Match Preview: Venezuela v CommBank Socceroos | International Friendly
The CommBank Socceroos will take on Venezuela at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas on Saturday lunchtime (AEDT) as the team continues preparations for the FIFA World Cup 26™.
The international friendly serves as vital experience for the squad against South American opposition in the United States, one of the host nations of the World Cup next year.
It is set to be another tough test against a youthful, new-look Venezuela side, but one that will help prepare the team for continued challenges ahead and future competitive fixtures.
The Squad
Head Coach Tony Popovic made eleven changes from the squad that took on Canada and USA in the last international window. 28-year-old Deni Juric, named in the original squad, withdrew earlier in camp after suffering an injury at training.
Two potential debutants, the 18-year-old James Overy and 20-year-old Paul Okon-Engstler, both impressed at the FIFA U20 World Cup earlier this year. Their inclusion in the squad is reward for what they have produced in their young careers, as well as giving them experience for what could be long futures in the national team.
Others such as Kai Trewin, Jack Iredale and Al Hassan Toure have had to wait a little bit longer for their opportunity, but will hope to take it with two hands if the opportunity presents itself.
More experienced members of the squad including Jackson Irvine, Craig Goodwin and Riley McGree return to the squad for this window after being unavailable due to injury in what will be a boost for the whole team.
Popovic said throughout the week that these games were a chance for players to impress, while making it clear that the final squad for the World Cup was far from set in stone.
"We watch all the players. Even when they think that we're not watching, we're aware of how they're playing and what form they're in," he explained.
"If they're in the squad, they now have a chance for the World Cup. Yes, there are some players that obviously can be more long-term prospects - prospects for after the World Cup, maybe the Asian Cup, certainly the next cycle. But it doesn't rule them out of this World Cup coming up."
Last Window
North America is a familiar part of the world for the Socceroos, having just spent the October window taking on Canada and the United States.
Nestory Irankunda's goal saw Australia defeat Canada 1-0 in the first game, before falling to USA 2-1 in the second, when Jordy Bos' early strike was cancelled out by a brace from the USA's Haji Wright.
The game marked the end of the Socceroos' unbeaten 12-match run under Tony Popovic, but the team took valuable lessons from the result, particularly having played in North American conditions.
The Opponent
Venezuela are currently in a significant phase of transition, with interim Head Coach Fernando Aristeguieta taking charge of the team for the first time. Their squad has had major changes since the last international window as they look to find new combinations to help them prepare for the next World Cup cycle.
A large contingent of the squad play locally, or in the MLS in the United States. Cristian Casseres is one notable exception, plying his trade in France at Toulouse. He is the most experienced player selected in this squad with 42 appearances for the national team.
The three forwards named in the squad - Kevin Kelsy, Alejandro Marques and Jesus Ramirez - can only boast seven caps, with zero goals on the senior international stage between them.
However, with inexperience and youth comes unpredictability. The talent is there amongst these youngsters and it will be fascinating to see how they adapt to the new era.
FIFA World Rankings
Australia: 25
Venezuela: 50
Form Guide
Australia form guide: L-W-W-W-W
Venezuela form guide: L-L-L-L-W
What They Said
Tony Popovic
South American opposition is something that we really wanted to test ourselves against, in terms of the style of play. They keep the ball very well. They're very structured. Venezuela are going through a change now as well. They've got an interim coach. Between the last two windows, September and October, they changed 15-odd players. So there have been a lot of changes. We’re not sure what to expect in terms of personnel, but in terms of quality on the ball and their discipline and structure, they’re a very structured team.
I'm looking to make the squad stronger and better, and the only way we can do that is by trialling players in our environment, giving them a chance. I'm confident the stability and the relationships that you get on the field together helps the more they play together. But we need to try different combinations. We need to see how that looks against different types of opposition. And in the end, I believe that will make us stronger come the World Cup.
Al Hassan Toure
The most important thing for me right now is just being here. I think he [Tony Popovic] has rewarded me for my performances, and I just want to be here and show him that I deserve to be here - that's the main thing. Go out there, train hard every day and hopefully get some minutes.
Jack Iredale
Everyone's trying to come to grips with what the environment is going to be like. So it's something that we need to be ready for, whether that's staying in it for an extended period of time in one place, or travelling and then playing with a quick turnaround. So everything is a learning curve, and we're all trying to make the most of it.
Max Balard
[Venezuela is] an opposition that we haven't really faced so far - well, at least I haven't faced so far! It's very exciting. Of course, they have a lot of talent, playing overseas in Europe, they've got some really top players. It's going to be a tough game, and it'll be interesting. You watch South American teams play all the time, and you can see how aggressive they are and how also how technical they are, how much they love football, and they're very passionate - as their fans are as well. I'm very excited to play against this type of opposition. I think it will suit us very well to bring the fight out of us. I'm very excited for it.
Maty Ryan
These two games here will prove to be good challenges for us, facing another type of opponent that we don't get to face too much - only in these types of competitions. It’s another good challenge for us as a squad.