Apostolos Stamatelopoulos injured playing for Motherwell in Scottish Premiership

The Socceroos have suffered another injury blow ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Bahrain and Indonesia.

Striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has suffered an untimely injury. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Socceroos striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos’ hopes of being selected in Australia’s squad for next month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Bahrain and Indonesia have suffered a blow after he limped off in his starting debut for Scottish Premiership club Motherwell.

The former Newcastle Jets, Adelaide United and A-League All-Stars marksman, who made his maiden Socceroos appearance in June, was forced off with an upper leg injury in the dying stages of the first-half of Motherwell’s 2-1 weekend loss to Rangers.

Stamatelopoulos joined the Steelmen last month, having feared that remaining in the A-League would jeopardise his hopes of keeping his spot in the Socceroos squad on the qualifying road to the 2026 World Cup.

He appeared off the bench in his new club’s season-opening 0-0 draw with Ross County before given a starting opportunity on Sunday morning (AEST) by Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell.

Stuart Kettlewell gives his thoughts on the defeat at Hampden. pic.twitter.com/RDF1yW4wA8

— Motherwell FC (@MotherwellFC) August 10, 2024

“The last thing we needed was an injury to our new striker Apostolos,” Kettlewell said.

“It doesn’t look great at this point. There was a bit of tightness in his thigh, very quickly that turned into something a bit sharper, and something that might be a bit more significant.

“We need to wait and see, and assess that.”

Stamatelopoulos’ misfortune is the latest injury blow for Socceroos coach Graham Arnold, with star left-back Jordy Bos (hamstring) in doubt for the games against Bahrain and Indonesia and right-back Ryan Strain (hamstring) a certain absentee.

Four other Socceroos – Kye Rowles, Cameron Devlin, Martin Boyle and Lewis Miller – also tasted defeat in weekend Scottish Premiership action.

Rowles and Devlin both started for Hearts in their 3-1 loss to Dundee, with Boyle and Miller each playing full games for Hibernian in a 2-0 loss to champions Celtic.

Meanwhile, Socceroos teenage sensation Nestory Irankunda was an unused substitute for Bayern Munich in the German giants’ 3-2 win over Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur in a pre-season friendly in London.

Tottenham’s English Premier League campaign begins next Tuesday morning (AEST) against Leicester City at King Power Stadium.

“Hopefully, we have a whole fit squad for that first game because once the games start, we’re going to need the full squad,” Postecoglou said.