Apostolos Stamatelopoulos to miss Socceroos’ matches against Bahrain and Indonesia

A Socceroos striker’s hopes of playing for Australia in two FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month have been dashed.

Socceroo Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has been sidelined for six weeks. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Socceroos striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos is a confirmed selection casualty for Australia’s two FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month after being ruled out for six weeks with a quad injury.

Stamatelopoulos, 25, limped off in the first half of his new club Motherwell’s 2-1 Scottish Premiership weekend loss to Rangers.

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell fears that the former Newcastle Jets and Adelaide United marksman was set to for an extended period on the sidelines was confirmed on Wednesday night (AEST).

“The Australian international has picked up a quad muscle injury and will be missing for six weeks,” Motherwell said in club statement.

We are able to provide an update on a number of our injured players.

— Motherwell FC (@MotherwellFC) August 14, 2024

It means Stamatelopoulos, who debuted for the Socceroos in June against Palestine in Perth, will miss Australia’s games against Bahrain (September 5, Gold Coast) and Indonesia (September 10, Jakarta).

As previously reported, Dundee United right-back Ryan Strain will also be unavailable for Australia’s two matches after being sidelined for three months with a hamstring injury that has required surgery.

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin said: Ryan’s going to be out for a considerable period of time and that’s a real blow to us given how hard we worked to try and bring him to the club and how influential a player we believed he could be.”

Belgium-based left-back Jordan Bos also remains in doubt for both of the Socceroos games as he continues his recovery from his own hamstring injury.