The Pompey striker is heading back to the UK and will not be involved in the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifier against China on Tuesday because of injury.
According to a statement issued by then Australians, the 26-year-old has left Tony Popovic’s squad after he suffered the problem in training.
It’s understood the Yengi picked up a minor hamstring injury and is on his way back to the Blues for further assessment.
The news comes after the Blues forward was an unused substitute in the Socceroos’ 5-1 defeat of Indonesia on Thursday.
FC Machida Zelvia’s Mitchell Duke has subsequently been called up for the game against China in Hangzhou, with fellow forward Adam Taggart also leaving with camp because of injury.
Yengi met up with his Australia team-mates at the start of the week, after starting Pompey’s 2-1 defeat at Preston North End. It was his first start for the Blues since North End’s visit to Fratton Park on November 9.
A knee injury picked up in the Socceroos’ 2-2 draw with Bahrain later that month ruled him out of 19 games, with the striker getting just 29 minutes of football in his legs before his international call-up.
Kusini Yengi’s Pompey struggles this season
In total, the 11-times-capped Australia international has managed just 11 appearancess for Pompey this season.
That follows a memorable maiden season at PO4, with Yengi scoring nine goals in 26 league outings as he helped John Mousinho’s side clinch the League One title.
Four more goals were picked up in various cup competitions, too, last term. Yet finding the back of the net is something the forward has struggled to do this season, with the former Western Sydney Wanderers frontman yet to contribute a goal or an assist in all competitions for the Blues over the course of the 2024-25 campaign.
Various injuries suffered over the course of the season have obviously contributed to that. However, his form and recent return to fitness encouraged some to believe that a return to the international scene was ill-advised.
Mousinho was among those who had reservations about Yengi linking up with Popovic’s side for matches in Australia and China ahead of a crucial run of games that greet Pompey after the international break. However, he insisted he didn’t want to stand in anyone’s way if their respective countries came calling.
Speaking to The News, the Blues head coach said: ‘There’s nothing you can do about those sorts of things, really – and we can’t exactly sit here and say he’s safer here with us with some of the injuries we’ve had this year.
[We’d probably prefer to have Kas in the building for this international break, but, at the same time, I never want to stop anyone from fulfilling their international ambitions.
‘We wouldn’t stop it. If players are called up, they are called up. Our policy anyway at the football club is that we want players to go and play international football.
‘As I’m sure you can imagine, we have a very, very good relationship with the Australian FA. There have been a couple of times over the past few years – and I can’t remember the specifics – where we’ve had conversations with the head coach and sports science department about where we think the level of a player’s fitness is and whether they think they might be better off staying here.
‘In fairness, Australia have always worked with us on that – and we would never want to abuse that relationship. Kas is fine and available to go.’
Pompey injury concerns amid Kusini Yengi setback
Yengi heads back to Pompey with the treatment room at the club’s Hilsea training base already well-stocked.
Conor Shaughnessy, Jordan Williams, Rob Atkinson, Hayden Matthews, Christian Saydee, Callum Lang, Paddy Lane, Harvey Blair, Jacob Farrell and Ibane Bowatt were all keeping the medical team busy prior to the international break.
Only Shaughnessy, Williams and Saydee stand a realistic chance of being involved when Pompey welcome Blackburn Rovers to Fratton Park on Saturday.
That’s one of eight games Pompey have remaining between now and the end of the season, with Mousinho’s men currently 17th in the table and four points above the relegation zone.
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