Garang Kuol makes Australia’s World Cup squad as Taggart and Langerak miss out

Garang Kuol is yet to start a professional league match, but the 18-year-old striker will go to a World Cup after being included as a wildcard selection in Australia’s 26-man squad for the tournament in Qatar.

The impact player will be joined on the plane by Central Coast Mariners teammate Jason Cummings, but in shock selection decisions, there was no place for experienced defender Trent Sainsbury or in-form goalkeeper Mitch Langerak on the final list announced by Socceroos coach Graham Arnold on Tuesday.

Kuol, who will join Newcastle United in January, has been rewarded for a string of eye-catching performances off the bench for the Mariners since making his A-League Men debut in April this year.

The teenager has made a total of just 12 league appearances as a substitute and was called up to his first national squad in September before making his international debut, again off the bench, in a friendly against New Zealand.

“Garang has really shown at the Mariners how he can change a game,” Arnold said. “He has zero fear and he just wants to go out there and play.”

Arnold said the final names he landed on made for “an exciting squad”.

“Over the past four years, 32 players have made their debut for the national team,” he said. “I want to thank every player who has helped the team over this journey. We have called upon 68 players during the qualifying campaign and every one of them has played a part in getting us here.”

Kuol’s club teammate Cummings also made his Socceroos debut in that win over New Zealand, finding the net with a penalty after coming on as a second-half substitute in what was the team’s final pre-World Cup outing.

The Scotland-born forward, who qualifies for the Socceroos thanks to his Australian mother, gets the nod over Adam Taggart in Arnold’s squad, despite the Cerezo Osaka player having featured heavily in the qualification campaign.

In goal, captain Mat Ryan appears assured of his place in the starting XI, after Nagoya Grampus keeper Langerak was overlooked in the most surprising of Arnold’s selection decisions.

Langerak, who stepped away from the Socceroos last year due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, was coaxed back out of international retirement and selected in the squad for September’s games with New Zealand.

His strong form – 14 clean sheets from 33 appearances this season – and regular minutes in J-League hinted he may push Ryan for the No 1 jersey, but he did not feature against New Zealand and now Arnold has overlooked the 34-year-old in favour of Central Coast’s Danny Vukovic.

Qualification playoff penalty shootout hero Andrew Redmayne is the other keeper to be included.

Attacking midfielder Ajdin Hrustic, one of the first names on Arnold’s team sheet, will fly to Qatar despite carrying an injury picked up in Serie A that may keep him sidelined until the opening game against Group D favourites France.

Harry Souttar and Martin Boyle, both likely starters, have also been included despite clouds over their fitness. Key defender Souttar made a non-playing return to Stoke City’s matchday squad at the weekend after a knee reconstruction, while winger Boyle sustained a knee injury playing for Hibernian last month and is unlikely to play again before he arrives in Qatar.

Tom Rogic, who has barely played this year and pulled out of the Socceroos qualification playoffs without citing a reason, misses out.

The squad features nine members of the Tokyo 2020 Olyroos’ squad in Nathaniel Atkinson, Keanu Baccus, Thomas Deng, Cameron Devlin, Joel King, Riley McGree, Kye Rowles, Souttar and Mitchell Duke as the overage player.

“We have worked hard to give younger players an opportunity over the campaign, to expose them to international football, to test them against the best and I’m thrilled with the development and maturity of this group who now get a chance on the biggest stage possible,” Arnold said.

Australia kick off their campaign against two-times champions France on 23 November, before meeting Tunisia three days later and then Denmark in the early hours of 1 December AEDT.

Australia squad: Mat Ryan (captain), Nathaniel Atkinson, Keanu Baccus, Aziz Behich, Martin Boyle, Jason Cummings, Milos Degenek, Thomas Deng, Cameron Devlin, Mitchell Duke, Craig Goodwin, Ajdin Hrustic, Jackson Irvine, Fran Karacic, Joel King, Garang Kuol, Mathew Leckie, Awer Mabil, Jamie Maclaren, Riley McGree, Aaron Mooy, Andrew Redmayne, Kye Rowles, Harry Souttar, Danny Vukovic, Bailey Wright.