Jason Cummings retains World Cup dream after debut Australia goal
Last updated on .From the section Scottish
Former Scotland striker Jason Cummings scored on his Australia debut against New Zealand as he looks to force his way into their World Cup finals squad.
The 27-year-old Edinburgh-born forward slotted a penalty in a 2-0 friendly win after coming on as a substitute.
Cummings was capped twice for Scotland but was able to switch allegiance as they were only friendlies and because his mother is Australian.
"Absolutely buzzin'," he said after his first 30 minutes as a Socceroo.
Cummings, who joined A-League club Central Coast Mariners in January after leaving Dundee, won the penalty after his shot was blocked by a New Zealand hand in Auckland.
"I was just chompin' at the bit to get on," he told Channel 10. "The boys have been different class and I was just wanting to get on the pitch, so I got a good 30 minutes and the ball fell to me and I caught it well and it was going in, but the boy hand balled it and I was fuming.
"The referee gave the pen' and I thought 'I've got to step up and take this and finish off my dinner'. Fair play to the lads, they asked me if I wanted to take it and I said of course - it's a striker's dream, my dream."
Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy and Dundee United defender Aziz Behich were among a clutch of players allowed to return to their clubs after Thursday's 1-0 win over the same opponents as head coach Graham Arnold chose a completely changed starting XI while assessing his squad ahead of this year's Qatar finals.
Heart of Midlothian midfielder Cammy Devlin and St Mirren pair Ryan Strain and Keanu Baccus also came off the bench, three of six players handed their international debuts.
Meanwhile, after Mitchell Duke's opener shortly after the break, it was 18-year-old debutant Garang Kuol, reportedly set to sign for Newcastle United in January, who set up club strike partner Cummings for the shot that led to the penalty.
Cummings, whose debut came three years after Arnold first said he wanted him in his squad, hinted that he might add his Australia cap number to his many tattoos.
Asked what it would mean to make the World Cup squad, the former Hibernian, Nottingham Forest, Rangers, Peterborough United, Luton Town and Shrewsbury Town striker added: "It's everyone's dream, it's my dream.
"All I need to do now is to go back with the Mariners, work hard, do well there, score goals and you never know."