Ajdin Hrustic set for return as Canberra gets nod to host additional World Cup qualifier on home soil

A forgotten star is closing in on a return to Socceroos duty for an Australian team that will play an extra FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifier on home soil.

The suspension of midfielder Aiden O’Neill has opened the door for forgotten playmaker Ajdin Hrustic to make his return to the Socceroos squad for this month’s two World Cup qualifiers against Lebanon.

And Perth Glory striker Adam Taggart is also close to an international recall thanks to his impressive A-League form.

It was announced on Friday that both of the Socceroos’ AFC second round World Cup qualifiers would be played in Australia,

As previously scheduled, the teams will meet at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium on March 21.

The second Group I match between the teams five days later was set to be played on neutral territory, with Lebanon unable to play home matches due to the current circumstances in the Middle East.

However, following discussions involving the Lebanese Football Association, Football Australia and the ACT government, Canberra’s GIO Stadium has been announced as the venue for the March 26 game.

It will the Socceroos’ first match in Canberra since beating Nepal 5-0 in October, 2019 in a qualifier for the 2022 World Cup.

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold was delighted his side could play an additional match on home soil.

“Throughout my time as head coach, we’ve had limited opportunities to play in front of home crowds, so to have two matches in this window in Australia is extremely pleasing,” Arnold said.

“I know the players are looking forward to coming home.”

Graham Arnold’s Socceroos will play Lebanon in Sydney and Canberra this month. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Arnold has submitted a 50-man preliminary squad for the two matches, with the final 23-player squad to be announced on March 14.

It won’t include Belgium-based O’Neill, who has banned for two international matches after receiving a straight red card for a studs-up tackle on Hwang Hee-chan in the Socceroos’ 2-1 Asian Cup quarter-final loss to South Korea last month.

O’Neill’s absence will further aid Hrustic’s chances of being recalled.

A member of Australia’s 2022 World Cup squad, the 27-year-old Dandenong product has missed the Socceroos’ past 11 matches due to a lack of first-team football at his former club, Italian top-flight outfit Hellas Verona.

However, he move last month to Dutch club Heracles has brought with it regular football, with his creative spark to prove vital to a Socceroos side that lacked a genuine playmaker at the Asian Cup.

Australia also had trouble finding the back of the net at the tournament in Qatar, which brings Taggart – who has scored 12 goals in 16 A-League appearances this season – into strong selection contention.

Taggart’s most recent of his 16 national team appearances came as a second-half substitute in the Socceroos’ 1-0 win over New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium in September 2022.

At 30, Taggart will still be at a good age should the Socceroos qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Socceroos top Group I with six points from two matches, with Lebanon in second spot, four points adrift of the Australians in a pool that also includes Palestine and Bangladesh.

The top two teams from each of the nine second-round qualifying groups will advance to the third round of qualifiers.

The Socceroos want a perfect Group I record to improve their slim chances of breaking into the top-three-ranked Asian nations and being placed in pot one for the third-round draw.

In the current FIFA world rankings, the 23rd-ranked Socceroos are the AFC’s fourth highest team behind Japan (18), Iran (20) and South Korea (22).