MELBOURNE, May 26 (Reuters) - Australia playmaker Riley McGree has been ruled out of the World Cup in a blow for the Socceroos following a hamstring injury playing for English club Middlesbrough over the weekend.
One of Australia's most creative players, McGree's injury comes days before coach Tony Popovic confirms his 26-man squad for the June 11 to July 19 tournament in North America, where they play Turkey, co-hosts the United States and Paraguay.
With the experienced Craig Goodwin unselected for a pre-World Cup training camp in Sarasota, Florida, McGree's absence leaves Australia light on depth for attackers on the left flank.
Mitch Duke's hopes of returning to the World Cup are effectively over, with the veteran striker among a group of eight mostly fringe players cut from the training camp.
Duke scored the goal in a 1-0 group stage win over Tunisia at Qatar 2022 to help Australia advance to the knockout phase.
With Scotland-based striker Ante Suto also released, Popovic has given a first call-up to another uncapped forward in Tete Yengi, the younger brother of Kusini, who played a role for Australia in World Cup qualifying but was ruled out of the tournament by a thigh injury.
Yengi, like Kusini, is a Japan-based striker.
He was among a group of eight called up, including defenders Alessandro Circati, Lucas Herrington, Kai Trewin and Kye Rowles, seasoned winger Awer Mabil, goalkeeper Mat Ryan and holding midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler.
Three names will need to be cut from the training squad of 29, with either Patrick Beach or Joe Gauci set to miss out as the third goalkeeper behind captain Ryan and Paul Izzo.
Australia will warm up for the World Cup with friendlies against Mexico in Pasadena on May 30 and Switzerland in San Diego on June 6 before meeting Turkey in their World Cup opener in Vancouver on June 13.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
