INTERNATIONAL BLUES

Monday 9 November 2009, 17:27
by Paul Dargan @YourEverton

A host of Everton players have been selected for international duty over the next ten days.

Australia have named Tim Cahill and Lucas Neill in their squad for the second leg of their Asian Cup Qualifier in Oman. The Socceroos will be looking to defend a slender advantage given to them by Cahill's solitary strike in the first meeting in Melbourne.

Three more Everton players have crucial games as they seek to join Cahill and Neill in South Africa in nine months time.

Russia play Slovenia home and away in the European World Cup qualifying playoffs and Nigeria visit Nairobi to face Kenya in their final group game in African qualifying.

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has been called up by Russia coach Guus Hiddink for their two-legged clash against Matjaž Kek's side which comes about following both countries finishing second in their respective groups.

But Joseph Yobo and Yakubu don't have their destiny in their own hands, needing to better group rivals Tunisia's result to progress.

The North Africans currently top the section and face the fourth placed team in Group B, Mozambique, in Maputo. But if Shaibu Amodu's Super Eagles can repeat their 3-0 home success over Kenya then hopefully Mozambique can do them a favour.

Two further players are in friendly action with John Heitinga and the Netherlands in Pescara to face Italy at the weekend and then at home in Heerenveen for a home fixture against Paraguay on Wednesday.

And Marouane Fellaini is part of the Belgium squad that will play two friendlies against Hungary and Qatar.

However, Tim Howard has been withdrawn from the USA squad that will play two friendlies during the current international break.

The Blues keeper has damaged fibres on the underside of his foot and the decision was made to pull him from the matches in Slovakia on Saturday and Denmark the following Wednesday.

Closer to home, Jack Rodwell pulled out of the England Under-21 squad through injury but Dan Gosling was drafted in ion his place. They face Portugal at Wembley on Saturday, with Rodwell's tenth cap potentially arriving against Lithuania in Vetra next week.

Finally, in the same qualifying competition Seamus Coleman will also be clocking up the air miles courtesy of Republic of Ireland's trips to Tbilisi to face Georgia and onto Yerevan where they face minnows Armenia.