SYDNEY: Australia coach Ange Postecoglou has recalled Maccabi Haifa striker Nikita Rukavytsya after a three-year absence along with captain Mile Jedinak in a 30-man squad for their World Cup qualifying playoff with Syria next month.

The recall of Rukavytsya, who has scored four times in seven games for his Israeli club, reflects Australia’s struggles in front of goal recently in their qualifying campaign, in which they finished third in their group behind qualifiers Japan and Saudi Arabia.

The Ukraine-born 30-year-old last played for the Socceroos in 2014 and scored only one goal in his 13 internationals.

Postecoglou retained 22 of the 23 players chosen for Australia’s past two games against Japan and Thailand, with defender Matthew Spiranovic missing out.

Aston Villa defender Jedinak returns after missing those two games with a groin injury.

Australia failed to qualify automatically for next year’s finals in Russia and will play Syria on October 5 in the Malaysian city of Malacca before hosting the return leg at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on October 10.

The winner of the playoff will face the fourth-placed side from the North and Central America CONCACAF region in home and away matches in November for a place in Russia.

Postecoglou has also named European-based, Aziz Behich, Mark Birighitti, Craig Goodwin and James Jeggo.

Defenders Matthew Jurman from South Korea’s Suwon Bluewings and A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers’ Josh Risdon also got the nod for the squad, which will be trimmed to 23 next week.

“There is a short turnaround from the last matches so we are fully focused on these upcoming fixtures against Syria,” Postecoglou said in a statement.

“The players that we have selected for these crucial matches all have the benefit of several club matches under their belts over the past few weeks, and I am confident whichever 23 players we settle on will be able to do the job next month.”

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Mathew Ryan (Brighton and Hove Albion), Mitch Langerak (VfB Stuttgart), Danny Vukovic (Genk), Mark Birighitti (NAC Breda); Defenders: Aziz Behich (Bursaspor), Milos Degenek (Yokohama Marinos), Alex Gersbach ((Rosenborg), Mathew Jurman (Suwon Bluewings), Ryan McGowan (Guizhou Zhicheng), Josh Risdon (Western Sydney Wanderers), Trent Sainsbury (Jiangsu Suning), Brad Smith (Bournemouth), Bailey Wright (Bristol City); Midfielders: Mustafa Amini (Aarhus Gymnastikforening), Craig Goodwin (Sparta Rotterdam), Jackson Irvine (Burton Albion), Mile Jedinak (Aston Villa), James Jeggo (SK Sturm Graz), Robbie Kruse (VfL Bochum), Mathew Leckie (Hertha Berlin), Massimo Luongo (Queens Park Rangers), Awer Mabil (Pacos De Ferreira), Mark Milligan (Melbourne Victory), Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town), Tom Rogic (Celtic), James Troisi (Melbourne Victory); Forwards: Tim Cahill (Melbourne City), Tomi Juric (Luzern), Jamie Maclaren (Darmstadt), Nikita Rukavytsya (Maccabi Haifa).

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2017