Ryan McGowan is looking to cement himself in the Socceroos lineup, with his eyes set on the right-back spot in Ange Postecoglou’s starting XI.
Speaking to the media ahead of Australia’s upcoming clash against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, the 27-year-old expressed his desire to impress upon his chance and make the role his own.
“The full-back position has been something that has been chopped and changed a little bit,” the Henan Jianye man said.
“As one of those players in those positions you want to be doing well and making sure it’s more difficult for him [Postecoglou] to take you out of the team than it is to put you in.”
Australia has faced Saudi Arabia six times in full internationals and the Socceroos boast a good record, winning four matches with one draw and a solitary defeat.
The two nations first met in 1988 at the Bicentennial Gold Cup in Sydney when Australia won 3-0. The Socceroos also won two twice in the first stage of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the most recent clash, a 3-2 friendly win in London in 2014.
Previous meetings
1988 Australia 3 d Saudi Arabia 0 (Bicentennial Gold Cup, Sydney)
1996 Australia 0 drew Saudi Arabia (Friendly match, Riyadh)
1997 Saudi Arabia 1 d Australia 0 (Confederations Cup, Riyadh)
2011 Australia 3 d Saudi Arabia 1 (World Cup Qualifier, Dammam)
2012 Australia 4 d Saudi Arabia 2 (World Cup Qualifier, Melbourne)
2014 Australia 3 d Saudi Arabia 2 (Friendly match, London)
The Socceroos and Saudi Arabia both sit on top of Group B with six points from two matches after Australia defeated Iraq (2-0) and the United Arab Emirates (1-0), while Saudi Arabia defeated Thailand (1-0) and Iraq (2-1).
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