Several Australian soccer players shone at the weekend for their new clubs, boosting their confidence ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Socceroos captain Mathew Ryan made a good impression in his second match with RC Lens (Ligue 1). The 96-times-capped goalkeeper delivered his second clean sheet in a row, conceding no goals as Lens beat Montpellier 2-0 on Saturday.
At the age of 32, Ryan is hoping to relaunch his career after a complicated spell at AS Roma (Serie A) and before returning to the national team.
However, the captain will have to face competition in his position. Joe Gauci is also hoping to take up the Socceroos’ first-choice goalkeeper, following his successful debut for Barnsley FC in England’s third division.
On loan from Aston Villa, where he was not used, the 26-year-old goalkeeper also scored a clean sheet in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Burton Albion FC and is gradually picking up the pace with his new club.
In March, Australia will face Indonesia and China as part of the Asian zone qualifiers for the Football World Cup, to be held in June and July 2026 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Socceroos will be hoping to repeat their historic 2022 campaign when they reached the Round of 16 against Argentina for the first time in 16 years.
Other Australian internationals made their mark at the weekend: striker Samuel Silvera scored a goal off the bench for his new club Blackpool FC (EFL League One), while Jordan Bos also found the back of the net in KVC Westerlo’s win over Kortrijk in the Belgian top flight.
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