harrykewell

Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is in no doubt for the World Cup Championship  and could be back in action in a couple of weeks, his agent says.

Schwarzer was to undergo an operation on a broken cheekbone suffered in Middlesbrough's FA Cup semi-final loss to West Ham on the weekend.

The injury threw his June World Cup participation into doubt but his agent Barry Silkman said there was no chance of his being out that long and he could push for a berth in the UEFA Cup final on May 10.

"The worst-case scenario is he'll be back in training in two weeks," Silkman said.

"It's a very straightforward operation and the doctor says he can't see him being out of training any more than two weeks."

"If (Middlesbrough) get through to the UEFA Cup final he may still be able to make it."

If Boro is to make that UEFA Cup final, it must overturn a 1-0 deficit to Steaua Bucharest in the semi-final second leg on Thursday (Friday morning AEST).

Fellow Australian Brad Jones will deputise in goal for Schwarzer and Boro is hopeful Socceroos captain Mark Viduka will be ready to resume from a thigh injury that kept him out of the FA Cup semi-final.

Schwarzer's better-than-expected prognosis means he should retain his hold on the Socceroos number one jersey for the World Cup ahead of Milan's Zeljko Kalac and Hammarby's Ante Covic, with Jones and Wigan's John Filan among the back-up options.

Harry Kewell is also expected to be fit for the Cup despite suffering a groin injury on the weekend, a reminder of the injury that blighted his past two seasons.

A source close to Kewell said his premature departure from Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea was "a precaution", saying it was "a minor strain" and that the Socceroos star will become just the fourth Australian to play in an FA Cup tournament final.