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Alou Kuol will have to wait a little while longer to make his Socceroos debut as Graham Arnold named the teenager on the bench for the second centenary clash against New Zealand.
Arnold made eleven changes to the line-up that played New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday and one star who has earned a starting debut is centre-back Harrison Delbridge.
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Andrew Redmayne, more affectionately known as ‘The Grey Wiggle’, will be between the sticks for the clash with Delbridge and Thomas Deng operating in front of him.
Nathaniel Atkinson and Joel King will play at right-back and left-back respectively.
A midfield trio of Connor Metcalfe, Denis Genreau and Riley McGree will be pulling the strings in midfield and the Socceroos will rely on a three-man attakc consisting of Marco Tilio, Mitchell Duke and Mat Leckie, who will lead the team out as captain.
The clash takes place at Eden Park in Auckland, with kick-off scheduled for 1pm AEST.
Arnold’s side laboured to a 1-0 win over the All Whites at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday, with a stunning long-range strike from Awer Mabil proving to be the difference.
It was the only bright spark in an otherwise dour affair between the trans-Tasman rivals as part of the Socceroos’ centenary celebrations.
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Several fans were calling for teenage sensation Kuol to enter the contest from the bench and add some needed spice, but Arnold opted not to.
Fans will again have to wait to see the Central Coast Mariners flyer in action after he was named as a substitute.
However, with ten players leaving camp early, it’s highly likely Kuol will get a chance to shine against the Kiwis.
Aziz Behich, Ajdin Hrustic, Jackson Irvine, Fran Karacic, Awer Mabil, Jamie Maclaren, Aaron Mooy, Mat Ryan, Trent Sainsbury and Adam Taggart have all returned back to their clubs.
Bailey Wright, who was originally in the squad, withdrew as he stayed behind in England after the arrival of his second child earlier in the week.
It’s now or never for Kuol to make an impact and Socceroos legend Tim Cahill is also hoping to see the teenager take to the park.
And the former Everton star had some key words of advice for Kuol.
“He’s athletic, he’s quick and he’s confident,” Cahill told News Corp.
“He just has to find those elements within a game to make the difference, because there will be a moment he will get within a game to change it.
“These young players, I’m excited for them, but it’s important that they just absorb everything.”
STARTING LINEUPS
Australia: Redmayne; Atkinson, Deng, Delbridge, King; Metcalfe, Genreau, McGree; Leckie, Duke, Tilio
New Zealand: Sail; Pijnaker, Reid, Tuiloma, Cacace; Payne, Bell, Stamenic, Garbett; Just, Wood
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