The Socceroos have been hit with an injury scare just days before their World Cup opener, as star striker Mohamed Touré missed training on Wednesday, three days out from Australia's Group D match against Turkey.
Touré absent from session
Touré was present at the team's training base in Oakland for the team photo but did not participate in the session. Media were informed that the striker, who has a history of muscle injuries, is expected to train on Thursday.
Fullback Jordy Bos admitted he did not initially notice Touré's absence until midway through the session but highlighted the importance of the Norwich forward to the team. "We have other players as well that can also play striker, but to have Mo is really nice for us," Bos said.
Defender Milos Degenek said he did not observe Touré's absence at all, as the session was split between defenders and forwards. When told by Socceroos staff that Touré was expected to train on Friday, Degenek dismissed any concerns. "You'll see him tomorrow. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to speak to you guys," he said.
Key player for Popovic
The 22-year-old is tipped to start as the lone striker in Tony Popovic's favoured system. Touré earned his place after a strong season in England's Championship, where he scored nine goals in 11 league appearances.
Despite his promising start in England, he missed more than a month due to a groin injury suffered in February. He revealed on Wednesday that he has recently adopted a training regimen focused on injury prevention. "When I went to Europe, some of those injuries followed along and I re-injured them and re-injured them. I feel like I had to do something, and I had to change something or they would have kept occurring, recurring," Touré said.
Thin forward options
Touré's performances in England this year have increased optimism about his potential impact at this World Cup. However, if he is unable to play, it would leave the Socceroos short in an area where the squad is already thin. The only other specialist striker in the squad, Tete Yengi, scored against Switzerland on the weekend but it was his first appearance for the national team.
Mat Leckie has spent much of his career as a forward but has played more in midfield in recent years. Nishan Velupillay and Nestory Irankunda, both normally wingers or creative midfielders, could also be called upon to play up front.
The Socceroos can still bring in an injury replacement for Touré if a serious injury is suffered no less than 24 hours before the team's first match on Saturday against Turkey.
