WATCH: Hearts loanee Garang Kuol makes Australian football history with a first international goal for the Socceroos

Hearts’ on-loan striker Garang Kuol etched his name in Australian football history by scoring his first international goal against Ecuador.
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The 18-year-old became the fourth-youngest scorer in Socceroos history as he converted the third in a 3-1 friendly victory in Sydney. The only players younger than him to net for Australia are Duncan Cummings, Paul Kay and Ian Johnston.

It is the latest landmark for the teenage striker, who is on loan at Tynecastle Park from the English Premier League club Newcastle United. In December, he became the youngest footballer since Pelé in 1958 to feature in the World Cup knockout rounds as Australia lost to eventual champions Argentina in Qatar.

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Kuol has yet to score since joining Hearts but manged to force home close-range finish near the end against Ecuador. An incisive attack down the left side saw the Socceroos move the ball quickly from Alexander Robertson to Brandon Barelloa and then on to the Dundee United left-back Aziz Behich.

He waited to deliver a well-timed cross and Kuol was in place a few yards out to knock the ball home. He was then mobbed by team-mates as he celebrated on the far side of the pitch.

Australia had taken an early lead through Jackson Irvine but Felix Torres equalised for Ecuador on 23 minutes. Awer Mabil restored the home team’s advantage nine minutes later, and Kuol completed the victory six minutes from full-time.

The other Hearts player involved in the match was centre-back Kye Rowles, who played the full 90 minutes in defence after resuming his defensive partnership with Harry Souttar. Midfielder Cammy Devlin and full-back Nathaniel Atkinson remained unused substitutes. With Australia due to face Ecuador again on Tuesday in Melbourne, they could get some game time in that match.