Scott McDonald omitted from Australia World Cup squad

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Middlesbrough striker Scott McDonald is one of three players cut from Australia's World Cup squad after coach Pim Verbeek reduced the party to 28.

Also omitted are midfielder Nick Carle and Crystal Palace defender Jade North.

McDonald, 26, has not scored in 16 appearances for the Socceroos and also failed to find the target in Monday's 2-1 win over New Zealand.

It means the squad has only three strikers in Josh Kennedy, Harry Kewell and Nikita Rukavytsya.

McDonald was a prolific goalscorer at club level for both Motherwell and Celtic but his struggles at international level meant Verbeek decided to leave him out.

"Scotty is a typical two-striker player, and that's where he feels happy also," said Verbeek.

"But we don't play with two strikers. We play with one striker up top and wingers, so Scotty doesn't fit in this system.

"He knows it, and he tried everything."

Brett Holman, who scored the winning goal against New Zealand, can also play as a striker which may be key with Kewell and Kennedy suffering from groin and back injuries.

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Verbeek has sought permission from Football Federation Australia to allow youngsters James Holland and Tommy Oar and keeper Eugene Galekovic to travel to South Africa.

But they will not be considered for selection unless another player is injured.

The 28-man squad will fly out to South Africa on Wednesday with Verbeek set to name his final 23-man group on 1 June when Australia play Denmark in the first of two friendlies prior to their first World Cup group game against Germany at the new Moses Mahiba Stadium in Durban on 13 June.

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Australia squad:

Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), Adam Federici (Reading), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough), Eugene Galekovic(Adelaide United)

Defenders: Lucas Neill (Galatasaray), Craig Moore (unattached), Scott Chipperfield (Basel), David Carney (Twente Enschede), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow), Rhys Williams (Middlesbrough), Shane Lowry (Aston Villa), Mark Milligan (JEF United), Michael Beauchamp (Al-Jazira)

Midfielders: Tim Cahill (Everton), Mark Bresciano (Palermo) Vince Grella (Blackburn), Brett Emerton (Blackburn), Jason Culina (Gold Coast), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo), Mile Jedinak(Antalyaspor), Richard Garcia (Hull), Tommy Oar (Utrecht), Dario Vidosic (Nuremberg), James Holland (AZ Alkmaar)

Forwards: Josh Kennedy (Nagoya), Nikita Rukavytsya (Twente Enschede)