Live: Socceroos take on Indonesia in key World Cup Qualifier

A bit of a surprise not to see Craig Goodwin from the start.

He, as well as Kusini Yengi and Daniel Arzani look to be the danger men from the bench.

Tony Popovic certainly isn’t playing down the importance of tonight’s match.

A reminder:

Win, and the Socceroos will retain second spot in the group and take a massive step towards the World Cup.

Lose, and automatic qualification will no longer be in their hands.

“The expectation of the Australian public is where it should be. They should expect their national team to produce and to play good football,” Popovic said in his pre-match press conference.

“I expect every Australian to get behind the team, which is what we want and we know that that’ll help us.

“We know the magnitude of the games and how important they are, but we also know we’re in a position that we can retain our second spot.”

Brisbane Roar’s Rafael Struick starts in attack for the visitors tonight.

Indonesia’s squad contains no fewer than 19 naturalised nationals, two of whom make their international debut tonight:

Ole Romeny and Dean James

Australia’s 0-0 draw with Indonesia in Jakarta was the second match of a disastrous September international window and the last of Graham Arnold’s second stint in charge of the Socceroos.

Just days earlier, the green and gold had slumped to a generational low, losing 1-0 to Bahrain on the Gold Coast.

But in Jakarta, things improved, if only marginally.

In all honesty, the Socceroos were unlucky not to find the back of the net, with Nestory Irankunda proving a tough assignment for his Indonesian opponents.

Fast forward five months, and Australia will be in need of an alternate livewire this evening.

Quite sensationally, the Bayern Munich loanee wasn’t named in Australia’s squad for this international break.

So about 40 minutes away.

Have you ever seen anything like it?!

Somehow, despite only picking up one win from its first six matches, Australia sits in second, a position that would guarantee direct passage to next year’s World Cup.

However, the downside of that, of course, is that it is open season for all of the four teams below them.

The Socceroos simply must win tonight’s match against Indonesia and then do the same when it takes on China next Tuesday.

Because things don’t get easier.

Australia’s next match will be against continental powerhouses and runaway leaders Japan in June, before it concludes phase three of Asian qualifying with a trip to Saudi Arabia.

It looks like a back three once again for the Socceroos.

Aiden O’Neill and Jackson Irvine in the centre of the park.

Adam Taggart to lead the line with Martin Boyle and Nishan Velupillay either side of him.

Coach Tony Popovic made a staggering ten changes to the squad from the November window but none of them start tonight.

It’s Taggart’s maiden start under Popovic and Velupillay’s first for the Socceroos.

Here we go.

It’s crunch time for the Socceroos, as it tends to be in the leadup to every World Cup.

I have an ideal vision for my life.

And a big part of that vision is experiencing one – just one – qualification cycle that doesn’t almost give me a heart-attack.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem it will be this one.

The Socceroos simply must win tonight’s clash with Indonesia.

My name’s Henry, and I simply cannot wait to guide you through what could be a momentous game of football.

It’s a stunning night in Sydney.