When Socceroos players awoke on Friday, there was a gift waiting for them on their phones. It was China’s upset 1-0 win over Bahrain, which continues the topsy-turvy nature of results in Group C. Japan are the runaway leaders, but second spot – and direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup – is still well and truly up for grabs for whichever team is good enough to seize it.

Australia have certainly had their chances to do so, but all is not yet lost.

“This group is really tight,” Geria said. “China did us a bit of a favour. But I still think we have to focus on just winning our games.”

The team was due to fly out late on Friday with no clarity over the condition of Geria’s Victory teammate Nishan Velupillay, who came on in the second half and helped turn the tide against Saudi Arabia but was forced off prematurely with an ankle injury. Asked post-match about whether he would replace him in his squad, Popovic said he hadn’t thought that far ahead, but he will at least have the fresh legs of Craig Goodwin to call upon after he served his one-match suspension.

While Goodwin’s exquisite left foot will be helpful at set pieces and the like, the Socceroos’ age-old problem has not gone away: putting the ball in the back of the net. At least four clear-cut chances went begging at AAMI Park, with a lack of match conditioning and general lack of confidence in front of goal clearly evident.

The plus side, Geria reckons, is that they are at least creating chances.

“We have the quality, I believe, in our attacking players. It just didn’t fall for us,” he said.

“But I think the good thing is we’re creating them – whether by our creation or … off our press last night, which is another really positive thing that the guys are working hard to shut down opposition.

“So we’re creating chances in different ways. [We] easily could have scored one or two, and today is a different headline for the game. I believe in our strikers, and I’m sure they’re going to start scoring goals soon.”

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Further back in Geria’s mind, meanwhile, is the possibility that his excellent start to life with the Socceroos could attract overseas interest. He spent three years on the books of Japanese club JEF United Chiba before returning to the A-League and is open to heading abroad again for the right opportunity.

“Getting to play with Harry and Cam especially … Cam’s just come off playing against Tottenham, Harry’s doing really good things in the [English] Championship. Even though they’re younger than me, I’m learning a lot off them,” he said. “I’m just taking everything in my stride. And if those opportunities come, they come.”

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