Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos’ rising star Massimo Luongo aiming for more after first international goal
IT was a goal scored at the Asian Cup but partly forged at the World Cup — and now Massimo Luongo is eyeing a greater contribution to Australia’s cause.
Asian Cup
Don't miss out on the headlines from Asian Cup. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IT was a goal scored at the Asian Cup but partly forged at the World Cup — and now Massimo Luongo is eyeing a greater goalscoring contribution to Australia’s cause.
The header he took with some aplomb to give the Socceroos the lead over Kuwait on Friday was part of a man of the match display likely to earn Luongo another start against Oman, in the city where he grew up but left six years ago to build a career in England.
But the Waverley College product can trace an improvement in his game back through the past eight months, learning and observing at the World Cup even without getting on the pitch.
SOCCEROOS ‘WERE MADE TO SUFFER’ BY KUWAIT
POSTECOGLOU PROMISES NO END TO ATTACK
IN-FORM BURNS SHOWS ‘EVERYONE WHAT HE CAN DO’
JEDINAK NOT ONLY SOCCEROOS CHANGE FOR OMAN
Having registered his first goal in his sixth appearance, Luongo hopes the attack-minded formation of Ange Postecoglou will allow him more openings to exploit.
“Coming back from the World Cup, I took back so much experience to my club team Swindon — all the training with the players and being among it, working on things I wouldn’t normally,” he said.
“It had a noticeable effect on me, and even now, the way we’re training you don’t really see the results at the time. But then on Friday night it was like textbook the way it unfolded, and the way we trained suddenly appeared on the pitch.
“For me personally it doesn’t get much better, although I did have a shaky 15 minutes at the beginning — so it could get better in that sense. I’ve got loads to improve on in my game still but overall I was happy with how it went and the overall result.
“I was a bit surprised to get selected. To be fair, you never know what the manager’s thinking. Most coaches might have gone for experience, but I was pretty happy to get in the team.
“We’re playing with two attacking players in midfield, and I knew that if Jimmy [Troisi] was to go then I would sit, and vice versa.
“But I was confident to try to get in the box a bit more because I knew that he’d be in the right areas if it broke down. The formation helps, the players we have helped, and it’s something I want to do — get in the box a lot more to try to score some goals.”
Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos’ rising star Massimo Luongo aiming for more after first international goal
Fowler keen to clear the air on Paris flop
Accusations of “pampering” were thrown at the Matildas following their disappointing exit at the Paris Olympic Games.
Huge concerns for new AFC Women’s Champions League
It hasn’t kicked off yet but FIFPRO Asia have serious concerns about the financial strain the AFC Women’s Champions League will have on clubs, athletes’ welfare and disruptions to domestic competitions.