No answer to striker headache; injuries give huge opportunity for next gen: Socceroos Talking Points

Familiar issues were painfully clear to see as the Socceroos battled past a Lebanon side that put up a hell of a fight on Thursday night.

The Socceroos struggled to create much in the way of chances, outside of a lucky fifth-minute goal from Keanu Baccus that he joked was deliberate – but really was intended as a cross.

Defender Kye Rowles made it 2-0 in the second half off a corner, but the Socceroos’ worrying inability to carve out opportunities from open play was on full display once again despite a win that moves Australia closer to the 2026 World Cup.

Even a change to a 4-4-2 formation didn’t spark much life into a Socceroos attack that has long struggled to break down opposing defences.

There was, certainly, flashes of brilliance and reasons for optimism. Ajdin Hrustic showed flashes of his instinctive, creative best – something the Socceroos have missed with the playmaker having been stuck in club purgatory for just about all of 2023, where he managed all of 45 minutes for the national team.

“He gives you that little bit of X factor,” coach Graham Arnold said. “Some of the flicks around the corner, the little chips over the top – those type of things are what we’re wanting, and what we need in the final third against some of these opponents.”

And there was the caveat that many of the players had just one training session together after assembling in Sydney, while Arnold also pointed to a Commbank Stadium turf that “wasn’t an easy pitch to play on”.

Here are the biggest talking points from the two-goal win in Sydney.

‘We can do better’: Socceroos claim ‘sloppy’ win despite worrying double injury blow

Player Ratings: Maiden goal caps stellar night for selfless Roo; exiled star shows what we missed

NO CLEAR