Williams ruled out of North Korea clash

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Australia will travel to DPR (North) Korea today for their final Olympic Games qualifier without striker David Williams who suffered a hamstring injury in last night’s stirring 2-0 win over Iraq in Gosford.

Australia will travel to DPR (North) Korea today for their final Olympic Games qualifier without striker David Williams who suffered a hamstring injury in last night-s stirring 2-0 win over Iraq in Gosford. The Queensland-born Williams who has been a regular throughout this year-s 14-match qualifying campaign incurred the injury after coming on as a 71-st substitute.

Omitted from the 20-strong squad are Adelaide United striker Dez Giraldi and Central Coast Mariners defender Nigel Boogaard who both were in camp this week for the Iraq match.

Williams joins a number of other key players already sidelined by injury including Adelaide United striker Bruce Djite, Newcastle Jets midfielder Stuart Musialik, midfielder Neil Kilkenny of English club Oldham and German-based defender Matthew Spiranovic of Bundesliga club Nuremberg.

Perth Glory striker Nikita Rukavytsya has also been included in the traveling party, having been a late addition to the initial squad selected for the five-day camp leading into Saturday night-s match.

Australia need just a point from Wednesday-s match as they now sit three points clear of Iraq who will also complete their fixtures against Lebanon on Wednesday.

Australia have not missed a men-s Olympic football tournament since first attempting to qualify in 1988.

The 20-man Australian squad for the match against DPR Korea on Wednesday in Pyongyang is:

Leigh Broxham (Melbourne Victory), Mark Bridge (Newcastle Jets), Nathan Burns (Adelaide United), Billy Celeski (Perth Glory), Adam D-Apuzzo (Newcastle Jets), Aaron Downes (Chesterfield, England), Adrian Leijer (Fulham, England), Trent McClenahan (Hereford United, England), Mark Milligan (Sydney FC), Nikita Rukavytsya (Perth Glory), Kristian Sarkies (Adelaide United), Jordan Simpson (Perth Glory), Nikolai Topor-Stanley (Perth Glory), James Troisi (Newcastle United, England), Tando Velaphi (Perth Glory), Dario Vidosic (Nuremberg, Germany), Danny Vukovic (Central Coast Mariners), Nick Ward (QPR, England), Ruben Zadkovich (Sydney FC), Michael Zullo (Queensland Roar)