Cahill hoping to be fit to face Honduras
Print Edition
Tim Cahill peaks in the big moments, and there鈥檚 a big moment coming up for Australia鈥檚 national soccer team.
Cahill has been something of a lucky charm for the Socceroos since they ended a decades-long drought by qualifying for the 2006 World Cup with an intercontinental playoff win over Uruguay.
He then scored in Australia鈥檚 first World Cup game in 32 years 鈥 a comeback win over Japan in Germany 鈥 and was a key member of the teams that played at the World Cups in 2010 and 2014.
Now 37 and living back in Australia 鈥 after stints in England, the United States and China 鈥 Cahill is still in the squad, hoping to shake off an injury to help the Socceroos win an intercontinental playoff against Honduras and qualify for next year鈥檚 World Cup in Russia.
It was Cahill鈥檚 two goals in the return match of the Asian playoff against Syria that helped Australia squeak into the two-leg series against Honduras.
Cahill arrived in San Pedro Sula walking freely despite concerns before he left Australia that a right ankle injury sustained in a league match last weekend would put him out of tomorrow鈥檚 game at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.
Australia鈥檚 all-time leading scorer with 50 goals played the ambassadorial role immediately, praising the host country and its people to make amends for some negative commentary in the Australian media, before turning his attention to the game.
Before he left Australia, Cahill said it was worth the risk to travel rather than continue his rehabilitation at home ahead of the return leg in Sydney on November 15 鈥渂ecause it鈥檚 probably one of the most important couple of weeks in Australian soccer coming up鈥.
鈥淚 take it so seriously because it could be my last few games for the Socceroos,鈥 he said.
Cahill鈥檚 right ankle was the most discussed joint in Australia in the intervening days.
Some critics said the trip would do him more harm than good, but former Australia goalkeeper and now TV analyst Mark Bosnich contrasted that by summing up the general mood about the importance of Cahill鈥檚 presence around the squad.
鈥淗e is their spiritual leader. He鈥檚 not the captain, but he鈥檚 their spiritual leader,鈥 Bosnich said. 鈥淚t lifts them when he鈥檚 on the pitch, but (even if he can鈥檛 play) he needs to be around them. If there鈥檚 a 1 percent chance he can play for his country, he鈥檒l do it.鈥
After stepping off the long flight, Cahill said he鈥檚 ready to play whenever he鈥檚 needed.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 promise anything. All I can promise is I鈥檓 working hard,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my country. I鈥檓 very proud and I鈥檒l do anything possible to be available.鈥
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