Tony Popovic turned to Nestory Irankunda and his fellow frontline Socceroos stars to ensure the team’s World Cup send-off was sufficiently fitting, and in the second half against Curaçao in Melbourne on Tuesday they elevated an otherwise drab friendly into a grand farewell that finished 5-1.
Together with promising performances from opening goalscorer Awer Mabil and Kai Trewin, who was trialled at right wingback, the performance gave Popovic much to ponder for six weeks before the team’s final pre-tournament camp in the US.
Popovic said Irankunda and the other substitutes made a “wonderful impact” but that the foundation was made in the first half.
“It’s not easy starting those games and you could see that in the second half when they fatigued and we looked a bit sharper with the players that came on,” he said. “After a little setback with quite a soft goal for us to concede really, off a long ball, but it was a good reaction and we scored some nice goals.”
The match will be remembered for the second half of the second half. A series of substitutes gave fans reasons for optimism in what will be a challenging World Cup group, with hosts the USA, Paraguay and the winner of the Wednesday morning playoff between Turkey and Kosovo.
Irankunda and Riley McGree came on in the 66th minute with the score at 1-1, and within two minutes had combined to create the go-ahead goal for defender Alessandro Circati. McGree’s sweeping left-foot cross dropped perfectly on to the defender’s head at the back post to get the Socceroos moving.
Together with Jordy Bos, who came on at the same time, the trio of reinforcements engineered two near misses in the ensuing two minutes, before Bos himself got on the scoresheet with a curving right-foot shot that found the right goalpost and bounced in.
But this was a night for Irankunda believers. He added a fourth goal with nifty footwork and a powerful finish that he celebrated with a backflip and a “smooth criminal” Michael Jackson-inspired celebration. A fifth, and his second, came from a through ball from another substitute Nishan Velupillay.
Popovic said he wants the young forward to continue to be active inside the penalty area.
“The first one he dribbles one on one which is great, and the second one he makes a nice little run in the box, so we want that to continue and that’s why I’m delighted for him,” the coach said.
Mabil was the opening goalscorer in the 22nd minute, celebrating his first start for the national team in three years. It was created by a strong press, including an intercept from Trewin, and a flick from Deni Juric into the path of Mabil.
Disconnected defending by the Socceroos’ experimental backline handed the visitors an equaliser early in the second half. Circati lost a duel in the air near halfway and Kye Rowles failed to track the run of substitute Arjany Martha, who received the glancing header from Gervane Kastaneer, and was kept narrowly onside by Jason Geria – a half-time substitute – on the fair side. Martha streaked away and slid the ball past Ryan with ease.
Popovic was good to his promise of giving players who started against Cameroon another chance to build continuity, and captain Mat Ryan, defenders Circati and Lucas Herrington, midfield anchors Connor Metcalfe and Aiden O’Neill and Juric lined up for the anthems.
Alongside them were defenders Aziz Behich, Trewin and Rowles – who was only a late addition to the squad despite his importance in Qatar, as well as playmaker Ajdin Hrustic and Mabil.
The opening stages were awkward, and the visitors enjoyed more than their fair share of territory, but the new faces were not to blame. Instead, Circati and Hrustic both gave away possession twice in dangerous positions, prompting stern instructions in a break of play from Popovic. The coach was happier when Ryan hit it long and the Socceroos secured the second ball, a more direct approach that elicited applause from the coach.
An hour or so later it was the fans who could not help but stand and applaud an effervescent display by Irankunda, who changed the game with his energy and directness.
Popovic said Irankunda is on the right track after a less than straightforward path from Bayern Munich, to Grasshopper, to Watford.
“That’s progression because maybe in October, November his mind wasn’t so clear and you can already see four or five months later, it’s normal,” he said.
“He’s young, he’s 20 years old, he’s a wonderful talent and we want him to be happy, want him to enjoy his football, but we also want him to understand that he needs to work. Talent’s not enough, it never has been.”
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