Roar get key pair back just in time

BRISBANE Roar have received a double dose of good news ahead of their A- League semi- final against Melbourne Victory tomorrow, with goalkeeper Jamie Young and skipper Matt McKay both declared fit for the AAMI Park showdown.

Young had been in doubt after needing 26 stitches in the arm he cut on a broken goal net hook in the Roar’s 3- 0 AFC Champions League loss to Muangthong United in Thailand on Wednesday night.

Despite having been named in an extended Brisbane squad, midfielder McKay was only considered a slim chance at the start of the week to return from a knee injury that has kept him out since March 9.

However, both players were given the all clear yesterday, to the delight of Roar coach John Aloisi. “It’s fantastic for us,” Aloisi said. “We were always confident Jamie would play. We just had to get the OK from the doctor.

“It was going to take a little bit more than that to stop Jamie from playing in this match. With Matty, he has trained really well this week. He’s surprised me and I think he’s surprised himself as well.”

With Young given the green light to play, the Roar did not have to go down the road of signing an uncontracted goalkeeper at short notice.

They had been considering that option due to them already being down one keeper following the season- ending knee injury suffered by Michael Theo in Brisbane’s elimination final success against Western Sydney Wanderers last week.

“There’s no need to even discuss that now,” Aloisi said.