Sasa In Roos Squad For Egypt Tie

Socceroos coach Holger Osieck has named his squad for the upcoming international friendly match against Egypt at the Cairo International Stadium on Wednesday 17 November (Kick-off 7:30pm local, 4:30am AEDT), where the German will be using the match as an important part of the Socceroos preparations for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2011 which will be held in Qatar in January.

Socceroos Captain Lucas Neill returns to the squad after missing the last match against Paraguay due to injury along with Brett Holman who has fully recovered from a calf injury that he sustained in the recent international friendly against Poland.

Defender Sasa Ognenovski receives his first ever call-up to the Socceroos squad after a stellar season with his K-League club Seongnam Illwha where he captained his team to the AFC Champions League final and also gained a nomination for the AFC Player of the Year Award along with fellow Qantas Socceroo Tim Cahill. Ognenovski will join the Socceroos squad after facing Zob Ahan of Iran in the AFC Champions League 2010 Final on Saturday 13 November in Tokyo.

Goalkeeper Nathan Coe receives his second ever call up to the Socceroos squad, after last being selected for the international friendly against Nigeria which was played in London on 19 November 2007. Although having represented Australia on many occasions at Under 17 and Under 20 levels, Coe is yet to make his senior international debut for the Socceroos.

Egypt is currently the top ranked nation in the African Football Confederation (CAF), the reigning Africa Cup of Nations Champions and 11th in the FIFA World Rankings.

The Socceroos have met Egypt only once before in the semi-finals of the 1987 President's Cup tournament in Seoul in the Korea Republic. The match ended nil-all at the end of regulation time, with the Socceroos winning 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out.