Four Isuzu UTE A-League forwards on the fringes of Graham Arnold’s thinking for his final 26-man Socceroos squad for next month’s FIFA Men’s World Cup did their chances no harm in Round 4, by putting on respectively impressive displays and catching the eye for their own different reasons.
Just two rounds remain for the stars of Australia’s domestic competition to state their case for a spot on the plane to Qatar ahead of the A-League Men’s mid-season pause for the World Cup, kicking off on November 20.
Round 4 saw some strengthen their claim with eye-catching displays, while others missed out on a 90-minute opportunity to catch Arnold’s eye. These are the World Cup hopefuls who dazzled in the fourth round.
Jason Cummings – Central Coast
Jason Cummings ran riot in the second half of Central Coast’s 4-2 win over Western United.
The Socceroos striker scored the first of his side’s four second-half goals, and was awarded two assists despite playing a heavy hand in all three of the goals that followed.
These four score involvements all came after a bizarre moment in which Cummings found the back of the net early in the second half, only for referee Stephen Lucas to wipe it from the scoresheet due to two balls being on the field in the build-up.
Western substitute Alessandro Diamanti was responsible for sending the second ball onto the pitch – an act Mariners boss Nick Montgomery says he later apologised for post-match.
“He should have had two goals,” Montgomery said post-match. “I’m still in disbelief how Diamanti can kick a ball on the pitch when we’re playing and attacking, we kick it off the pitch and the referee doesn’t stop the game, we have two passages of play and then Jason scores a beautiful goal – then because they shout he goes back and chalks it off.
“Like I said, Diamanti actually came and apologised to me after the game. Top player, world-class player, world-class professional but I think he was dumbfounded as well – and he apologised for kicking the ball on the pitch.”
Garang Kuol – Central Coast
You can’t mention Cummings without Garang Kuol after the Mariners pair combined to lethal effect in their side’s unlikely turnaround against the defending champions in Gosford.
Kuol came off the bench at half-time with his side trailing 2-0, and together with Cummings turned the game on its head.
His driving run through midfield was what led to Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s red card, who lunged a boot into the calf of the 18-year-old to stop a dangerous attack. After helping reduce the opposition to 10 men, Kuol put Western left-back Ben Garuccio in a blender with a neat piece of trickery in the box which resulted in Cummings’ close-range finish.
If it’s impact off the bench Arnold wants, then Kuol has shown he can deliver it in spades – and it’s part of the reason why Montgomery is reluctant to thrust his young star into the Mariners’ starting XI.
“Everyone’s saying: ‘Start him’, but look: I think he’s not ready to start games,” Montgomery explained to Paramount+. “Because the impact he has when he comes on against Barcelona, for the Socceroos, in the A-League is magnificent.
I don’t want to put that pressure on him, (but) if I was Graham Arnold I’d be looking to take him as an impact player. I told him that this week, I told him he needs to work harder and if he wants to start he needs to work harder, and show me he’s ready to start.
Montgomery continued: “I thought today it was the right decision to bring him on at half time. He changed the game. His potential is massive and everyone can see that.”
Kuol’s second-half performance in the Mariners’ stunning turnaround couldn’t have come at a better time, with the A-Leagues All Access film crew in tow documenting his every move.
On Thursday, the unforgettable game will be the focal point of Episode Four of KEEPUP’s ground-breaking docu-series, bringing you a behind-the-scenes look at what sparked the comeback, and touching on Kuol’s recent Socceroos debut and imminent transfer to Premier League giants Newcastle United.
It promises to be gripping viewing. Strap in and keep across KEEPUP.COM.AU and A-Leagues social channels for a sneak peek of the episode ahead of its airing on Thursday night!
Craig Goodwin – Adelaide United
Battling osteitis pubis throughout the off-season meant that Craig Goodwin had a one-week run-up to the 2022-23 A-League Men campaign of full training. He made two appearances off the bench in Rounds 1 and 2, but has now strung together a pair of 90-minute shifts – and opened his account in Round 4 with a well-taken goal against Perth.
Goodwin parked himself on the turf of Coopers Stadium at full-time of his side’s 2-1 win over Glory, puffing out his cheeks after an end-to-end game filled with plenty of attacking runs on transition.
Post-match, he was asked on Paramount+ whether that ticket to Qatar was constantly weighing on his mind: “Of course, it’s always the goal,” he replied. “I’m striving to be in that squad, but as I always say I’m focussing on the now, and focusing on week-to-week with Adelaide and picking up as many points as possible – because that break for the World Cup, it’s important to have as many points as we can before that.”
Paramount+ analyst Daniel McBreen added: “He cannot not be (on the plane). In my opinion he’s the best, without a doubt Australian player playing in the A-League Men at the moment.
“He consistently creates opportunities, he scores goals, his delivery is second to none particularly from set pieces as well, I can’t see unless, and barring injury touch wood, any reason why he would not be (on the plane).”
“He’s got goals in him as well,” replied Scott McDonald. “He’s always a threat going forward.
“What he lacks in pace at times you could argue, he has in guile. When he gets in these areas more times than not… he picks out the right person.
“He was involved in everything good about Adelaide United today, and that’s no surprise – he always is.
If he keeps this form up heading into the World Cup, he’s got to be on the plane for me.
Marco Tilio – Melbourne City
Back-to-back starts have seen Marco Tilio come into good form at Melbourne City – and his first goal of the campaign came thanks to the faith instilled in him by head coach Patrick Kisnorbo to start ahead of Andrew Nabbout in City’s 2-2 draw with Wellington Phoenix on Sunday afternoon.
Kisnorbo was criticised in the opening two rounds for depriving Tilio of valuable minutes to state his case for a spot in the World Cup squad – but critics must now be pondering whether the patient approach is paying dividends as Tilio hits his stride just days out from the start of November.
“You obviously have to prove yourself in training – that’s the standard at the club,” Tilio told Paramount+ after his star display. “I wasn’t sure until yesterday that I was starting today, so I’m obviously grateful for the opportunity and just hope I continue playing.”
Tilio says it’s been “a long time coming” for his first goal of the season, scored after winning his side an early penalty which Jamie Maclaren duly converted.
Bruno bids farewell to Glory faithful as Victory rumours swirl
Bruno Fornaroli’s sudden departure will be a bitter pill to swallow for Perth Glory fans, who were bid farewell by their former star on Sunday afternoon.
Both Glory and Fornaroli will now look to move forward from the saga which dominated commentary in the aftermath of Round 3, and in the build-up to Round 4, after both player and club cut ties by mutual consent in midweek.
Last weekend on Glory’s matchday, it was a comment on social media by Fornaroli which sparked the action that followed, with the star striker stating he was “100% fit” despite being left at home for Perth’s road trip to Gosford.
Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, and Fornaroli had another social media message on a Glory match day – this time farewelling the club’s fans after three fruitful seasons in purple and orange.
“Dear Glory fans,” Fornaroli – Glory’s top goalscorer in each of their past three seasons – wrote via Twitter. “I want to deeply thank you all for the incredible love and support you have given me since I arrived in Perth.
“We created a lot of good memories together and I will keep that with me. I wish you the best of luck for the future.”
Fornaroli has since been linked with a move back to Victoria, with the former Melbourne City striker rumoured to be in favour of a reunion with former Glory manager Tony Popovic at Melbourne Victory.
Popovic’s side is laden with attacking talent, but have gone three consecutive games without a goal in the A-League Men.
Inspired substitutions: The brave managerial move behind two great comebacks in Round 4
Round 4 was a glowing endorsement of the impact of triple substitutions, with two managers reaping the rewards – and sealing points – from the brave manoeuvre.
On Saturday afternoon it was the Mariners benefiting from head coach Nick Montgomery’s inspired triple change. Off went Michael Ruhs, Samuel Silvera and Storm Roux, and on came Jacob Farrell, Garang Kuol and Paul Ayongo.
Both Farrell and Ayongo put their names on the scoresheet whilst Kuol ran rampant in a sizzling second half display from the Mariners, who came from two goals down to defeat Western 4-2.
On Sunday, it was Ufuk Talay swinging the changes, with his Phoenix side benefiting from a front-four reconstruction.
Down 2-0 and chasing the game, Talay withdrew Yan Sasse, Ben Waine and David Ball. Kosta Barbarouses, Oskar Zawada and Bozhidar Kraev came on in their place, and helped turn the momentum in favour of the ‘Nix. Kraev found the back of the net soon after, only to be flagged offside, before Sam Sutton halved the deficit with a well-taken strike from range.
In the 90th minute, Ben Old – the sole survivor in Wellington’s starting front four – supplied the assist for Barbarouses to draw the ‘Nix level and rescue a point.
Three red cards in Saturday triple-header keep VAR in full focus
Three dismissals in three A-League Men fixtures on Saturday afternoon resulted in conversation surrounding the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) continuing on, after it dominated the agenda in the lead-in to Round 4.
Adelaide United striker Hiroshi Ibusuki had his Round 3 red card rescinded by Football Australia in a dramatic turn of events heading into the weekend – and Saturday’s three fixtures were not to come and go without their fair share of conjecture.
Brisbane Roar’s Jordan Holmes was the first to see red on Saturday in his team’s 0-0 draw with Melbourne Victory; Topor-Stanley was soon to follow in Western’s visit to Gosford to take on the Mariners before Macarthur FC’s Jonathan Aspropotamitis got his marching orders after a tangle with Sydney FC forward Patrick Wood in the third and final game of the day.
Revisit all three decisions from Saturday’s triple-header, and the reaction from the Paramount+ pundits in the aftermath of each individual act:
Jordan Holmes
Sent off for a challenge on Victory’s Nick D’Agostino outside of his own penalty area.
Paramount+ co-commentator Phil Moss: “I think if you commit to a challenge like that outside the box, you give the referee and VAR a decision to make.”
Nikolai Topor-Stanley
Sent off for a challenge on Central Coast’s Garang Kuol
Paramount+ co-commentator Grace Gill: “It’s probably the right call. The studs raised, there was no intention to go for the ball at all. Into the back of the calf of Garang Kuol and as I mentioned, Kuol is probably quite fortunate not to come off worse for wear from that challenge.”
Jonathan Aspropotamitis
Sent off for a challenge on Sydney FC’s Patrick Wood
Paramount+ analysts Andrew Durante and Alex Brosque weigh in:
Brosque: “It’s disappointing. We’re watching an entertaining match, and really we’re coming down here shaking our heads because we are talking about two VAR decisions – and both of them were wrong.
“Sydney’s second goal was great – and we should be talking about that. But we’re talking about the VAR, and both decisions were completely wrong… Patrick Wood has still got 30 metres to go and he still doesn’t have the ball under control. There’s a lot to happen between there and (the goal) – it’s almost a coming together of bodies.”
Durante: “Absolutely. I think here the referee actually gets it right, they should have just left it alone. He pulled out the yellow card, he saw it, he’s got a feel for the game and knew the moment and ended with a yellow – and it was the right decision. So for that to get overturned, it’s just outrageous.”’
