World Cup 2010: Australia lose key defender for Ghana clash

Published on: 18 June 2010

Australia's experienced defensive midfielder Vinnie Grella has a knee injury and will miss their crucial Fifa World Cup match against Ghana in Rustenburg on Saturday.

Socceroo officials said on Thursday that the Blackburn Rovers' midfielder sprained the medial ligament in his knee at training.

At this stage Grella, who has 49 international appearances, will only miss the Ghana game and has not yet been ruled out of the final Fifa World Cup Group D clash with Serbia in Nelspruit on June 23.

Grella was hauled off at half-time in Australia's 4-0 defeat by Germany in Durban last Saturday.

His unavailability is likely to lead to Carl Valeri taking his place as the team’s holding midfielder against the Ghanaians.

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