MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia coach Ange Postecoglou has dismissed concerns about Tim Cahill's lack of match fitness and selected the veteran striker in his final 23-man squad for crunch World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. Cahill joins a strong squad with captain Mile Jedinak included after shaking off a hamstring complaint and striker Tomi Juric and midfielder Massimo Luongo recalled after missing the Thailand game through injury. Postecoglou shed seven from the 30-man squad he named last week but has retained Adelaide United's Riley McGree, an 18-year-old midfielder, among five uncapped players. Melbourne Victory forward James Troisi and Perth Glory defender Rhys Williams, back in the national frame after three injury-plagued years, also survived the cut. "We’ve come up with a good strong squad that has a mix of experience, form and players who are playing regular football,” Postecoglou said in a media release on Tuesday.

Source: The Star March 14, 2017 00:25 UTC