Central Coast goalkeeper Mat Ryan has earned his first Olyroos call-up for this month's crucial qualifiers against Iraq and Uzbekistan.
Central Coast goalkeeper Mat Ryan has earned his first Olyroos call-up for this month's crucial qualifiers against Iraq and Uzbekistan.
The 19-year-old, who was the A-League's young footballer of the year last season, was on Thursday among several new faces named in the squad after impressing at the recent combined Socceroos/Olyroos training camp in Sydney.
Ryan's Mariners teammate Brad McDonald, Gold Coast United defender Dylan McGowan, Sydney FC midfielder Dimi Petratos and Perth Glory striker Adam Taggart also earned call-ups.
Australia's under-23s face Iraq in Doha on November 22 before returning home to play Uzbekistan at Parramatta Stadium five days later.
Aurelio Vidmar's side started its Olympic qualifying campaign with a disappointing scoreless draw at home to the United Arab Emirates in September.
Only the winner of each four-team group qualifies directly for the 2012 London Olympics, with the second-placed teams having to go through a play-off system.
"After drawing our opening match against the UAE we need to get a good result from these two matches to give us the best possible chance of qualifying for the Olympics," Vidmar said.
"With injuries to a number of players we have used in the previous matches, we've selected a few new faces following our recent training camp in Sydney.
"It will be up to these players to take their opportunity and step up to the challenge ahead.
"We will have a short camp together in Qatar before the Iraq match to work on things and I'm confident that the boys are up to it."
Olyroos squad: Aziz Behich (Melbourne Heart), Mark Birighitti (Adelaide United), Oliver Bozanic (Central Coast Mariners), James Brown (Gold Coast United), Kofi Danning (Brisbane Roar), Mate Dugandzic (Melbourne Heart), Matthew Foschini (Melbourne Victory), Rhyan Grant (Sydney FC), Jason Hoffman (Melbourne Heart), Marko Jesic (Newcastle Jets), Matthew Jurman (Brisbane Roar), Brad McDonald (Central Coast Mariners), Dylan McGowan (Gold Coast United), Daniel Mullen (Adelaide United), Mitch Nichols (Brisbane Roar), Dimitrios Petratos (Sydney FC), Sebastian Ryall (Sydney FC), Mathew Ryan (Central Coast Mariners), Adam Taggart (Perth Glory).
AAP