Jamie Maclaren brought into Socceroos World Cup squad

Jamie Maclaren’s hopes of playing at the World Cup have been revived after the striker was called into Bert van Marwijk’s Socceroos squad as cover for Tomi Juric, who is suffering from a knee complaint.

Maclaren, arguably Australia’s most in-form forward with under three weeks to go before the start of competition in Russia, was initially left out of the 26-man squad announced by Van Marwijk for a training camp in Turkey.

The Dutchman’s squad will be further trimmed to a final 23 before a 4 June deadline.

Maclaren ended the season strongly for Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League, scoring a hat-trick against Rangers on the final day of the season before Van Marwijk announced he had cut him from the extended Australian squad.

Maclaren now has another opportunity to put his case forward for inclusion in the group that will travel to Russia, with a friendly game against the Czech Republic lined up in Austria on 1 June.

“Tomi Juric has had a knee issue over the last three weeks, which is being monitored by our medical team,” Van Marwijk said. “We hope that Tomi will be able to train and play this week, but his recovery might also take longer.

“That is why we have decided to bring in Jamie Maclaren now so that he also has a fair chance to display his qualities before the final 23-player squad must be announced.”

Sign up to receive the latest Australian sports stories every day

Juric was expected to lead the Socceroos’ line, but fears over his fitness lay bare the paucity of cover in that position – Van Marwijk’s list of 26 included just two out-and-out strikers in Juric and Tim Cahill.

Thirty-eight-year-old Cahill is seeking to become just the fourth player in history to score at four World Cups, but is likely to have to do so as a substitute. An enforced absence for Juric would leave Australia looking to the likes of Mat Leckie, Robbie Kruse, Andrew Nabbout or Nikita Rukavytsya to fill an unfamiliar role.

Once the final squad has been announced, Van Marwijk will send his side out in one more friendly, against Hungary in Budapest on 10 June, before they start their Group C campaign against France in Kazan six days later.

Games against Denmark in Samara and Peru in Sochi follow.