Six goals in 15 appearances and a header against Celtic put Zac Sapsford in the frame as Australia weighs its attacking options.
Zac Sapsford is building a credible case for a Socceroos call-up at a moment when Australia’s forward options may be under pressure. The Dundee United striker has scored six times in 15 appearances this season, with an assist, and his latest goal came against Scottish champions Celtic.
That return has arrived quickly. Sapsford scored 11 goals across the whole of 2025-26, his first season outside Australia. He’s already more than halfway to that total, and Australia’s 2027 AFC Asian Cup campaign is approaching. Coach Tony Popovic will face Iraq, Singapore and Tajikistan in the tournament, while Mohamed Toure’s shoulder injury could leave the squad short of options up front.
Goals against top Scottish sides
Sapsford’s 2-2 draw at Celtic Park offered a useful snapshot of his strengths. In the first half, he met Lyall Cameron’s delivery with a glancing header that sent the ball beyond goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and into the far corner. The finish depended on movement and timing, not brute force.
Days earlier, he scored the winner in Dundee United’s 3-2 victory over Aberdeen. He has also found the net against Celtic and Rangers, adding to a record that includes a goal in the Dundee derby and a strike against Rapid Vienna in Europe. The pattern matters: Sapsford is producing in matches against prominent opponents, rather than relying only on goals against weaker sides.
His six goals in 15 outings amount to a contribution roughly every other appearance. For a forward still establishing himself in Scottish football, that’s a promising rate. Dundee United also value his ability to cover several roles across the front line, giving Popovic a potentially different type of attacking option.
Competition for a place in Australia’s attack
Scoring in Scotland doesn’t guarantee a player can carry the same impact into international football. Deni Juric has already faced that test with the Socceroos, while South Korea-based John Iredale is also pushing for another opportunity. Sapsford’s form makes him part of a wider selection conversation, but he still has to show Popovic that his club performances translate to the national team.
Toure’s injury adds urgency to that question. The Norwich City forward is expected to be sidelined until around January, when the Asian Cup begins. Popovic is still assessing his squad, and Sapsford’s run of goals gives the coach another option to consider ahead of the tournament.
Ross Goodwin, Dundee United’s head of recruitment, has previously wondered why Sapsford hadn’t received a national team call-up. Goodwin told Football360: “There was a point last year where I was quite surprised that Zac hadn’t been called up.” He cited goals in major matches, including the Dundee derby, against Celtic and Rangers, and in Europe against Rapid Vienna.
Goodwin added that Sapsford was “ticking a lot of boxes” and could earn an Australia call-up. On Toure’s injury, he said Popovic might look at other options at his next camp, adding that Sapsford “has been doing himself no harm.”
A chance to turn club form into a call-up
Sapsford could carry this momentum into Australia’s scheduled friendlies against Qatar and Jordan next month, if selected. The games would offer Popovic a chance to assess him directly before the Asian Cup, while the striker would have a clear opportunity to test his form at international level.
Representing Australia remains an explicit ambition for Sapsford. “Everyone playing football, you just dream of playing for Australia,” he previously told Football360. “I always wanted to play for Australia and hopefully one day that can happen.”
For now, the next step is straightforward: keep scoring for Dundee United. If Sapsford sustains this pace against strong opposition, leaving him out of Popovic’s next selection discussions will become harder to justify.
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