Injured Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan to miss clash against Kuwait, offering chance for understudies
THE withdrawal of first-choice goalkeeper Mat Ryan will give Socceroos boss Graham Arnold to chance to properly test his support stoppers as the countdown intensifies to January’s Asian Cup.
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THE absence of first choice Mat Ryan opens up the prospect of a goalkeeping shootout for Socceroos boss Graham Arnold, as the countdown intensifies to the Asian Cup in January.
Ryan’s withdrawal from the Australian squad to face Kuwait next week, to nurse what is being termed a “minor injury”, means World Cup keepers Danny Vukovic and Brad Jones, plus Japan-based Mitch Langerak, will all aim to prove they should start in Ryan’s place during a camp in the UAE this week.
Jones was officially the second-choice goalkeeper at the World Cup, designated as such by Bert van Marwijk, but Arnold is likely to observe all three in Dubai before the squad switches to Kuwait for the game in the early hours of Tuesday morning next week.
Langerak has returned to the national squad after being overlooked for the World Cup, but will face an uphill battle to usurp Vukovic in particular, in good form for Belgian side Genk this season.
Arnold knows both Vukovic and Jones well, having won the A-League with the former 17 months ago and given Jones his international debut 11 years ago during his year-long stint as interim national coach.
Arnold was at pains to downplay Ryan’s absence, after the latter kept a clean sheet in Brighton’s 1-0 defeat of West Ham on Saturday.
“Mathew’s managing a minor injury which hasn’t prevented him from playing or performing for Brighton so far this Premier League season,” Arnold said.
“He could have travelled to the Middle East, trained with us, and played against Kuwait, but for this window we believe it is best that he remains in Brighton and returns to full fitness with his club.
“We will have three very good goalkeepers with us this camp in Danny Vukovic, Brad Jones, and Mitchell Langerak.
“The time in the UAE and Kuwait will provide a great opportunity for each of these goalkeepers to show their best as next year’s AFC Asian Cup draws nearer,” he said.
The game with Kuwait will be Arnold’s first since he succeeded van Marwijk, one of just three scheduled so far before the defence of the Asian Cup title begins at the start of next year.
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