Garang Kuol is set to once again pull on the green and gold.
The Shepparton product has finished a fruitful campaign with English Premier League titan Newcastle United in the club’s under-21s and now his focus flips to national team duties.
Kuol will go wheels up and land in Asia, joining the Australian under-23 side for two matches against Korea Republic on June 5 and 9.
On paper, the upcoming hit-outs don’t seem overly exciting.
But they double as a much-needed tune up for what’s around the bend.
Kuol and his Australia teammates will don the green and gold in September, lacing up for qualifiers to the AFC under-23 Asian Cup, hosted in Saudi Arabia next year.
With a qualifying draw set to be released on Thursday, Australia under-23 head coach Tony Vidmar said the friendlies would provide a great platform for players to impress in the face of high-quality opposition.
“We’ve been able to secure two games against a very strong nation, this will not only be a great development opportunity for these players, but a chance to show us their individual qualities,” Vidmar said.
“We had some strong results in the March window, which will be important to build on as we look to integrate new players into the environment.
“This will be our final activity before our qualifiers in September, so it’s important we plan, prepare and play well ahead of what will be an important first step for this group on the road to the under-23 Asian Cup.”
Kuol, 20, last featured for Australia’s under-23s in April last year during the 2024 edition of the Asian Cup, while his last appearance for the senior side was more than two years ago, scoring in a friendly against Ecuador in March 2023.
He made a strong case for a Socceroos return towards the back half of the Premier League Two season, scoring five goals and assisting four times in 10 games for Newcastle.
The ex-Goulburn Valley Sun even received a PL2 Player of the Month nomination for his performances throughout April.
Followers of the star winger will keenly watch his progress over the coming months, with a move away from Newcastle United potentially on the cards as Kuol seeks to lock down regular senior football.