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Tom Rogic will miss the Socceroos' two crunch World Cup qualifying matches due to injury while fellow midfield star Aaron Mooy is also unavailable due to club commitments. Rogic is sidelined for three weeks after suffering a hamstring strain while playing for Celtic and Mooy is in quarantine after being recalled to his Chinese club Shanghai Port. Adam Taggart (knee) is also missing through injury in another blow for the Australians' hopes of toppling Group B leaders Saudi Arabia. - Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
- ESPN+ viewers' guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more Coach Graham Arnold has named a 24-man squad ahead of the clash at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta next Thursday night. The trio will also miss Australia's World Cup qualifier against China in the United Arab Emirates on Nov. 16. Winger Martin Boyle, who has scored in the Socceroos' qualifying wins over China and Oman, was able to travel despite a COVID-19 outbreak at his Scottish club Hibernian. Melbourne City attacking trio Mathew Leckie, Jamie Maclaren and Andrew Nabbout have been recalled thanks to easing border restrictions. Sydney FC's Rhyan Grant is the other A-League player to earn selection. "With border restrictions in some locations across the nation easing, we've been able to welcome some Australian-based players back into the Socceroos' family this window," Arnold said in a statement. "Mathew [Leckie], Jamie [Maclaren], and Andrew [Nabbout] have all been watching our campaign from afar over the past two months, and they are thrilled with the opportunity to re-join the squad and make an impact on our qualification campaign. "Tom Rogic, Aaron Mooy and Adam Taggart were unavailable for selection this window due to injury or quarantine, however we have developed good depth and the squad that has been selected is one that we have full belief in to perform strongly." The sole uncapped player is former Central Coast Mariners utility Gianni Stensness, who is now playing his football in Norway with Viking FK. The match is just the second the Socceroos have played in Australia during their qualifying campaign due to the pandemic. They last defeated Nepal 5-0 in Canberra in October 2019. With capacity limits at NSW sporting venues no longer in place, a crowd of close to 30,000 could attend. FULL SOCCEROOS SQUADGKs: Mathew Ryan, Lawrence Thomas, Danny Vukovic DFs: Aziz Behich, Milos Degenek, Callum Elder, Rhyan Grant, Fran Karacic, Trent Sainsbury, Harry Souttar MFs: Kenneth Dougall, Denis Genreau, Ajdin Hrustic, Jackson Irvine, James Jeggo, Riley McGree, Gianni Stensness FWs: Martin Boyle, Mitchell Duke, Mathew Leckie, Awer Mabil, Jamie Maclaren, Andrew Nabbout, Nikita Rukavytsya .
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