Strong squad named for Kuwait match

Football Federation Australia today announced an 18-man squad which will play against Kuwait in Kuwait City on Wednesday as part of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Nine of the squad were part of the squad at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

Football Federation Australia today announced an 18-man squad which will play against Kuwait in Kuwait City on Wednesday as part of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

The Socceroos have already qualified for the finals of the tournament which will be played in July 2007 but Head Coach Graham Arnold has selected a strong team with the intention of winning the match.

"We decided to mixed in some of the World Cup squad members with some players who just missed out and some of the promising young players that are currently at clubs in Europe," said Arnold.

"We are building some depth here and we want to have a big list of players that we can call on. The Hyundai A-League players got their chance against Kuwait in Sydney and now players from Europe will have their chance in Kuwait."

"These players have the opportunity to show what they can do in a meaningful match and press for selection in further squads."

Half of the 18-man squad for the match against Kuwait were part of the Australian World Cup team and features two uncapped players in Ryan Griffiths and Nick Ward.

Previously in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers Australia defeated Bahrain 3-1 and Kuwait 2-0 to ensure a spot at the finals to be played in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Socceroos SQUAD TO PLAY KUWAIT

John Aloisi (Alaves, Spain), Michael Beauchamp (FC Nurnberg, Germany), Jacob Burns (TS Wisla Krakow, Poland), Scott Chipperfield (FC Basel, Switzerland), Ante Covic (Hammarby, Sweden), Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven, Holland), Ahmad Elrich (Fulham, England), Ryan Griffiths (AFC Rapid Bucuresti, Romania), Brett Holman (NEC Nijmegen, Holland), Patrick Kisnorbo (Leicester City, England), Scott McDonald (Motherwell, Scotland), Jonathan McKain (FC Politechnica AEK Timisoara, Romania), Ljubo Milicevic (BSC Young Boys, Switzerland), Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, England), Josip Skoko (Wigan Athletic, England), Mile Sterjovski (FC Basel, Switzerland), Nick Ward (Queens Park Rangers, England), Luke Wilkshire (FC Twente, Holland)