World Cup qualifiers: Socceroos ready to unleash Aaron Mooy on Nepal in Canberra on Thursday

With Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak retired and Tom Rogic still recovering from off-season knee surgery, Aaron Mooy has become the crucial piece in Graham Arnold’s Socceroos attacking jigsaw.

Aaron Mooy has been given a big chance to add to his six international goals.

• Socceroos squad unveiled for Nepal clash
• Star not ready to thrown into fray just yet

Expect more moments like the sweet strike to wrap up Australia’s 3-0 win over Kuwait from Aaron Mooy on the Socceroos quest to reach the 2022 World Cup.

For a player of his undoubted ability, Mooy’s return of six goals from 40 internationals is an indication of the withdrawn roles he’s had to play in past Socceroos’ regimes.

But with Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak retired and Tom Rogic still recovering from off-season knee surgery, Mooy has become the crucial piece in Graham Arnold’s attacking jigsaw.

Stream every game of The 2019/20 Hyundai A-League season LIVE & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Aaron Mooy has been given a big chance to add to his six international goals.

The Kuwait match was the 29-year-old’s first competitive appearance under Arnold and he showed exactly what Australia had lost from the knee injury which ruled him out of January’s Asian Cup.

Whereas Arnold’s men lacked a cutting edge in the UAE before limping out in a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to their hosts, Mooy’s creativity basically wrapped up the Kuwait game inside the first half.

The Premier League midfielder’s set-piece delivery led to Mathew Leckie’s tap-in double before the precision finish from outside the box late in the first half ended Mooy’s three-year goal drought for his country.

After breaking into the starting line-up at new club Brighton following his off-season loan switch from Huddersfield, Mooy will be keen to deliver once more when Australia take on Nepal at Canberra’s GIO Stadium on Thursday.

Mooy is getting an opportunity to show his wares for Brighton in the EPL.

“Aaron’s a joy to coach,” Arnold said.

“I said to him before the (Kuwait) game ‘Aaron Mooy touches the ball 60 times in the opponent’s half, we’re creating a lot of opportunities and scoring goals, we’ll be controlling the game’ because he’s such a wonderful player.

“I love every minute being with him because he’s a real funny kid. He’s great.”