Adelaide United captain Craig Goodwin exited the pitch with a groin injury on Sunday. Mark Brake/Getty Images
Craig Goodwin‘s FIFA World Cup hopes are in tatters with the Socceroos veteran set to be sidelined for up to three months with a groin injury.
The 34-year-old was forced from the field just 25 minutes into Adelaide United’s dramatic 3-2 loss to A-League Men leaders the Newcastle Jets at Coopers Stadium on Sunday evening.
“Following further assessment, the club can confirm he will not require surgery and is expected to be sidelined for approximately 10-12 weeks as he completes his rehabilitation,” Adelaide said in a statement.
That sidelines Goodwin until at least late April, ruling him out of Australia’s send-off games against Cameroon in Sydney on March 27 and Curacao in Melbourne four days later.
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Those games are the final friendlies before coach Tony Popovic steps up preparations for June’s tournament, meaning Goodwin misses that crucial audition. The set-piece weapon was a stalwart under Graham Arnold and a key to Australia’s terrific run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
But he has fallen out of favour under Popovic. Nestory Irankunda and Riley McGree have been preferred options on the left, while Nishan Velupillay and Martin Boyle are also in the mix.
McGree, meanwhile, looms as one of the keys to Australia’s World Cup fortunes after leading Middlesbrough to top of the Championship and one step closer to a Premier League return.
The 27-year-old was man-of-the-match after notching a goal and an assist in Monday’s 2-1 away win over Sheffield United that sent the club to the top of England’s second tier. The two leaders in the Championship, currently Middlesbrough (61 points) and Coventry City (59), receive automatic promotion to the Premier League — although there are still 15 games left.
McGree, who typically plays as an inverted left winger for the Socceroos, is clearly one of Australia’s most dangerous and creative weapons when fit. The South Australian had been in excellent form before a December hamstring injury ruled him out for close to a month, and he has not missed a beat since returning.
McGree’s match-winning performance followed an assist for the winner against Norwich City in Boro’s previous game.
On Monday, Boro took the lead in the 19th minute when McGree set up Tommy Conway for the opener. The Australian doubled the advantage when Hayden Hackney’s shot clattered off the post and McGree was quickest to react, heading the ball into a empty net.
“Probably positions I don’t find myself [in] as much as I’d like to — following in shots and getting easier goals,” McGree told Middlesbrough’s club media.
“So it was good to get one today — with my head as well.
“Six in a row — it’s not easy to do but in this league especially. So really proud of everyone.”
