Socceroos to play at Adelaide Oval in FIFA World Cup qualifier against China

The Socceroos will play here for the first time in seven years when they host China in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Nestory Irankunda and the Socceroos are set to return to Adelaide in October. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold will send his assistant Rene Meulensteen to Germany to monitor the progress of teenage sensation Nestory Irankunda at Bayern Munich.

Irankunda, 18, is among a host of South Australia-born-or-raised products hoping for selection in the national team when the Socceroos return to Adelaide for the first time in seven years on October 10 for a FIFA World Cup qualifier against China.

“We’ve got a number of players from South Australia across our extended squad who I’m sure will be very pleased to see us returning to Adelaide,” Arnold said ahead of the AFC third-round qualifying battle at Adelaide Oval.

Those players include Irankunda, goalkeeper Joe Gauci, midfielder Riley McGree, winger Craig Goodwin and strikers Kusini Yengi and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos.

“It will be the first time any of them have represented their nation in their home state, which will no doubt be a memory they will cherish for the rest of their careers,” Arnold said

“Opportunities like this are fleeting in international football and I know those players will be extremely motivated as they represent not just themselves but their family, friends and local community.”

Graham Arnold’s Socceroos will play against China at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images

Former Adelaide United star Irankunda debuted for the Socceroos last month before moving to Bayern Munich.

“It was fantastic having Nestor in camp,” Arnold said.

“He fitted in very well. He did extremely well with what I asked him to do. I gave him the biggest test, a mental test for him, of having to play in Bangladesh in that type of (hot) climate and not on a great pitch.

“Sometimes that’s a good test for the younger ones that they then have a challenge in front of them, but Nestor is a great talent, he’s a fantastic talent.

“My assistant coach Rene Meulensteen will be heading across to Bayern Munich, probably next week, to touch base with Bayern to see how he’s going and (check) what else we can do for Nestor while he’s there because we’re here to support him.”

The Socceroos’ most recent clash in Adelaide was in June 2017 when, under the guidance of then national coach Ange Postecoglou, they beat Saudi Arabia 3-2 in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.

Players on show that night in front of almost 30,000 fans at Adelaide Oval included current Socceroos Mat Ryan, Aziz Behich, Mathew Leckie and Jackson Irvine.

The match against China is part of an October FIFA international window schedule for the Socceroos that also includes an away clash against Japan.

Before that, Australia plays qualifiers in September against Bahrain on the Gold Coast and Indonesia in East Java.

“We’ve spoken a lot about how significant securing strong results in our home matches will be during this phase of qualification, and the players understand my expectations around their preparation and performance,” Arnold said.

“That’s the goal, that’s the expectation – direct (World Cup) qualification and to top the group.”