Socceroos coach Graham Arnold remains hopeful attacker Andrew Nabbout will still feature in Australia's Asian Cup campaign.
The 26-year-old Nabbout is yet to feature in the United Arab Emirates after he suffered a groin injury in the final training session before Australia's opener against Jordan on Jan. 6.
He was expected to return to action in Tuesday's final Group B clash with Syria but aggravated the injury in the final training session before the match.
Despite fears Nabbout's tournament is over before it's even begun, Arnold hasn't put a red line through the forward's name just yet.
"He's fine to jog. He's fine to do a lot of the work but when he had to sprint and go full pace he could still feel it," Arnold said.
"He came to me and said: 'Look I can't play at 60-70 percent. I don't want to let the boys down.'
"That's the type of atmosphere and environment that we have is that the team is number one and the individual is number two.
"He was thinking about the team."
Scans on the injury showed there had been no additional damage to the original concern, Socceroos staff told AAP on Wednesday, and Nabbout remains a chance to play some part in the tournament.
Australia's six-day turnaround before their round of 16 clash with either Japan or Uzbekistan is in Nabbout's favour.
It will also benefit full-back Josh Risdon (groin) and possibly even give Mathew Leckie (hamstring) a chance to be fit, although he's more likely to be available from the quarterfinals onward.
Trent Sainsbury should return to the starting XI for Australia's first knockout encounter after he missed the Syria match due to suspension.
"I expect probably three of those players back out of the four, to give us depth," Arnold said.