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Accidents to Riley McGree and Jordy Bos have taken the shine off the Socceroos’ 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Lebanon in Sydney.
Australia moved a step nearer to securing their spot within the remaining spherical of World Cup qualification after a 2-0 win over Lebanon, which was soured by accidents to Riley McGree and Jordy Bos.
Maiden worldwide targets from midfielder Keanu Baccus and defender Kye Rowles helped safe victory for the Socceroos in entrance of 27,026 followers at Western Sydney Stadium on Thursday.
The end result additional strengthens Australia’s grip on prime spot in Group I forward of Tuesday’s rematch with the Lebanese in Canberra.
However Graham Arnold’s males may very well be with out some important firepower, with McGree (foot) and Bos (knee) each coming off with harm within the first half.
With Craig Goodwin lacking on Thursday with a virus, accidents to Bos and McGree are lower than superb forward of the journey to the nationwide capital, the place a win will safe Australia’s spot within the remaining qualification spherical.
Issues acquired off to the proper begin for the Socceroos when native product Baccus recovered a free Lebanese move out of hassle within the fifth minute and floated a cross into the field.
The supply was too far in entrance of strikers Kusini Yengi and Adam Taggart, but it surely additionally beat Lebanon’s goalkeeper Mostafa Matar, who was caught in no-man’s land and unable to cease it floating previous him and into the again of the online.
The objective was Baccus’s first at worldwide degree and fittingly got here on his residence turf.
He ran off cupping his ears to the gang, however there was little for Australia to have fun by way of the remainder of the primary half.
Taggart was performed in by Harry Souttar to create one of many Socceroos’ finest probabilities of the opening 45 minutes, however the in-form Perth man may solely snatch on the alternative.
Ten minutes after Baccus opened the scoring, McGree signalled to the sideline that he was in discomfort, and he was quickly taken off for Bos.
McGree has battled plantar fasciitis whereas at Middlesbrough this season, and the worry forward of subsequent week’s recreation is that he could have suffered a recurrence of the identical problem.
Arnold opted to bench Bos and begin Rowles in his less-accustomed place of left again on account of the previous’s late arrival into Australia from membership obligation in Belgium.
However no sooner had Bos begun to spark the Socceroos’ assault, the 21-year-old pulled up with a knee problem and Ajdin Hrustic was thrown on in his place.
Lebanon weren’t inflicting many issues for Australia, however Rowles was troubled by some incisive runs and overlaps centred round captain Hassan Maatouk.
Australia weathered a late Lebanese storm earlier than the break, with Rowles hacking in at a nook to raise the strain and provides the house aspect a 2-0 lead after 54 minutes.
From that time Lebanon by no means actually regarded like difficult Australia, apart from one effort that hit the publish within the remaining quarter of an hour.
Arnold threw on Mitch Duke and handed a debut to German-based striker John Iredale to see out the second half.
AAP
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