Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
The Socceroos know they have one weapon at their disposal that hasn’t started firing yet this World Cup.
When Australia win an attacking free-kick or corner, there is a familiar sight: towering central defender Harry Souttar making his way up the field then jostling for position.
Souttar, 27, started his international career with a goal-scoring flurry in preliminary Asian qualifiers, with his height, size, and well-placed headers proving too tricky too handle.
Ahead of Australia’s final group match, Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro made a point of highlighting the Socceroos’ height in defence.
Souttar (198cm), Cameron Burgess (194cm), Lucas Herrington (194cm) and Alessandro Circati (191cm) are all aerial threats.
But since the Socceroos arrived in North America ahead of warm-up friendlies, goals from set pieces have proved elusive.
Souttar and Tete Yengi both went close in a warm-up friendly against Switzerland but so far, all of Australia’s goals at the World Cup have come from open play.
It’s no bad thing by any means, but there is no doubt the Socceroos would love to cause some more chaos from a part of their game that has traditionally been a strength.
Assistant coach Hayden Foxe is confident those moments aren’t far away as the Socceroos ramp up preparations for their round of 32 clash with Egypt in Arlington, Texas on Friday (Saturday AEST).
“The main thing with set pieces is we have some guys that are very good and they have good timing in the air, and you look and how often you can get first contact,” Foxe said.
“And with Harry and the certain other players we get first contact. So you’re keeping the ball there.
“Now it’s about that next movement, that next player being proactive. But if you can get that first contact then it gives you a chance.
“We want to try and score on set-pieces of course. And it’s something we can definitely improve on.”
The Socceroos will also spend some time working on spot-kicks, with penalty shootouts now a realistic consideration.
“It won’t be the focus but there will be some certainly that we’ll take into consideration and you have to expose the players because it can go to a penalty shoot-out of course,” Foxe said.
“So at some stage there will be some focus on that.”
