IRANKUNDA’S WORLD CUP QUALIFIER HOPES IN JEOPARDY
Socceroos hopeful Nestory Irankunda’s chances of being selected for next month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Indonesia and China are uncertain after the 19-year-old winger suffered an ankle injury while playing for Swiss club Grasshoppers.
Irankunda, who joined Grasshoppers on loan from Bayern Munich last month, had provided the assist for his team’s goal in their 1-1 Swiss Super League draw with Lugano. However, his promising performance turned sour when he was forced off the pitch in the 36th minute due to the injury.
The young Australian, formerly of Adelaide United, will undergo scans to determine the extent of the injury and whether it will impact his international aspirations.
Irankunda wasn’t the only Socceroo to suffer an injury over the weekend. Left-back Jordan Bos was also forced off early, lasting just 24 minutes in Westerlo’s 4-2 win over Standard Liege in Belgium. Bos, who joined Westerlo from Melbourne City, is set to have scans to assess the severity of his hamstring issue and its potential impact on his availability for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
In more positive news for the Socceroos, midfielder Aiden O’Neill made a successful return from injury, coming on as a substitute in the same match for Standard Liege.
However, Socceroos captain Mat Ryan was sidelined for his French club Lens’ 2-0 loss to Nice due to a hip injury. Ryan, who joined Lens from Roma in the summer, had played in the previous two Ligue 1 matches but was unavailable for this fixture.
Meanwhile, Ryan’s competition for the Socceroos’ number-one goalkeeper spot, Joe Gauci, played for Barnsley in their 2-1 loss to Stockport County in England’s League One. Gauci, who was loaned from Premier League side Aston Villa, had been in fine form, but the result wasn’t favorable for his side.
With several players now nursing injuries, the Socceroos’ squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers remains uncertain, with key players needing to prove their fitness in the coming weeks.