Axed Portsmouth striker Kusini Yengi dealt further blow by Socceroos boss Tony Popovic
Axed Pompey striker Kusini Yengi had been part of a Socceroos training camp that was held in Abu Dhabi in the build up to this month's World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia
Kusini Yengi has been dealt yet another selection blow.
Less than a month after being told his career at Pompey was over after just two seasons at Fratton Park, the 26-year-old has been left out of Tony Popovic’s latest 26-man Socceroos squad.
Yengi met up with a large number of his Australia international team-mates for a 10-day training camp in Abu Dhabi ahead of this month’s key World Cup qualifiers against Japan (June 5) and Saudi Arabia (10).
The purpose of the get-together was to help retain the sharpness and fitness of those players whose domestic campaigns had already come to a conclusion - something that would have been of huge benefit to the striker after he last played for the Blues on April 21 against Watford and was omitted from the final two match-day squads of the season against Sheffield Wednesday and Hull.
Despite being presented with that opportunity, Yengi - who will become an official free agent once his Pompey contract expires on June 30 - has unfortunately missed the cut and will play no part in the Socceroos’ latest fixtures as they look to secure a place at next year’s World Cup.
Instead, as he heads home, Popovic has put his trust in the seven other forwards he has chosen - Mitch Duke (FC Machida Zelvia), Martin Boyle (Hibs), Adam Taggert (Perth Glory), Brandon Borrello (Western Sydney Wanderers), Marco Tilio (Melbourne City), Daniel Arzani (Melbourne Victory) and Mohamed Toure (Rander) - to provide the goals needed to book Australia’s place in the 2026 finals.
Kusini Yengi’s 2024-25 frustrations continue
Yengi’s omission will come as a huge blow to the popular forward - especially as two of the injuries he picked up over the course of the 2024-25 season came while on international duty.
Both those setbacks ruled him out for important periods in Pompey’s season and prevented him from building any kind of real momentum as his contract situation at Fratton Park became more and more pertinent.
Indeed, Yengi ended up featuring just 14 times for John Mousinho’s men last term as injuries restricted him to a bit-part role.
He also departs PO4 without scoring a goal for them in 2024-25, which is something no-one could have predicted after he bagged nine goals in 26 appearances during the Blues’ League One title-winning season in 2023-24.
What has Yengi said about Pompey’s decision to let him leave for free?
Speaking to Fox Sports Australia last week, Yengi admitted the injuries he picked up on international duty had played a part the club’s decision.
He said: ‘They (Pompey) were banking on me coming back and being fit and ready to kick on and help us with our survival in the Championship this year and every time I went away to national team camp; I came back injured.
‘I can only imagine how frustrating that was for the fans and for the club and for myself.
‘It was devastating. It’s not like I wanted to go away and come back injured.’
Tony Popovic on Kusini Yengi
Prior to news of his Fratton Park departure, Popovic admitted he would be in favour of the 11-times capped forward leaving Pompey in search of guaranteed game time elsewhere.
The Socceross boss said: ‘He needs to get some regular minutes somewhere and just be a striker that scores goals. If he does that, then we all benefit from that.
‘That's what I would like all the strikers to do; find an environment where you can play regularly, where you're an important player and If you're scoring goals, then regardless of where it is, it's something we're always searching for. Regardless of who the player is, whether it's for a national team or for a club, everyone's searching for a goalscorer.’
Popovic is yet to explain his decision to omit Yengi from his latest squad. However he did say: ‘We’ve had the opportunity to work with a large group of these players in a training camp in Abu Dhabi, which has been extremely beneficial both on and off the pitch.’