Liverpool's Harry Kewell said Monday he will play in next month's football friendly against Ghana here in preparation for Australia's block of vital World Cup qualifiers in June.
Kewell has been battling injuries over the last few years and missed Australia's 0-0 World Cup qualifier draw with China in Kunming last month after injuring his groin during a warm-up match in Singapore.
He subsequently flew to Sydney for a series of medical consultations and was told he would not require surgery.
Kewell hasn't played for Liverpool since the English Premier League club's embarrassing 2-1 FA Cup exit to Barnsley on February 16.
But Kewell, this week listed among the top earners in Britain aged under 30 with a personal fortune of 13 million pounds, is confident of playing at home for the first time since November 2005.
Kewell, 29, who last played in Australia in the World Cup qualifier against Uruguay which got the Socceroos to the 2006 Germany finals, said the Ghana match on May 23 will be a vital part of his comeback from injuries.
“For me, in particular, this is an important part of getting back to full match fitness,” Kewell said in a Football Federation Australia statement.
“I'm looking forward to getting back home as always because I don't have a chance to do it more than a couple of times a year at best.”
The Ghana match will be Australia's final warm-up game before four World Cup group qualifiers against Iraq (twice), Qatar and China during June.
“Ghana are a great team for us to play in preparation for the next round of the World Cup qualifiers,” Kewell said.
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