Injured star jinxes Aus soccer hopes

Australia's hopes of winning a soccer medal at the upcoming Olympic Games suffered a major blow on Friday when star striker Harry Kewell withdrew from the team because of an injury.

The Leeds United striker told Australian coach Raul Blanco that he had been forced to pull out because an Achilles tendon injury had not responded to treatment.

Blanco said Clayton Zane had been added to the squad to replace Kewell.

"He wanted to do it so badly, he wanted to represent his country as a footballer in a tournament that he was dreaming about," Blanco said of Kewell.

"The reality is he cannot do it. Obviously he was very sad to announce this."

Dutch-based midfielder Brett Emerton was chosen captain of the 18-man squad.

Australia are drawn in pool B with Atlanta gold medallists Nigeria, Italy and Honduras.

The squad: Con Blatsis (Derby County, England), Marco Bresciano (Empoli, Italy), Simon Colosimo (Carlton, Australia), Jason Culina (Ajax Amsterdam, Holland), Michael Curcija (Partizan Belgrade, Yugoslavia), Joe Didulica (Ajax Amsterdam, Holland) Brett Emerton (Feyenoord, Holland, captain), Hayden Foxe (West Ham United, England), Vince Grella (Ternana, Italy), Stephen Laybutt (Feyenoord, Holland), Stan Lazaridis (Birmingham City, England), Danny Milosevic (Leeds United, England), Lucas Neill (Millwall, England), Paul Okon (Middlesbrough, England), Nick Rizzo (Ternana, Italy), Mark Viduka (Leeds United, England), Kasey Wehrman (Perth Glory, Australia), Clayton Zane (Molde, Norway).

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