Kye Rowles the Socceroo: an international career spanning less than two weeks, totalling three caps, and pointing to a “bright, bright future” for the A-Leagues graduate – who now has a World Cup to look forward to after his phenomenal display in Australia’s penalty shootout win over Peru on Tuesday morning (AEST).
The 23-year-old is living through the most memorable month of his burgeoning footballing career to date. After making his Socceroos debut in a 2-1 friendly win over Jordan on June 2, Rowles helped Australia overcome the United Arab Emirates six days later to set up the Peruvian bout, with the winner progressing to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
In between the two play-off fixtures, Rowles sealed a transfer from Central Coast Mariners to Heart of Midlothian, joining fellow Socceroo Nathaniel Atkinson and Australian midfielder Cameron Devlin at the Scottish Premiership outfit.
In Tuesday morning’s inter-continental showdown with Peru, Rowles was immense, operating alongside Bailey Wright to shut out the CONMEBOL nation and help guide his country to a penalty shoot-out from which they triumphantly prevailed.
In 120 minutes, Rowles took 105 touches, played 90 passes at 93.3% accuracy, won 62.5% of his eight duels and made six ball recoveries.
After tying up the Mariners Medal as Central Coast’s player of the season in the 2021-22 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign, Rowles carried the same form that earned him domestic acclaim onto the international stage, giving a pair of former Socceroos in the Network 10 studio plenty of reasons to be optimistic heading toward the World Cup in November.
“He was outstanding,” said Mark Milligan, reflecting on Rowles’ 120-minute shift. “He was in the right place at the right time, when he was on the ball he was calm, his decisions were good, his decisions were always right, and his positioning… his timing.
“It was only his third game – it’s unbelievable. He’s fantastic – and he’s got six months to grow and get better leading into the World Cup.”
“Phenomenal,” added former Socceroos full-back Luke Wilkshire. “Not just in this game, I thought against UAE, and also he made his debut against Jordan, it’s his third game for the Socceroos in such an occasion… it looks like he’s been playing there for 40 or 50 caps already.
“He’s got a bright, bright future. A natural left-sided centre-back (with) the composure, the awareness he had to cover, winning his headers, he never gave up and I think his future is very, very bright.”
Joining Rowles in heading to Socceroos camp at the conclusion of the 2021-22 A-League Men’s campaign were a number of key figures in Australia’s historic triumph.
None more so than Andrew Redmayne.
The Sydney FC shot-stopper was called upon in the most unique of circumstances, with three minutes to go in extra time, to replace Maty Ryan for the penalty shoot-out.
To all those watching on, watching Redmayne stood by the sideline as the fourth official’s board went up came as a surprise.
Redmayne had been envisioning that exact moment for weeks.
“This idea was floated pre-selection, that this might eventuate in these kind of circumstances,” Redmayne told Network 10 post-match.
“I guess for the two or three weeks we’ve been here I’ve kind of been having it in my mind.
“I’ve been working on a few things at training, but at the end of the day it’s either right or left, so the work has been done, the homework had been done, and like I said I’m grateful for the other boys that ran out 120 minutes.”
The move proved a masterstroke from head coach Graham Arnold.
Redmayne forced Peru right-back Luis Advincula into an error from the spot, the Boca Juniors defender striking the post with his penalty to bring Australia back into the shoot-out after Martin Boyle’s early miss.
Then, as Alex Valera attempted to keep Peru in the contest, Redmayne got down to his right to make the most important save of his career, stopping the shoot-out with Australia holding a 5-4 lead.
“I’m no hero,” Redmayne said. “I just played my role like everyone else did tonight.
“Like I said, (it was) not even the boys on the 11 on the pitch, it was much more than that, it was a team effort.”
Redmayne added: “I’m not going to take credit for this. The boys ran out 120 minutes – and it not only takes the 11 on the field, but the boys on the bench, the boys in the stands, the boys that missed out on this squad as well. It’s a team effort, it’s a team game so I can’t take any more credit than any of the other 27 that are here.”
How our 2021-22 A-Leagues stars fared on an historic night in Socceroos folklore
Andrew Redmayne
Spent three minutes on the park before becoming the hero from the spot. Peru scored twice to begin the shoot-out on the front foot before Redmayne stopped their momentum, and ultimately became the hero – although the ever-humble Sydney custodian refused to accept that title.
Kye Rowles
A monster at the heart of defence, Rowles and Wright smothered Peru striker Gianluca Lapadula for 120 minutes, allowing the number nine just two shots on goal – none on target.
Mathew Leckie
The Melbourne City winger played 87 minutes, first operating down the left flank before replacing Mitchell Duke at number nine as Awer Mabil entered proceedings off the bench.
Craig Goodwin
Adelaide United’s star man came on in the last minute of extra time to replace the cramping Aziz Behich at left-back. Proceeded to take Australia’s third spot kick, thumping his strike into the top-right corner.
Australia trailed Peru 2-1 at this stage; after Boyle’s early miss, all the pressure was on Aaron Mooy and Goodwin to keep the Socceroos within touching distance. They did just that, before Advincula’s miss balanced the ledger.
Jamie Maclaren
The A-League Men’s Golden Boot winner for the third season running joined Goodwin in coming up clutch for Australia in the shoot-out.
Maclaren played just over half an hour off the bench, going largely unsighted until finding his moment to strike when it mattered most. Maclaren buried Australia’s fourth penalty into the bottom-left corner to ensure pressure mounted on Peru. Mabil was next to strike for Australia, and no further action was required after Redmayne kept out Valera.
