Australia have moved a step closer to securing their spot in the final round of World Cup qualification after a 2-0 win over Lebanon, which was soured by injuries to Riley McGree and Jordy Bos.
Coach Graham Arnold said McGree and Bos were unlikely to play in Tuesday’s qualifier against the Lebanese in Canberra after both failed to finish the first half in front of 27,026 fans at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Thursday.
McGree has battled plantar fasciitis in his foot while at Middlesbrough this season and Bos succumbed to a knee injury soon after coming on to replace the Boro midfielder.
“I’d say both are out,” said Arnold, who is likely to be boosted by the return of Craig Goodwin from a virus.
“I think they arrived (from Europe) about 1am on Wednesday morning, it's a bit tough to take for them in that game early on.
“I had only one sub window in the second half because I’d used both in the first half so I had to get that sub right.
“At the end of the day it was a good performance but we can do better and we must do better and the only time they came into the game was through sloppiness from us."
The two injury blows took the shine off maiden international goals for midfielder Keanu Baccus and defender Kye Rowles as Australia strengthened their grip on top spot in Group I.
A win over Lebanon in the national capital will guarantee the Socceroos’ place in the final round of qualification.
Things got off to the perfect start for the Socceroos when local product Baccus recovered a loose Lebanese pass out of trouble in the fifth minute and floated a cross into the box.
The delivery was too far in front of strikers Kusini Yengi and Adam Taggart, but it also beat Lebanon’s goalkeeper Mostafa Matar, who was stuck in no-man’s land and unable to stop it floating past him and into the back of the net.
The goal was Baccus’s first at international level and fittingly came on his home turf and he ran off cupping his ears to the crowd.
But injuries to McGree and Bos, who was replaced by the returning Ajdin Hrustic, took the shine off an encouraging first half.
Lebanon weren’t causing many problems for Australia, but Rowles did well to recovder after being troubled by some incisive runs and overlaps centred around their captain Hassan Maatouk.
Australia weathered a late Lebanese storm before the break, with Rowles hacking in at a corner to lift the pressure and give the home side a 2-0 lead after 54 minutes.
From that point Lebanon never really looked like challenging Australia, except for one effort that hit the post in the final quarter of an hour.
Arnold threw on Mitch Duke and handed a debut to German-based striker John Iredale to see out the second half.
