It was the moment all of Australia had been waiting for: their captain Sam Kerr was stepping onto the World Cup stage, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Kerr was primed to be the face of Australia’s World Cup. Instead, the Chelsea forward has been sidelined for three weeks by a calf injury. It has clouded Australia’s run to the quarter finals, forcing the Matildas to learn to play without their skipper.
Australia were already leading Denmark 2-0 when head coach Tony Gustavsson brought on Kerr for Hayley Raso in the 80th minute.
The sea of gold and green inside Stadium Australia cheered at the sight of their star player warming up on the sideline and, when Kerr eventually stepped on the pitch, almost all of the 75,784 fans in attendance greeted her with resounding joy. They were right behind her for the ten minutes she played.
“Oh, I absolutely loved it,” defender Alanna Kennedy said. “I think the crowd loved it, as well. The whole of Australia loved it. She’s the heart and soul of his team.”
Kerr is her side’s talisman when, but for Gustavsson, her return at this stage of the tournament could relieve some of the pressure on her.
🫶 20 🫶@SamKerr1 | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/1q7rzKeSVC
— FIFA Women’s World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 7, 2023
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