Fornaroli among five uncapped players in Australia squad

MELBOURNE : Veteran Bruno Fornaroli has been drafted into the Australia squad for crunch World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia after the Uruguayan-born forward gained citizenship.

The 34-year-old Perth Glory striker is among five uncapped players in Graham Arnold's 27-man squad announced on Thursday.

The others are former Olympic squad members Nathaniel Atkinson and Nicholas D’Agostino, Central Coast Mariners defender Kye Rowles and Denmark-based midfielder/defender Gianni Stensness.

Football Australia (FA) said it had submitted paperwork to global governing body FIFA requesting to switch Fornaroli’s international football allegiance from Uruguay to Australia.

"(FA) is anticipating that this will be approved prior to next Thursday’s match against Japan," it said in a statement.

Injured striker Adam Taggart was omitted from the squad but winger Mathew Leckie was included after returning to fitness.

Centre forward Jamie Maclaren is available for the Japan game in Sydney next week but will miss the away Saudi Arabia match on March 29 while away for his wedding.

Third in Group B of Asian qualifying behind leaders Saudi Arabia and second-placed Japan, Australia are likely to need to win both matches to finish in the top two and qualify automatically for Qatar.

Finishing third will mean having to win a playoff against the third-placed side in Asia's Group A and another against a South American team to qualify.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Toby Davis)