Injury sidelines Good

Socceroos defender Curtis Good is expected to miss four weeks with a hip flexor strain suffered in last week’s international against Ecuador.

Socceroos defender Curtis Good is expected to miss four weeks with a hip flexor strain suffered in last week-s international against Ecuador.

Good was forced from the field in the 68th minute in what was his Socceroos debut, a debut that impressed many for a young man on an international stage against a fellow World Cup entrant.

Good-s club, English Premier League side Newcastle United, confirmed the prognosis with scans revealing the 20 year old has a grade 2 iliopsaos (hip flexor) strain. While Newcastle medical staff have put a timeframe of 4-6 weeks on his return, Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou is optimistic that with the proper rehab, the recovery time could be closer to the earlier approximation.

Having been a regular starter and showing impressive form for Scottish club Dundee United, where he is currently on loan, Good started in the heart of defence against Ecuador, Postecoglou not hiding the high regard he holds the youngster in.

A month on the sidelines would take Good up to mid-April with no football, leaving him with another month before the Socceroos camp in Gosford prior to the farewell game against South Africa in Sydney on May 26 before the squad departs for Brazil.

Dundee United could still be in action until the end of April, and unlike fellow World Cup aspirants Robbie Kruse and Rhys Williams who both suffered more serious injury setbacks, Good will have more time on his side to get some football under his belt leading up to Brazil 2014.

Good has returned to Newcastle United to undergo his medical treatment.