Melbourne Victory will be well represented when the Qantas Socceroos take on Germany in Monchengladbach on March 29, with Robbie Kruse and Mitch Langerak selected in Holger Osieck’s 17-man squad on Tuesday morning.
Melbourne Victory will be well represented when the Qantas Socceroos take on Germany in Monchengladbach on March 29, with Robbie Kruse and Mitch Langerak selected in Holger Osieck’s 17-man squad on Tuesday morning.
Current Victory striker Kruse, fresh from scoring 11 goals during Melbourne’s most recent Hyundai A-League campaign, will rejoin the Australian side after impressive performances for the Qantas Socceroos in the recent AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.
Despite his young age, 22-year-old Kruse took his quality form from the Hyundai A-League up a notch when he scored against Uzbekistan in the tournament’s semi-final, helping Australia through to a final appearance against Japan, where they lost 1-0.
Former Melbourne goalkeeper Langerak, 22, also received the nod from Osieck, having been recently selected in goal for German Bundesliga leader Borussia Dortmund.
Having spent 25 matches on the bench, deputising for regular Dortmund stopper Roman Weidenfeller, Langerak was finally given the opportunity to make his German debut when Weidenfeller was injured prior to the clash with last season’s champion Bayern Munich.
Although obviously nervous, Langerak showed his class and rose to the occasion, pulling off a sizzling second-half save to deny Mario Gomez as the youngest-ever Dortmund side produced a 3-1 win over Bayern.
Despite playing against German opposition, Langerak may have to return to the bench as senior Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has also been selected in Osieck’s squad.
Langerak and Kruse are not the only players in the side to have experienced Hyundai A-League football as Brisbane’s championship skipper Matt McKay has also been selected, along with former Perth Glory striker, Nikita Rukavytsya, who now plays for Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin.
