Socceroos star Kruse cleared to play after latest injury scare

Australia striker Robbie Kruse has been cleared of a knee, leg or ankle injury after being on the end of a horror tackle in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Jordan in Sydney.

Robbie Kruse is free to resume playing Source: Getty Images

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Kruse played one of his finest games for the Socceroos in his first start in the green and gold jersey since the 2015 AFC Asian Cup final 14 months ago.

Kruse suffered an achilles injury in the final against Korea Republic and has played very little football since.

But a violent tackle from behind from Jordanian substitute Yousef al Rawashdeh just after the hour mark nearly ruined his comeback in a match the Socceroos won 5-1 to reach the final phase of qualifying for Russia 2018.

As the crowd held their breath, Kruse clutched his left leg in clear distress before resuming playing and being replaced five minutes later.

He said after the match he had feared the worst and the next morning flew back to Germany to join his club Bayer Leverkusen for further tests.

After a nervous two days, club doctors gave him the go-ahead to resume training despite reports that he had a medial ligament strain that could keep him out of the game for six more weeks.

"I don't know where these reports have come from," Kruse said. "I got cleared today of any injury.

"I'm having a short break as a precaution after the long flight from Australia.

"I will be back in normal training and playing next week."

He therefore misses Leverkusen's home match against Wolfsburg on Saturday (AEST) on the resumption of the Bundesliga after the international break.

Australia's next matches are against England in Sunderland in late May and against Greece in Sydney and Melbourne in early June.

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