Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak sweats on scans as injury puts his World Cup hopes in doubt
SOCCEROOS captain Mile Jedinak faces a race against time to be fit for the World Cup after being hurt in Crystal Palace’s last game of the season.
MILE Jedinak’s availability for the Socceroos’ friendly against South Africa on May 26 will be determined by a scan after the bulletproof midfielder finally succumbed to injury.
The Crystal Palace captain had played every minute of his team’s 38 Premier League games until limping off with a groin strain in the 59th minute of Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Fulham.
Jedinak, who is favourite to lead the Socceroos after Lucas Neill’s omission and having worn the armband against Ecuador, has been cleared of serious injury but faces a nervous wait to determine the full extent of the injury.
And Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou may opt to take no risks with Jedinak exactly a month out from the opening game against Chile in Cuiaba.
Australia’s second and final warm-up game before the World Cup is scheduled for June 6 in Salvador, Brazil when they take on Croatia.
The Socceroos’ injury curse has ruled out Robbie Kruse (knee) and Rhys Williams (achilles), with clouds hovering over defensive duo Curtis Good (hip flexor) and Trent Sainsbury (knee).
With the Socceroos’ extended 30-man squad to be named tomorrow, Jedinak’s absence would mean that Postecoglou may experiment in the holding midfield position.
Melbourne Victory captain Mark Milligan has been favoured as Jedinak’s partner by Postecoglou, while Mark Bresciano was played there under Holger Osieck.
But fellow holding midfield (no.6 or 8) options James Holland (Austria Vienna), Massimo Luongo (Swindon Town), Adam Sarota (FC Utrecht), Oliver Bozanic (FC Luzern) and Matt McKay (Brisbsne Roar) are likely to make the initial squad.
The South Africa match will be Australia’s final test run before the squad is culled to 23, the official number submitted to FIFA.
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Ironically Jedinak was replaced by fellow midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi, who will headline Bafana Bafana’s team against the Socceroos in the World Cup send-off game at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on May 26.
Otherwise it was a good weekend for Socceroos with keeper Mat Ryan producing another solid performance as Club Brugge secured a crucial 1-0 win at Standard Liege to keep their title hopes alive with two games left.
Uncapped but Brazil-bound attacker Ben Halloran and Matthew Leckie both scored in the German second division, with Halloran netting his fifth in six games.
Leckie capped off a solid campaign where he finished with 11 goals and eight assists before he joins ambitious second-tier outfit FC Ingolstadt on a three-year deal.
“I want to personally take the next step and Ingolstadt is an ambitious club that offers me this opportunity,” Leckie said.
Originally published as Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak sweats on scans as injury puts his World Cup hopes in doubt
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