When Craig Goodwin lashed home his penalty in the crucial World Cup qualifying shootout against Peru in June, the moment of elation also marked the end of two months of pain.
The Socceroos winger had played through osteitis pubis (OP) and bone stress in the final weeks of Adelaide United's A-League Men season, plus the World Cup qualifying play-offs.
Helping Australia qualify for Qatar 2022 came at a cost: a long off-season of rehabilitation for Goodwin to ensure he is fit for the six ALM games before Graham Arnold names his World Cup squad on November 14.
"It has been long and frustrating but at the end of the day I had the injury at the back end of last season and was never going to be slowed down," Goodwin told AAP at the A-Leagues season launch.
"Having the bone stress and OP, it's one that you can push through.
"It did make it a bit sore and a bit longer to come back from but with everything that was at stake with Adelaide United and then the Socceroos, it was a situation where I didn't want to stop.
"So it was really rewarding, achieving what we were able to with the national team and having a good year with Adelaide.
"There was a bit of pain but you have to sometimes push through that."
Goodwin only returned to full training this week and is likely to feature off the bench in Adelaide's season-opener away to Wellington on October 9.
"It's taken all off-season to get to this point, and I wouldn't change it," he said.
When it comes to making the World Cup squad, the equation is simple.
"I've got to be playing games and I've got to be doing well," Goodwin said.
"I have spoken to Graham Arnold and the medical team.
"The basis was, 'Get me fit for the start of the season and then playing games' and then from there, getting match minutes and doing as well as I possibly can.
"If I focus on Adelaide and get the best performances I can at club level, then international should take care of itself."
Goodwin is feeling settled after signing a three-year permanent deal with Adelaide in July, and confident the Reds can improve on last season's semi-final exit.
"We have strengthened the squad but it will take everyone gelling and playing the football that we want to play to get to the right point," he said.
"It's going to be a challenge but I'm very confident in what we have and I believe we can do good things."
