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Alex Brosque to assume starting role for Sydney FC in FFA Cup semifinal

Sydney FC captain Alex Brosque is set to make his first start in over 10 months when he lines up in Wednesday's FFA Cup semifinal against Canberra Olympic.

The former Socceroo has been sidelined since aggravating a hamstring injury against Melbourne Victory in February that plagued his entire 2015-16 A-League campaign.

However Brosque hinted at giving the hamstring its biggest test against Canberra.

"I'm yet to play 90 minutes. I didn't get a 90 minute game in preseason so I'm still working towards that," he said before training on Monday.

"I'll probably use Wednesday night's game to get as many minutes as possible and keep building. After the surgery I had, it definitely took its toll and was a lot of rehab involved."

At 33 years of age, Brosque is the oldest player in the Sky Blues' squad this season.

But he has showed glimpses of his vintage over the club's opening two rounds of the A-League, pinching two goals in second half thrashings of the Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners.

And he said he hasn't given up ambitions of regaining his starting spot in the team.

"At the moment it's easy coming on when these guys have done all the hard work and I come on when everyone's tired," he said.

"It's made it a little bit easier but for me it's still about looking after the hamstring, making sure that I last all 27-30 games of the season and not worry about these early rounds.

"The team is doing fantastic - [David] Carney, [Milos] Ninkovic, Bobo, [Filip] Holosko, they're playing excellent. So there's no reason to change.

"At the moment I'm just happy playing whatever part I can when I do come on the field to give them some fresh legs and add to what they've been doing."

One player coach Graham Arnold is unlikely to rely on is veteran defender Alex Wilkinson, who failed to finish Saturday's A-League win over Central Coast due to an ankle problem.

Despite Wilkinson being named in a 19-man squad on Monday, Seb Ryall is likely to deputise in his place as he did against the Mariners.

"He had a boot on yesterday but it's off today already and the swelling's gone down. He'll probably rest in the FFA Cup, I'd say. But should be ready to go next week," Brosque said.

Arnold is otherwise expected to field a full-strength team as the club aims to progress to its first FFA Cup final against either Melbourne City or Melbourne Victory.

"I don't think they've conceded a goal in the whole of the tournament so they're defensively very good. We've got to work out ways to break them down," Brosque said of Canberra.

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