Four promising Australian strikers showcased their talents this weekend in the Isuzu UTE A-League, sending a clear message to head coach Tony Popovic after being excluded from the Subway Socceroos squad announcement on Friday.
Noah Botic, Adrian Segecic, Archie Goodwin, and Nicolas Milanovic are all having remarkable seasons, with each player contributing significantly to the goal-scoring charts as they vie for the Golden Boot in the 2024-25 campaign.
Even though these forward talents play for different clubs, they all entered Round 23 of the A-League season with a common objective: to demonstrate to Socceroos coach Popovic that they deserve a spot in the squad, having been overlooked for the vital 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup qualifiers against Indonesia and China.
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All four players found the back of the net over the weekend, celebrating with exuberant goal celebrations that highlighted their intent to be considered for international duty.
Striker Nicolas Milanovic of the Western Sydney Wanderers netted his ninth goal of the season during a thrilling 4-2 victory against Melbourne Victory on Saturday night, raising his shirt in celebration, showing his name and number to the crowd.
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Adrian Segecic of Sydney FC and Noah Botic from Western United both scored in their respective matches on Sunday, each opting for a phone call gesture to celebrate their goals.
Botic currently leads the Golden Boot race with 11 goals, while Segecic, Goodwin, and Milanovic are all tied for second place, each having netted nine goals.
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Segecic was the final player of the four to find the net in Round 23, and during Network 10’s broadcast of Sydney’s 1-1 draw, commentators Simon Hill and Andy Harper noted the significant impact these young strikers are having in the competition.
“Nine goals this season is a fantastic return considering the limited game time he has had,” remarked Harper.
“And in line with the theme of the weekend, he gestures towards the camera, indicating: I’m waiting for the phone call too. It seems like everyone is waiting for that phone call!
Hill responded, “Tony Popovic’s phone bill is going to be massive!”
“It’s a rare phenomenon in the competition’s history; perhaps it’s been born out of necessity due to financial constraints at many clubs. Nonetheless, Tony Popovic will ultimately benefit from these calls, even if he may find it overwhelming.”
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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