The Socceroos camp are sweating on scans on striker Kusini Yengi after he missed Portsmouth’s 2-2 draw with Swansea City with a knee concern.
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho revealed the injury worry in the lead-up to Saturday’s game, which had previously gone unreported.
As it turns out, Mousinho said Yengi picked up the injury in Australia’s 2-2 draw with Bahrain more than a week ago, but Pompey’s back-to-back postponed games meant it hadn’t come out.
Mousinho told reporters: “He picked up an injury during the game when Australia played Bahrain.
“His knee was slightly swollen. He was scanned on Friday afternoon. So, we’re just awaiting the final scan results and for him to see a specialist.
“With knees, ankles and hips we’re always really wary.”
Elsewhere in England, Cameron Burgess put in another full shift in the Premier League and was rated 7/10 in Ipswich Town’s 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest.
The East Anglian Daily Times wrote: “Passing was hit and miss at the start of the match but improved. Defensively strong and excellent in the air.
“Had a header cleared off the line – Town could have picked up a positive result if that went in.”
Back to the Championship, Harry Souttar was sent off before half-time in Sheffield United’s crucial clash with Sunderland which the Blades won 1-0 on Friday night.
Souttar was booked in the 35th minute and then proceeded to get a second yellow on the stroke of half-time for a tug on Wilson Isidor.
The Sheffield Star rated Souttar 4/10 and said: “A really poor decision to rack up a second yellow card.”
Despite that, United triumphed to move into top spot in the Championship after 18 games.
Meanwhile on Souttar, there’s been speculation Leicester City could recall him from his season-long loan after Steve Cooper’s sacking but United boss Chris Wilder played that down.
He said: “I do believe, doing a little bit of digging, that from an appearance point of view with Harry he had to play a certain amount of games, or a certain percentage of amount of games, so he’s passed that now. He’s here for the season which is great news for us.”
Alex Robertson grabbed a goal and an assist in Cardiff City’s 2-2 draw at Coventry City.
Robertson has been in excellent form for the resurgent Bluebirds and was critical to this result, earning a 8/10 rating from Wales Online.
Wales Online wrote: “Always harder for him without a ball-player alongside him and had a few calls not go his way.
“Some lovely, incisive passes when play allowed and scored an absolute belter from 25 yards. Moment of magic almost proved the difference.”
Riley McGree missed Middlesbrough’s 3-1 home win over Hull City, while Tom Glover was an unused sub.
Boro boss Michael Carrick explained McGree’s absence: “Riley suffered a dead leg on Wednesday and he still wasn’t ready for today. We’re not sure how bad, but it was quite a bad one to keep him out today.
“We’re not sure in terms of time-wise how it will look and whether he’ll be back next week or not. Hopefully it won’t be too long, but it will be touch and go for next week.”
Craig Goodwin was worryingly substituted out early in Al Wehda’s 1-0 loss to Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League on Friday. Goodwin went off in the 13th minute, with no reports on his injury status available.
Jonathon Aspropotamitis celebrated silverware with Pohang Steelers as they won the Korean Cup with a 3-1 extra-time victory over Ulsan HD in Saturday’s final at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The Aussie defender put in a full 120 minutes in the triumph.
In Denmark’s Superliga, Mohamed Toure scored the winner for Randers as they prevailed 2-1 away to Viborg on Sunday.
Toure has now scored three goals in his past six games for Randers.
The forward started and played 82 minutes. He made it 2-0 in the 63rd minute. Paul Izzo put in a full shift.
Others
Full games
Jackson Irvine (St Pauli), Max Balard (NAC Breda), Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK), Aiden O’Neill (Standard Liege), Josh Nisbet (Ross County), Ryan Strain (Dundee United), Jack Iredale (Hibernian), Nectarios Triantis (Hibernian), Ash Maynard-Brewer (Charlton), Nicholas Bilokapic (Peterborough), Mitch Langerak (Nagoya Grampus), Kye Rowles (Hearts), Cammy Devlin (Hearts), Fran Karacic (Lokomotiva)
Minutes
Ajdin Hrustic – SB 72 (Salernitana), Jordan Bos – SB 61 (Westerlo), Nick D’Agostino – SB 69 (Viking), Anthony Kalik – ST 71 (Hajduk Split), Callum Elder – SB 79 (Derby County), Cristian Volpato – SB 86 (Sassuolo), John Iredale – SB 84 (AaB), Apostolos Stamatelopoulos – ST 46 (Motherwell), Martin Boyle – SB 82 (Hibernian), Lewis Miller – SB 89 (Hibernian), Keanu Baccus – ST 53 (Mansfield), Mitch Duke – SB 63 (Machida Zelvia)
Unused subs
Denis Genreau (Toulouse), Milos Degenek (Red Star Belgrade), Caleb Watts (Exeter City), Johnny Koutroumbis (Motherwell)
