Socceroos suffer Valeri blow

Carl Valeri ... will miss the remainder of Australia's World Cup qualifiers. Source: Yasser Al-Zayyatt / AAP

Socceroos midfield anchor Carl Valeri is out of the remaining World Cup qualifiers as he recovers from an operation to fix a displacement in his lower left leg.

GROUP A:

Korea Republic

Iran

Uzbekistan

Qatar

Lebanon 

GROUP B:

Australia

Iraq

Jordan

Oman

Japan

Socceroos' schedule:

June 8, 2012: Oman 0 Australia 0 (away)
June 12, 2012: Australia 1 Japan 1 (home)
September 11, 2012: Jordan 2 Australia 1 (away)
October 16, 2012: Iraq 1 Australia 2 (away)
March 26, 2013: Oman (home)
June 4, 2013: Japan (away)
June 11, 2013: Jordan (home)
June 18, 2013: Iraq (home)

The injury, which came in Australia's friendly with South Korea last November, forced him to return to Sydney for surgery after it didn't respond to treatment and Valeri is now targeting a return to pre-season in July.

The timing is cruel, with Valeri to miss the final four games of Australia's bid to reach Brazil 2014, but also missing the remaining stages of his Italian club side Sassuolo's promotion campaign from Serie B. Sassuolo hold a seven-point lead at the top of the Italian second tier after 29 games.

Socceroos team doctors say Valeri must wear a special boot to maintain the pressure in his leg as he recovers, with the injury having been sustained in his 50th appearance for his country.

Group B		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Japan	5	4	1	0	11	13
2	Australia	4	1	2	1	0	5
3	Iraq	5	1	2	2	-1	5
4	Oman	5	1	2	2	-3	5
5	Jordan	5	1	1	3	-7	4

The 28-year-old would have missed the home game with Oman in Sydney on March 26 through suspension, along with Lucas Neill, but also now is rubbed out of the games with Japan (away), Oman and Iraq (both home) in June.

The injury is likely to mean further opportunity for Austria Vienna midfielder James Holland, who has impressed Holger Osieck in recent camps and may well get a start alongside Mile Jedinak or Mark Bresciano against Oman later this month.

The Socceroos desperately need a home victory, with Japan having already tied up the first automatic qualification berth.

Australia sit in joint second spot on five points with Iraq and Oman, and Jordan just a further point behind.

Osieck is set to name his squad next week for the Oman game, with a full complement of European players expected for what is a double FIFA date.

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