Two Australian Socceroos players, Mathew Leckie and Jacob Italiano, have been ruled out of the World Cup and sent home due to injuries, casting a shadow over the team's preparations for their upcoming knockout stage match. The team's focus is now on their next opponent, Egypt, and particularly the fitness of their star forward, Mohamed Salah.
FIFA regulations prevent Leckie and Italiano from being replaced in the squad, a consequence of the draw with Paraguay that secured Australia's third consecutive appearance in the tournament's knockout rounds. Aziz Behich expressed disappointment for his teammates but emphasized the team's need to prepare for a potential clash with Salah.
Australia learned their knockout stage opponent following results on Friday, with Egypt finishing as runners-up in Group G after a 1-1 draw with Iran. Belgium's 5-1 victory over New Zealand also contributed to finalizing the group standings.
The Socceroos will face Egypt in Arlington, Texas. However, a question mark hangs over Salah's availability. The Egyptian forward, a former Liverpool star, came off the field and had his left hamstring iced during Egypt's match against Iran. Socceroos assistant coach Hayden Foxe noted the concerning nature of Salah's substitution during a crucial moment in the game.
"It didn't look good for him to come off in such an important game at 1-1, to come off at that moment, so you think there might be something there," Foxe said. "But he's a player of enormous talent and I'm sure he'll be doing everything that he can to play in this game."
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic may need to consider tactical adjustments, potentially deciding whether to maintain Aziz Behich on the left flank to mark Salah or reinstate Jordy Bos to his natural position. Bos had a strong performance on the right against Paraguay.
Salah is Egypt's primary attacking threat, supported by Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush. Despite a less heralded supporting cast, Foxe pointed to Egypt's strong qualification campaign and recent friendly results against Brazil and Spain as indicators of their team's quality.
"They're a tough team. They play as a team. A lot of their players play in their local league, but their local league is strong," Foxe said. "They know each other. They've been together for a long period of time, so they play as a team, as a unit."
Australia has a limited history against Egypt, with only two previous encounters in 1987 and 2010. The Socceroos believe their challenging AFC qualification path, which included matches against teams like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Jordan, has prepared them for this crucial test. Foxe described Egypt's style as technically gifted and fearless, characteristic of African-Arab football, presenting a significant challenge that Australia anticipates.