Colombia V Australia: Men’s International Football Friendly – Live

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Here’s Joey Lynch’s latest missive from America arsenic nan Socceroos good tune their 2026 World Cup preparations.

With conscionable 270 minutes of shot remaining until Popovic names his 26-player squad – starting connected Tuesday against Colombia successful New York earlier 2 further games, apt astatine home, adjacent March – each infinitesimal connected nan transportation isn’t conscionable precious successful seeking solutions for nan Socceroos’ longstanding foibles successful possession, but for those players who want to beryllium portion of his plans adjacent June. The coach whitethorn want to time off nan doorway unfastened arsenic agelong arsenic possible, but he’ll apt beryllium zeroing successful connected his preferred squad successful nan months ahead, truthful nan timepiece is ticking.

Preamble

Hello everybody and invited to unrecorded sum of Colombia v Australia. This 2026 World Cup warm-up friends kicks disconnected astatine New York’s Citi Field Stadium astatine 8:30pm section clip (12:30pm AEDT).

Seven months retired from nan commencement of nan 2026 World Cup successful North America this is simply a classical pre-tournament friendly: 2 qualified teams from different confederations astatine a neutral venue situated successful 1 of nan tournament’s big cities. Both camps get to acquisition a different footballing culture, familiarise themselves pinch conditions they tin expect to look adjacent summer, and play astir pinch squad action pinch minimal jeopardy.

For nan Socceroos this is their 4th successive lucifer successful North America aft a triumph distant to Canada successful Montreal followed by defeats to nan USA and Venezuela successful Denver and Houston. That brace of losses, nan first of Tony Popovic’s 14 period tenure, person fixed region for thought complete Australia’s World Cup preparations aft 7 consecutive victories successful nan almanac year.

But arsenic overmuch arsenic results and momentum matter, these matches and training blocks are valuable for whittling down nan longlist of imaginable squad members into nan chosen 26 that will beryllium handed nan acquisition of a lifetime. This is particularly nan lawsuit for Popovic pinch truthful galore young and lesser spotted individuals to formed his oculus over.

Australia are presently 25th connected FIFA’s rankings, their opponents coming are placed 13th and haven’t classed extracurricular nan apical 20 since 2012. They qualified for nan World Cup successful 3rd spot successful nan CONMBEOL confederation (ahead of Brazil and Uruguay – and measurement successful beforehand of Venezuela, who hit nan Socceroos a fewer days ago), beating some Argentina and Brazil on nan way. The only subordinate to people much goals than Colombia’s Luis Diaz during South American qualification was Lionel Messi.

Los Cafeteros are connected an 8 lucifer unbeaten streak, 1 featuring eye-catching wins complete Venezuela (6-3) and Mexico (4-0). Former Swindon Town defender (*looking astatine you David Squires*) Néstor Lorenzo is excelling successful nan dugout, making nan astir of a talented harvest of players. The aforementioned Diaz is nan standout, but 34 twelvemonth aged James Rodriguez continues to scheme, alongside a formidable service of stout defenders.

That will do for nan clip being. I’ll beryllium backmost soon pinch squad news and plentifulness of updates from Joey Lynch complete successful New York. If you want to driblet maine an email astatine immoderate constituent you tin scope maine astatine jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.