4 days Ago By Henry Hanson
A successful international window has seen Australia take a giant leap towards World Cup qualification. However, the past week has only underlined what now feels like an age-old question — who is the right man to spearhead the Socceroos attack? After mid-window knocks to Adam Taggart and Kusini Yengi, the green and gold ended Thursday's triumph over China with injury replacement Mitch Duke up front. An ever-reliable Duke came off the bench during the Socceroos 2-0 defeat of China on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old has had a fine international career, but with only 45 minutes of club football under his belt all season, Duke's time with the national team is surely almost up. And with Yengi and Taggart's injury records patchy at best, Socceroos boss Tony Popovic certainly has a lot to ponder. Popovic's preferred options Given the initial makeup of his latest 26, it seems Popovic currently sees either Taggart, Yengi or Tuesday's starter Brandon Borrello as Australia's best option up front.
With the Socceroos boss wedded to his 3-4-2-1 formation, it looks like there will only ever be room for one true centre forward in a Popovic starting 11. Adam Taggart (right) started up front against Indonesia before injury forced him off at half time. However, with the men either side of that focal point sometimes playing as somewhat traditional wingers and sometimes as more central, dualling number 10s, the role and profile of the Socceroos striker could change from game to game.
With a 2026 World Cup appearance both solidifying and fast approaching, here are some potential Socceroos striking solutions. Brandon Borrello Borrello started up front in the Socceroos 2-0 victory over China. "The nine is a very selfless role sometimes," Borrello told Paramount Plus after playing 80 minutes up front for the Socceroos in Tuesday's 2-0 defeat of China.
"Just try and hold up as many balls as I can, make sure I'm there for the link-up play, for balls around the corner, making sure I'm in the box. He certainly doesn't leave much out there. Borrello's latest tilt at the central striking role was industrious, effective and completely unplanned.
Only those injuries to Taggart and Yengi opened the door for Borrello, whose home is generally on the wing for club side Western Sydney. Thirteen goal contributions in 19 games this season shows his edge is undoubtedly cutting at the moment — but his Socceroos future is probably out wide. Kusini Yengi Yengi's promising start to his Socceroos career has been hampered by injuries.
If fully fit, the Portsmouth forward is Australia's best option up front. However, that's a big if. Having only made his return from a two-and-a-half-month injury lay-off in late February, Yengi withdrew from Popovic's latest squad after suffering another knock in training before the Socceroos departed for China.
With six goals in 11 international appearances thus far, a fit and firing Yengi is an obvious pick for Popovic. The 26-year-old is strong, clever and creative, but his injury record suggests he is not someone to build a team around. Noah Botic The current A-League men's top scorer, however, might be.
Botic was unfortunate to miss out on selection in Popovic's latest squad. The 23-year-old Western United player has found the net 11 times already this season — the latest of which was accompanied by a 'call me' celebration only days after missing out on Popovic's latest squad. Given his scintillating recent form as well as the dearth of Socceroos striking options, it seemed like Botic was nailed on for a maiden international call-up.
For whatever reason, it wasn't to be. But with the World Cup now potentially only one more point away, Popovic might feel more comfortable blooding Botic with the ship somewhat steadied. Speaking to News Corp after his latest snub, Botic said he hoped a debut wasn't far away.
"Obviously I was disappointed not to get selected in this squad, but I respect Tony Popovic's decision and the players that he's chosen," he said. "He's got a reason why he's picked those players, but it doesn't mean that I'm never going to make the squad in the future. It's just for this particular squad.
"I still have potential to maybe make the squad in June, so if I just keep focusing on myself and on my club football, then the rest will take care of itself." Adam Taggart Taggart has scored seven A-League goals for Perth Glory this season. A consistent goal scorer at club-level, Perth Glory's Taggart has had a stop-start Socceroos career.
Having debuted as a teenager back in 2012, he has only donned the green and gold 20 times since. Chosen by Popovic to lead the line against Indonesia, a first half injury kept the 31-year-old from reminding the Socceroos of his serious goal scoring credentials. Taggart is a known quantity, a natural goalscorer and, if he can stay a fit, a serviceable forward option heading into next year's tournament.
Anthony Carter Carter has been in red-hot form for Portuguese second division outfit FC Alverca. It has been something of a late-career breakout season for the former Macarthur Bull. 15 goals and five assists in 28 games for Portuguese second division outfit FC Alverca puts Carter in the conversation for Australia's most in-form centre forward.
At 30-years-of-age, he's not a long-term option, but if he continues to find the net in Portugal, could he be worth a look? Sure, the Portuguese second tier isn't quite the Champions League — however, at the 2022 World Cup, a Mitch Duke then plying his trade in the Japanese second division led the line for the Socceroos. Those on the wings and waiting in them There is no doubt that the Socceroos attacking depth lays on either side of whoever starts up front. Nishan Velupillay's beginning to life in green and gold has been an unmitigated success, Martin Boyle is close to a guaranteed starter on the right, and Craig Goodwin, despite not starting against either Indonesia or China, is probably Australia's best attacking player.
Velupillay has scored three goals in his first five international appearances. Throw in Tuesday night's makeshift centre-forward Borrello, the mercurial Daniel Arzani and the overlooked Nestory Irankunda, and the Socceroos have a glut of talent both on the wings and waiting in them. All these players, perhaps Goodwin aside, could do a job for Australia up front.
The most exciting of them, of course, is Irankunda. The Bayern Munich loanee has had a promising start to life at Swiss club Grasshopper, and you would imagine he will be back in selection contention for June's crunch matches against Japan and Saudi Arabia. Closer to home, Archie Goodwin shouldn't be far from the conversation either.
He's already scored nine goals for Adelaide United this season, and a strong home stretch could see him usurp Botic as the Socceroos' most likely next striking debutant. Irankunda was a notable omission from Popovic's latest squad. A year is a long time in football It's still over a year until the 2026 World Cup.
In football terms, that's more than a full season of club action, at least two more qualifiers and a whole host of international friendlies. That's plenty of time for someone else to force their way into Popovic's plans. Could Garang Kuol find form after a tough few years in Europe? Will Adam Segecic continue scoring goals in the A-League? Or could a then-35-year-old Duke find himself — through either a stunning return to form or as the last man standing after a horrific number-nine-only pandemic rips through Australia's striking stocks — find himself leading the line at one last World Cup? You wouldn't put it past him.
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