Socceroo Nathaniel Atkinson’s hopes of reaching the World Cup are in doubt after the Hearts defender was left on crutches and in a moon boot after an injury in their UEFA Conference League defeat to Fiorentina.
Days after the former Melbourne City ace scored a belting left-footed volley for the Scottish Premiership side, Atkinson lasted barely two minutes in Friday’s (AEDT) tie against Serie A outfit Fiorentina in Italy before going down with an apparent foot or ankle problem.
Nathaniel Atkinson’s World Cup hopes could be in trouble.Credit:Getty
Hearts were defending a corner when the 23-year-old suddenly reached for his left foot in agony, despite no collision or contact with an opponent. They conceded from the resulting set-piece and while Atkinson came back on, he was subbed out of the match a short time later.
Fiorentina eventually won 5-1, but Socceroos coach Graham Arnold and his medical staff will be sweating on the outcome of forthcoming scans on Atkinson, who is likely to be Australia’s starting right-back in Qatar.
Arnold has to submit a 55-man longlist of players to FIFA on Tuesday, from which his final 26-man squad for the World Cup – which Arnold intends to reveal on November 8 – must be selected.
Atkinson expressed hope — after scoring a screamer for Hearts at the weekend, which came in the fourth minute of injury time and salvaged them a point against Kilmarnock — that he could seal his spot in Qatar in the coming weeks, admitting his recent form was not “up to standard”.
The Hearts defender received treatment in the early stages of the match and later tried to run his foot injury off, but was soon substituted.Credit:Getty
“I got brought here for a reason and the start of the season just hasn’t been good enough from me,” he told Scottish media. “It’s probably affected me off the pitch more than anything but I’ve been having long chats with the assistant coaches and they’ve been getting me in a positive mindset. But today that confidence came back and it’s just about starting games early and with confidence, and with the World Cup coming up it’s just that extra bit of motivation.”
While Atkinson now faces a race against time to be fit for Australia’s first Group D match against France on November 22 (November 23 AEDT), there is better news for Arnold at the back with his preferred central defenders nearing returns to full fitness.
Stoke City’s Harry Souttar and Atkinson’s Hearts teammate Kye Rowles are coming off long-term injuries but are expected to play senior football again in the coming weeks in a massive boost for the Socceroos.
Souttar injured his ACL in last year’s qualifying draw at home to Saudi Arabia but could play his first game since then as early as this weekend for Stoke’s reserves side, with a first-team return anticipated to follow if it goes well.
Rowles — one of the heroes of Australia’s win over Peru in June that confirmed their fifth consecutive World Cup berth — fractured his metatarsal after scoring his first goal for Hearts in just his fifth Scottish Premiership appearance in late August – but he, too, is closing in on a comeback which would put him back in the frame for the national team.
Atkinson’s injury, if bad, would open the door for Italy-based Fran Karacic to lock down the right-back position, while increasing the chances of the versatile Thomas Deng and potentially Sydney FC’s Rhyan Grant to sneak into Arnold’s squad.
