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By Henry Hanson
Topic:Socceroos
Star midfielder Jackson Irvine makes his long-awaited international comeback as the Socceroos face South American opposition for the first time in over two years.
Today's match against Venezuela in Houston is the first of a US double-header which concludes with a clash against Colombia in New York on Wednesday.
Positive results this week will aid Australia's hopes of receiving an easier draw for next year's World Cup, also in North America.
Follow all the action from Houston in our live blog below.
By Henry Hanson
By Henry Hanson
A great sight for Socceroos fans.
Riley McGree makes his international return from the bench, replacing Connor Metcalfe in the front three.
Martin Boyle is also on the field in place of Mo Toure.
Nestory Irankunda to lead the line.
By Henry Hanson
For the first time all night, Nestory Irankunda has the ball at his feet and driving towards the penalty area.
The Venezuelan defence is backing off and then bringing him down on the edge of the box.
Irankunda is over the dead ball, but so is the left-footed Callum Elder.
It is Elder who ends up lifting the ball into the box.
It's a very tantalising delivery which is deflected behind by a Venezuelan head.
By Henry Hanson
Australia has had a lot more of the ball to begin the second half but hasn't been able to do much with it.
Venezuela seems pretty content to sit back when the Australian defenders are exchanging passes, but their midfield is doing well to step forward and snuff out any potential danger when the Socceroos enter the final third.
In contrast, La Vinotinto are looking threatening every time they have the ball.
By Henry Hanson
The Socceroos have started this second half on the front foot, pressing high up the field as Venezuela plays out from the back.
This time, however, it's all too easy for Venezuela, who string together a number of one touch passes to move through Australia's forward press and out wide to the left.
Allesandro Milani is slipped through and has a chance to test Patrick Beach, but his shot is too high and the Socceroos survive.
By Henry Hanson
And the Socceroos have made a half-time substitution.
Craig Goodwin — who looked a little out of place at left wing-back in the first period — is off and Callum Elder, a much more conventional wide defender, is on.
And Venezuela start the second half well!
A Venezuelan head forces a Patrick Beach into a good, diving save.
By Henry Hanson
Pretty underwhelming stuff from the Socceroos in that first half.
Tony Popovic's style of low possession, low block football looks pragmatic and savvy when it comes off, but pretty uninspiring when it doesn't.
Mo Toure had two good chances early on but faded as the half progressed, while Australia's midfielders were largely out-thought and out-manoeuvred by their Venezuelan counterparts.
Goalkeeper Patrick Beach, on debut, pulled off one spectacular save midway through that half but had no chance with Jesus Ramirez's opener.
Work to do for Australia in the second half.
By Henry Hanson
Yep, that's the end of Jason Geria's night.
He limps off and is replaced by Swansea City's Cam Burgess.
Really unfortunate for Geria.
By Henry Hanson
Things going from bad to worse out there for Australia.
Centre-half Jason Geria is down and holding his knee, surrounded by Australian medical staff.
It doesn't look like he'll be able to continue.
By Henry Hanson
That's a really lovely goal from Venezuela, who, in truth, have dominated much of this first half.
The lively Ender Echenique gets on the end of a well-directed through ball wide on the right, dances past Craig Goodwin and into the box, and plays a simple square ball across the six-yard box.
Jesus Ramirez is on hand for a tap in.
By Henry Hanson
We're treated to a little argy bargy as we move towards half-time in Houston.
Nestory Irankunda is late on Jesus Ramirez and the Venezuelan in down and then up and then pushing the Australian forward.
Not a whole lot in that, I reckon, but Irankunda cops a yellow card nonetheless.
The referee calms things down and we're good to restart with a Venezuelan free-kick.
By Henry Hanson
Well, the last thing debutant Luis Balbo wanted to do was leave the field of play, but unfortuantely for him, he just wasn't able to run off that knock.
Allesandro Milani comes on in place of him.
And Venezuela are incisive on the restart, fashioning a shot from just inside the box, but it's weak and easily saved by a diving Patrick Beach.
By Henry Hanson
For the first real time today, the Socceroos are pressing deep in Venezuelan territory.
Venezuela attempts to play out from the back anyway, but Mo Toure and Nestory Irankunda combine well to turn the ball over.
Irankunda has a chance to get a shot away but can't quite get the ball out from under his feet.
The ball finds its way out to Craig Goodwin on the left, whose eventual cross is too deep and behind for a goal kick.
By Henry Hanson
The lively Luis Balbo has been trying to run off a knock for a little while now, but eventually sits down on the field and the Venezuelan medical staff are ushered onto it.
It looks like they're telling him to come off but Balbo wants to continue and it looks like he'll get his wish — after a prolonged pause in play we restart with Balbo waiting on the touchline to re-enter the play.
By Henry Hanson
Surely, “Houston, we have lift off” was the opening line begging for a start. Go Aussies!
– Mike
I feel like missing that one is almost a sackable offence, isn't it….
G'day Mike, thanks for joining us!
By Henry Hanson
That is a moment of real quality from debutant Australian goalkeeper Patrick Beach.
Luis Balbo whips in a tantalising cross from deep on the left and centre-forward Jesus Ramirez is diving at full stretch and making good contact with his head.
It's a bullet header, and Beach does incredibly well to get a strong hand to the ball and parry it behind for a corner.
By Henry Hanson
So, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, considering the way that Tony Popovic sets up this Socceroos side, but Venezuela have had the lion's share of possession early on in Houston.
The inexperienced South Americans, missing star players like Salomon Rondon and Tomas Rincon, have recycled and recirculated the ball well, without creating any clear-cut chances.
Their latest set of passes ends in a shot from outside the box, which is easily saved by Patrick Beach low down.
By Henry Hanson
Mo Toure is looking very, very sharp early on in Houston.
This time, he's circling on the right-hand edge of the penalty area and snapping a shot goalwards.
It's into the side netting and Venezuela survives.
By Henry Hanson
It's the Socceroos' first meaningful raid forward and the red-hot Mo Toure goes very close!
Craig Goodwin whips a lovely, curled ball down the left-hand touchline and Toure bends his run beautifully.
Toure makes his way into the penalty area and gets a side-footed shot away.
It looks like it's destined to go between the keeper's legs but it's saved. Just.
By Henry Hanson
Australia, wearing their zany yellow and green swirl of a kit, kicks-off.
It's not quite a sell-out crowd in Houston. Lots of empty seats.
Venezuela, wearing deep burgundy, settle quickly, and have the first meaningful foray forward.
Debutant Luis Balbo drives a shot from outside the box just wide of the post.
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