Brisbane Roar’s Matt McKay and Ivan Franjic are one step closer to the FIFA World Cup after they were chosen in Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou’s squad to face Ecuador in an international friendly next Wednesday in London.
Brisbane Roar-s Matt McKay and Ivan Franjic are one step closer to the FIFA World Cup after they were chosen in Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou-s squad to face Ecuador in an international friendly next Wednesday in London.
The news comes just days after six of Brisbane Roar-s W-League players – Laura Alleway, Tameka Butt, Kim Carroll, Katrina Gorry, Elise Kellond-Knight and Hayley Raso – were named in the Westfield Matildas squad to contest the Cyprus Cup in March.
The clash with Ecuador at The Den, home of Millwall Football Club, is the last match before Australia must name a provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup in mid-May.
Experienced midfielder McKay is a veteran of almost 50 caps for Australia while 26-year-old Franjic will be looking to add to his six Socceroos caps, following his national team debut in December 2012.
“It-s definitely exciting, as a kid you always aspire to play for your country and it-s the greatest honour you can have,” Franjic said.
“To be called up again is something I-ve worked hard for and I-m very happy to be there.”
The Roar pair is two of five Hyundai A-League players in the 23-player group alongside Melbourne Victory-s Mark Milligan and Tom Rogic and Matthew Spiranovic of Western Sydney Wanderers.
McKay and Franjic will fly out of Australia this Saturday following Friday-s Hyundai A-League home clash against Perth Glory and are due to return on Thursday, 6 March 2014.
Socceroos squad: Oliver BOZANIC (FC Luzern, SWITZERLAND), Tim CAHILL (New York Red Bulls, USA), Jason DAVIDSON (SC Heracles Almelo, NETHERLANDS), Ivan FRANJIC (Brisbane Roar FC, AUSTRALIA), Curtis GOOD (Dundee United FC, SCOTLAND), Ben HALLORAN (Fortuna Dusseldorf, GERMANY), Chris HERD (Aston Villa FC, ENGLAND), James HOLLAND (FK Austria Vienna, AUSTRIA), Mile JEDINAK (Crystal Palace FC, ENGLAND), Brad JONES (Liverpool FC, ENGLAND), Mitchell LANGERAK (B.V. Borussia 09 Dortmund, GERMANY), Mathew LECKIE (FSV Frankfurt 1899, GERMANY), Massimo LUONGO (Swindon Town FC, ENGLAND), Ryan MCGOWAN (Shandong Luneng Taishan FC, CHINA), Matthew MCKAY (Brisbane Roar FC, AUSTRALIA), Mark MILLIGAN (Melbourne Victory FC, AUSTRALIA), Tommy OAR (FC Utrecht, HOLLAND), Tommy ROGIC (Melbourne Victory FC, AUSTRALIA), Matt RYAN (Club Brugge KV, BELGIUM), Adam SAROTA (FC Utrecht, HOLLAND), Matthew SPIRANOVIC (Western Sydney Wanderers FC, AUSTRALIA), Dario VIDOSIC (FC Sion, SWITZERLAND), Luke WILKSHIRE (FK Dinamo Moscow, RUSSIA).
MATCH DETAILS:
Socceroos v Ecuador
The Den, London
Wednesday 5 March 2014
8pm kick off (7.00am AEDT)
The Australia v Ecuador match will be broadcast LIVE and Exclusive on FOX Sports 3 with a 30-minute pre-game show starting at 6.30am (AEDT) ahead of the 7.00am kick off.
