Socceroos Face World Cup Knockouts Without Leckie and Italiano
Australia will march into the World Cup knockout rounds with a hole in the squad and a lump in the throat.
Veteran forward Matthew Leckie and right-back Jacob Italiano have both left camp through injury, trimming Tony Popovic’s group to 24 and stripping depth from the wide areas just as the tournament sharpens.
Leckie, a staple of Australia’s modern World Cup story, suffered a leg injury in the defeat to the USA. Italiano pulled up with a groin problem in training before the draw with Paraguay. Football Australia confirmed both have returned to their clubs’ countries to continue rehabilitation.
For Leckie, it cuts especially deep. He had only just clawed his way back from injury at the end of the A-League season and was a surprise inclusion in the final squad, a late twist in a career that has so often been defined by resilience.
“I'm gutted for him,” Behich said. “I saw first-hand this year what he had to do to get back on that pitch for us at Melbourne City and then what he did in Sarasota.
“He left no stone unturned and it's a credit to him, it's not easy, not just physically but also mentally at his age.
“We're all gutted for him because we want him to stick around because we know what he can give us as a team and even when he's not playing.”
Those words cut to the heart of what Australia lose: not just a winger, but a standard-bearer in the dressing room, a player whose presence still shapes games even when he never steps off the bench.
Popovic’s wide options shrink
The blow is not only emotional. It is tactical, and immediate.
Under tournament rules, the Socceroos cannot replace either Leckie or Italiano in the squad at this stage, leaving Popovic short of natural options down both flanks. The reshuffle started almost instantly.
Against Paraguay, regular left-back Jordy Bos flipped over to right-back, while Behich returned to his more familiar station on the left. It worked in patches, but it also underlined how quickly the depth chart has thinned.
Behich reserved special praise for Italiano, whose World Cup had promised to be a breakthrough.
“(Italiano) worked hard to get himself in this position and I thought he did really well in the games that he played as well,” he said.
For Behich, the disruption also opens a door.
“For myself, obviously I came here to play. I put myself in this position as well, to be involved in my third World Cup.
“I've been biding my time. I've been working hard at training every day and just waiting for my opportunity.
“I think we're in a good headspace. Obviously, two soldiers down, but we've got a lot of boys that can cover depth and position.”
That last line will be tested quickly. Australia will remain in Oakland until July 1 before shifting to Dallas to prepare for a round-of-32 clash on July 3, a knockout tie they will tackle with fewer bodies, but no fewer expectations.
