Socceroos v Colombia LIVE updates: Australia take on Colombia at Citi Field, New York in international friendly

As the rest of Australia celebrated the 20-year anniversary of John Aloisi’s famous penalty kick against Uruguay over the weekend, the Socceroos refused to look back. But they did go backwards, ever so slightly.

Coach Tony Popovic did not sit his players through a communal re-watch in camp, nor did he ask them to channel the spirit of November 16, 2005, when they took the field against Venezuela in Houston, Texas.

Nestory Irankunda and the Socceroos had a dirty day against Venezuela.Credit: AP

Instead, he watched them produce the worst performance of his year-long tenure as Socceroos coach: a disjointed 1–0 defeat that extended a different South American hoodoo.

“It was a good lesson for us,” Popovic said, chalking it up largely to the inexperience in the experimental starting XI.

“Probably from the 15th minute onwards to the last 15, there wasn’t much good from us, with and without the ball.”

Australia has recorded nine wins from 49 matches against South American opposition. And two of them - friendly victories against Paraguay (2010) and Ecuador (2023) - have come in the 20 years since that night against Uruguay.

On Wednesday (12pm AEDT), an even bigger test awaits: Colombia, ranked No.13 in the world. They are another team Australia has never beaten from South America’s stacked 10-team confederation.

Read the full story here.

In case you missed it … I pity you.

Scotland confirmed their first World Cup appearance since 1998 with a manic 4-2 victory over Denmark this morning. Three of their goals have to be seen to be believed.

Scotland’s Scott McTominay scores the opening goal for Scotland with a bicycle kick.Credit: AP

Meanwhile, Graham Arnold’s Iraq booked their spot in the intercontinental play-offs in March thanks to a penalty in the 17th minute of stoppage time in their clash with the United Arab Emirates. Scenes.

To read the full story, click here.

Here’s how the Socceroos will line up today:

So, as mentioned there, five changes, and some pretty interesting ones. Paul Izzo gets the gloves, which means Maty Ryan is on the bench again, raising further questions about who Tony Popovic prefers as his No.1 goalkeeper. You’d guess it’s still Ryan, but clearly he wants to stress-test his options.

Elsewhere, Kye Rowles is named at left wing-back - which, like Craig Goodwin against Venezuela, is not his natural position. Jackson Irvine will start next to Aiden O’Neill in midfield, with the FC St Pauli star also wearing the captain’s armband in Ryan’s absence.

And up front, there’s no Nestory Irankunda. Instead, the inverted winger roles will be occupied by Connor Metcalfe and Riley McGree, neither of whom is an out-and-out winger. Well, they sort of are, but they sort of aren’t; they both like to drift inside and act as midfielders, in a way, as opposed to hugging the touchline or running directly at their opponents.

Here, also, is the formidable Colombian XI:

A very interesting 90 minutes awaits.