The Socceroos have been rocked by a hamstring injury to key midfielder Riley McGree on the eve of the World Cup, as coach Tony Popovic delivered a late selection shock less than a week out from naming his final squad.
Striker Mitch Duke, who scored against Tunisia in Qatar four years ago, has been jettisoned in Popovic’s penultimate cuts, which have handed an 11th-hour opportunity to Japan-based Tete Yengi who has never played for the Socceroos.
The 25-year-old Yengi has been a regular for Machida Zelvia, currently placed third in the J-League, since moving from Livingston on loan in January. He helped his club to the final of the AFC Champions League Elite and scored the winning goal in the quarter-final against Al Ittihad.
Yengi is one of eight players to arrive this week at the Socceroos’ training camp in Florida, the final batch before the warm-up match against Mexico on Sunday which will act as the last outing for fringe players to impress.
Goalkeepers
Patrick Beach (Melbourne City), Joe Gauci (Port Vale), Paul Izzo (Randers), Mat Ryan (Levante)
Defenders
Aziz Behich (Melbourne City), Jordan Bos, (Feyenoord), Cameron Burgess (Swansea City), Alessandro Circati (Parma), Milos Degenek (APOEL), Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata), Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids), Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK), Kye Rowles (DC United), Harry Souttar (Leicester City), Kai Trewin (New York City)
Midfielders
Cameron Devlin (Hearts), Jackson Irvine (St Pauli), Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City), Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli), Aiden O’Neill (New York City), Paul Okon-Engstler (Sydney FC)
Attackers
Brandon Borrello (Western Sydney Wanderers), Martin Boyle (Hibernian), Ajdin Hrustic (Heracles Almelo), Nestory Irankunda (Watford), Awer Mabil (Castellon), Mohamed Touré (Norwich City), Nishan Velupillay (Melbourne Victory), Tete Yengi (Machida Zelvia)
Captain Mat Ryan, defenders Alessandro Circati, Lucas Herrington, Kye Rowles and Kai Trewin, midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler and winger Awer Mabil are the others to join.
Absent in the group is McGree, who suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury playing for Middlesbrough in England’s Championship play-off final defeat to Hull on Sunday.
McGree was only playing the match due to Southampton’s expulsion due to cheating, adding to the heartbreak for a player who was set to be a key player for the Socceroos. The 27-year-old was influential in Qatar, and provided the assist for Mat Leckie’s winner against Denmark.
Popovic was poised to deploy McGree in one of the hybrid midfielder/winger roles in his 3-4-2-1 system. One of Mabil, Leckie, Ajdin Hrustic, Martin Boyle and Nestory Irankunda is likely to be the beneficiary of McGree’s absence.
Duke, fellow striker Ante Suto and midfielder Alex Robertson are the most notable departures in culls to make space for the final group of players.
Yengi is a 197cm target man who has never played for the Socceroos. His older brother Kusini was a favourite in the final years of Graham Arnold’s tenure, but since then he has suffered knee and now quad tendon injuries.
The younger Yengi, who has played in England, Finland and Scotland after making his professional debut at Newcastle Jets, joins a shrinking group of recognised strikers remaining in Florida, led by Mo Touré, Boyle and Brandon Borrello.
The squad now numbers 29 players, meaning only three – two outfielders and one goalkeeper – will fall in next week’s final cut.
