Thompson Sore As Mariners Thin

The Age

Thursday November 1, 2007

Michael Lynch

MELBOURNE Victory striker Archie Thompson limped out of training with groin soreness yesterday but the champion frontman hopes to be fit to take on the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.

Thompson is thought to be unlikely to train today in a bid to give his groin more time to recover.

"I just felt some soreness and didn't want to risk things. I really want to play on Sunday and I have a few days so I'm hoping I should be all right," Thompson said yesterday.

While Victory may have plenty of injury woes going into its clash with the Mariners, its Gosford-based host is not without its own problems after two key players picked up yellow cards that will see them suspended.

Defensive midfielder Mile Jedinak, a regular in the centre of the park for the Mariners and speedy left-back Dean Heffernan will both miss out after being booked in the 3-2 defeat to Sydney last Sunday.

There are injury clouds over a number of Central Coast's other experienced campaigners. Jedinak's absence could be crucial, as he provides screening cover in front of the Mariners' back line.

The 23-year-old has played all but three minutes of the club's A-League matches this campaign.

Heffernan, an attacking defender who returned to the Coast this season after a year in Germany with Nuremburg, has played in nine of his club's 10 games this season.

Defender Alex Wilkinson, the club's captain, was injured in the opening game of the season against Sydney and is close to a return.

Other Mariners players on the injury list in recent weeks include Adam Kwasnik, Paul O'Grady, Damien Brown and Andrew Clark.

Melbourne could look to solve its defensive problems by playing veteran captain Kevin Muscat in the centre of the rearguard alongside Rody Vargas, the only remaining fit centre-back available to coach Ernie Merrick.

Muscat has been used in midfield by Victory for the past two seasons but spent most of his career in England as a right-back.

Victory officials did approach Socceroo defender Michael Thwaite to see if he would be interested in returning home, but the versatile 24-year-old decided to stay in Poland, where he is currently playing with Wisla Krakow. Instead Victory signed Steven Pace, from Victorian state champion Preston.

Ljubo Milicevic has been injured since returning to training following his indefinite suspension for missing breakfast after the loss to Adelaide in round eight.

© 2007 The Age

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