke with his eighth goal for the Socceroos!
Excellent build-up play from the left. McGree cuts in behind and passes back to King, who squares for Connor Metcalfe near the top of the box.
The midfielder curls a brilliant cross towards the six-yard line and Duke rises highest, heading back across goal and into the back of the net.
New Zealand 0 - 1 Australia
