MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Asian Cup champion Australia has selected a full-strength squad including Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak for its opening World Cup qualifier in Kyrgyzstan.
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou on Monday recalled Cahill, Matthew Spiranovic and Eugene Galekovic in the 23-man squad for the June 16 Asian Group B qualifier in Bishkek. The squad contains 19 players who helped Australia win the Asian Cup in January.
Postecoglou says he chose a settled squad comprising “the core of players that brought success at the Asian Cup but also the core of players that will take us through to the next World Cup,” at Russia in 2018.
“This is the start of the next chapter in our journey and we are all excited about what lies ahead over the next two years,” he said. “We have been open in our desire to make an impact at the 2018 World Cup, but first we need to qualify and that task is immediately in front of us.”
Australia will open its qualifying campaign against Kyrgyzstan on June 16 and also faces Jordan, Tajikistan and Bangladesh in its Asian qualifying pool.
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Australia squad: Aziz Behich, Oliver Bozanic, Nathan Burns, Tim Cahill, Jason Davidson, Tarek Elrich, Ivan Franjic, Eugene Galekovic, Chris Ikonomidis, Mile Jedinak, Tomi Juric, Mitchell Langerak, Mathew Leckie, Massimo Luongo, Matt McKay, Mark Milligan, Tommy Oar, Mat Ryan, Trent Sainsbury, Matthew Spiranovic, James Troisi, Alex Wilkinson, Bailey Wright.
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