Cardiff City’s Neil Etheridge is to rejoin the Phillippines national team - according to GMA News - for their 2022 World Cup qualifier against China PR this month.
The Filipino keeper hasn’t featured for his club since the opening day of the Championship season.
Having picked up a hamstring injury in Cardiff’s 3-2 loss to Wigan Athletic on the opening day, Etheridge was ruled out for six weeks.
He’s recently returned to training in Wales, but has remained second choice to Alex Smithies who’s filled in for him during his absence.
The injury forced Etheridge out of two World Cup qualifiers with his national side, but is part of the 23-man Philippine squad to face China PR in Bacolod next week.
Etheridge, who graduated through the Chelsea youth academy, is an English-Filipino and has 62 caps for the Philippines national team.
He joined Cardiff from Walsall in 2017, and has had short spells at Bristol Rovers, Crewe Alexandra and Charlton Athletic previously.
The verdict
His injury on the opening day was a huge blow for him and his manager, who’s now kept faith in his replacement Smithies.
Etheridge will try and force his way back into the starting line-up through the international break, but will have a lot of travelling to contend with for Cardiff's Friday night game against Sheffield Wednesday next week.
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