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Australia winger Nishan Velupillay has been ruled out of the World Cup qualifier against Bahrain on Tuesday after suffering an ankle injury against Saudi Arabia last week. Velupillay, who scored on his international debut against China last month, was injured soon after being substituted on at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in the 0-0 draw against the Saudis. Governing body Football Australia said there was no timeline set for the 23-year-old’s return and did not announce a replacement in Tony Popovic’s squad which travelled to Riffa.
READ | UEFA Nations League 2024-25: Late goal by Shua hands Israel first win of campaign Australia, which was upset 1-0 at home by Bahrain in September, is second in Group C at the halfway mark of the third phase of Asian qualifying, seven points behind runaway leader Japan and one point ahead of fifth-placed Bahrain. The top two finishers in the group qualify directly for the 2026 finals in North America, while the third and fourth-placed teams advance to another round of qualifiers. Comments Related Topics FIFA World Cup 2026 / FIFA World Cup Qualifiers / Australia Latest on Sportstar.
