Socceroos aspirant shows support for Iranian protestors after boosting World Cup chances

Daniel Arzani demonstrated his solidarity with women’s rights protestors in his birth country, Iran, after producing a moment of class on Sunday that will surely boost his chances of representing the Socceroos at next month’s World Cup.

The Macarthur FC star, together with Central Coast Mariners striker Jason Cummings, advanced their selection cases with stunning goals in the A-League on the eve of a key pre-tournament milestone for national team coach Graham Arnold.

Daniel Arzani had a poignant celebration to mark his first A-League goal in more than four years.Credit: Getty

By Tuesday, Arnold has to submit a 55-player long-list to FIFA, from which his final 26-man squad for next month’s World Cup in Qatar must be chosen from – and while Cummings and Arzani would have been on it anyway given their standing within the Socceroos’ ranks, each did their prospects no harm with fine performances at club level.

Arzani, in particular, stood out with arguably his best overall showing since the 2018 World Cup in France, where he came off the bench in all three of Australia’s games as the tournament’s youngest player.

Fully recovered from the shoulder niggle he picked up on his international debut last month against New Zealand, Cummings started for the Mariners and almost came away with a brace as they drew 2-2 in a thrilling encounter away to Wellington Phoenix.

Jason Cummings, another Socceroos aspirant, got his name on the scoresheet for the Mariners on Sunday.Credit: Getty

The 27-year-old Scottish-born marksman pulled off a borderline laconic bicycle kick to have the ball in the net, via the woodwork, in the first half at Sky Stadium – only for it to be ruled out after an excruciatingly long VAR review due to a marginal offside. But he was not to be denied in the 64th minute, latching onto Paul Ayongo’s brilliant pass, springing the offside trap and lobbing Oli Sail.

It was the Mariners’ second goal in five minutes, but their surge from 1-0 down fizzled out when Danny Vukovic, another World Cup aspirant, let Ayongo’s attempted clearing header from a defensive corner kick slip through his hands for an own goal.

Vukovic will have been disappointed with that moment but showed his better qualities in the opening stanza with a top-drawer reflex save to repel a toepoke from Kosta Barbarouses, as the veteran goalkeeper aims to supplant Sydney FC’s qualifying hero Andrew Redmayne and squeeze into Arnold’s squad as third-choice goalkeeper behind Maty Ryan and Mitch Langerak.

Meanwhile, Arzani recovered from his opening-round misfire for Macarthur in stunning style, stepping up as their primary attacking outlet after a hamstring injury saw skipper Ulises Davila subbed out after just 12 minutes against Adelaide United, who they beat 2-0.

The winger finished off a swift counter-attack from the Bulls in the 27th minute, holding his nerve to thread a well-placed shot through three Adelaide defenders and past Joe Gauci to give them the lead.

The 23-year-old, who was born in Khorramabad, Iran, celebrated by holding up a black shirt with ‘#MahsaAmini’ written on tape to Paramount’s cameras at Campbelltown Stadium, for which he was also yellow-carded. Mahsa Amini is the 22-year-old woman whose death while in custody of Iran’s morality police, who arrested her for not wearing a hijab, has sparked widespread protests across the country.

It was Arzani’s first A-League goal since February 2018 – but he wasn’t quite done there, setting up Macarthur’s second for Lachie Rose with a wonderful, mazy run down the left flank. Then, a few minutes after laying on that assist, he almost scored from an audacious long-range free kick which almost snuck in after hitting the woodwork near the corner of the upright and the crossbar.

Meanwhile, Sydney FC’s new recruits Robert Mak and Joe Lolley have again produced the goods to spearhead a 3-1 win over defending champions Western United that relieves pressure on coach Steve Corica.

Mak and Lolley were among the Sky Blues’ best in last weekend’s Big Blue defeat to Melbourne Victory but impressed even further here, with United unable to tame their incisive runs cutting inside from the flanks. They scored Sydney’s eye-catching second and third goals at AAMI Park, after an Adam Le Fondre penalty erased the early advantage Josh Risdon’s 16th-minute goal had provided the hosts, who slumped to their second successive loss.

There were glimpses of serious attacking potential from Sydney, mostly through Slovenian Mak and Englishman Lolley, which helped mask an at-times dysfunctional midfield, occasional lack of urgency and a so-so performance from veteran Le Fondre, who also had another feeble penalty attempt saved - but all in all, it was something to build on for when Adelaide visit Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

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