Though it must be stressed that it remains a very small sample size, the opening months of the 2019/20 A-League season have seen a promising increase in the number of opportunities afforded to young players.

Youngsters such as Louis D’Arrigo, Al Hassan Toure, Angus Thurgate, Samuel Silvera and Connor Metcalfe have all set tongues wagging as they begin to flex their muscles on the national stage and there are several other youngsters knocking on the door.

While these encouraging starts being capitalised on and extended to other younger players remains a point of conjecture – especially with the January transfer window about to open and clubs potentially looking to reinforce with veteran players – playing time being afforded to young Australian players is always a welcome sign.

As the world enters 2020, these players will be looking to not only establish themselves in clubland, but also within Australia’s national team set up in order to start the journey towards pulling on a precious, and elusive, Socceroos jersey.

Thanks to the biennial nature of youth development, all three of Australia’s major junior international teams – the Olyroos (U23s), Young Socceroos (U19s) and Joeys (U17s) – will have major continental competitions in the coming 12 months.

On January 8, the Olyroos will head to Thailand to take part in the AFC U23 Championships with a place at July’s Tokyo Olympics on the line.

Drawn in a group with the host nation, Iraq and Bahrain; Head Coach Graham Arnold’s side will have to finish at least third at the tournament to guarantee themselves a place at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad. Should Olympic hosts Japan reach the semi-finals, however, a place in the final four would also be enough.

Of their previous three attempts, the Olyroos best performance at the AFC U23 Championship came in Oman in 2013, when they reached the quarterfinals.

Any attempts to improve that performance in 2020, though, will have to be conducted without the services of Riley McGree, Lachlan Wales, Nathaniel Atkinson and Brandon Wilson after they were suspended for unprofessional conduct in November. The latter three, should Australia qualify, will also miss the Olympics.

The Young Socceroos, after topping a qualifying group featuring Laos, Chinese Taipei and Macau, will jet off Uzbekistan in October for the AFC U19 Championship.

Four nations will punch a ticket for the 2021 U20 World Cup at the tournament, joining host-nation Indonesia at the junior showcase.

Looking to back up the accomplishments of the cohort that went before them, a new generation of Joeys will get their first taste of major tournament football in September at the 2020 AFC U16 Championship in Bahrain.

Four of the 16 nations competing will book their places at the 2021 U17 World Cup in Peru at the tournament.

The Y-League Wrap: Round Seven

Central Coast Mariners 2-0 Canberra United

The Mariners strong 2019/20 Y-League campaign continued in the first game of the round, recording a comfortable win over Canberra to keep pace with Sydney FC atop Conference B.

After his side dominated the opening to proceedings at Pluim Park, Harry McCarthy put the hosts ahead in the 20th minute when he met at a corner drilled into the near post and got enough contact on it to prod it past Canberra keeper Sam Brown.

With stifling heat bearing down on the players – the contest’s kick-off time had been moved forward from 10:30 to 9 am in order to beat the heat – Jordan Smylie and Mathew Hatch had further chances to extend the Mariners lead, while Nikola Ujdur had the best of the early going for the visitors.

Eventually, though, it was the Mariners that made the all-important breakthrough when newly introduced substitute Kyle Johnson, with one of his first touches of the game, curled in an effort from the edge of the penalty area to secure the win.

Brisbane Roar 2-2 Melbourne City

Brisbane Roar did just enough to remain atop Conference A in Saturday’s other fixture, after sharing the spoils with a visiting Melbourne City at AJ Kelly Park.

As has been a feature of their success this year, Roar’s senior listed players came up big for them as they raced to an early two-goal lead over the visitors; Jack Hingert setting up Jai Ingham for the opener in the 14th minute.

Ingham was on the scoresheet just over ten minutes later, firing home to make it 2-0 to the men in orange.

Still looking for their first win of the 2019/20 season and coming off a defeat in the youth Melbourne Derby, visiting City needed to respond quickly and did so in the 31st minute when striker Moudi Najjar headed home from close range.

Only some fine goalkeeping from Macklin Freke denied the City striker an equaliser three minutes later.

Nonetheless, despite Ingham, Kai Trewin and Izaack Powell all having subsequent chances to put their side ahead, it was Najjar that found the next breakthrough when he found the net in the 73rd minute to secure his side a point.

Perth Glory 2-2 Melbourne Victory

The prize was also split in Conference A’s other fixture, with Glory and Victory playing out a spirited 2-2 draw at Dorrien Gardens on Sunday afternoon.

With neither side able to break-through for the all-important opener in the first half – Jackson Lee putting in a fine performance between the sticks for the hosts – it was second-half substitute Nishan Velupillay that broke the deadlock after firing home for Victory in the 47th minute.

Down a goal, the hosts rallied and were back to level pegging in the 56th minute when Charlie Leech found enough space on the edge of the penalty area to fire off a shot and make it 1-1.

Glory substitute Ciaran Bramwell then put Glory ahead when, from a similar position as Leech, he sent home a left-footed effort two minutes past the hour mark.

One of the most impressive performers for Victory so far this campaign, Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio was on hand to salvage the contests late, however, when he turned in a low cross from Velupillay for both his first goal in a navy blue shirt and the equaliser.

Newcastle Jets 3-5 Sydney FC

Whereas the rest of round seven’s games were somewhat demure when judged by the madcap standards of the 2019/20 Y-League season, the Jets and Sky Blues did their part to add to the insanity in the weekend’s final match at the No.2 Sportsground.

Bailey Wells put the host Jets ahead after 15 minutes of play when he struck from just outside the penalty area, only for Marco Tilio to respond for Sydney FC in the 31st minute to restore parity and record his eighth goal of the season.

The Jets, however, were able to head into the dressing rooms with a 2-1 lead after Blake Archibold, somehow, snuck an effort from an intensely acute angle into the net in the 42nd minute.

Alas for the hosts, that lead lasted all of a single minute in the second stanza, with Jaiden Kucharski scoring in the 46th minute. Further pain was piled on by Kucharski when he popped up in the 57th minute to give his side the lead.

A penalty won and converted by Jack Simmons in the 73rd minute brought the Jets back level and gave the game some life, but goals from Ben Koop in the 87th and Cameron Peupion in the 95th minutes came too late for them to orchestrate another comeback.

The win from the Harboursiders sets up a huge match with Central Coast this Sunday. Part of Sydney FC’s W, A and Y-League tripleheader, a win by either side would put them in the box seat in the race for Conference supremacy and a berth in the 2019/20 Y-League Grand Final.