Injured Socceroo Cahill to travel to Honduras – FFA

The squad leaves on Sunday but Football Federation Australia said the country’s all-time leading goalscorer will delay his departure and join his team-mates in Honduras a day later than originally scheduled.

“Cahill’s delayed departure to Honduras is part of the monitoring and rehabilitation process that has been put in place for an ankle injury,” FFA said in a statement on Sunday.

The former Everton attacker twisted his right ankle challenging for the ball and was substituted during the first half of his club Melbourne City’s 1-0 A-League loss to Sydney FC on Friday.

Cahill, 37, was cleared of a fractured ankle on Saturday, however he will require continued treatment and assessment before a decision on whether he can play in Friday’s game in San Pedro Sula, FFA said.

FFA said VfL Bochum attacker Robbie Kruse will not make the journey to Honduras, but remains part of the squad for this month’s crunch two-leg play-off against Honduras.

Kruse along with suspended pair Mathew Leckie and Mark Milligan will join the squad in Sydney ahead of the second-leg on November 15.

Talisman Cahill scored a double to help the Socceroos get past Syria in their Asian play-off last month and he remains Australia’s leading striker.

He may be in the twilight of his career but Cahill, with 50 goals in 103 internationals, has been Australia’s go-to man in this year’s World Cup qualifying.