The Matildas were dealt a major blow ahead of their Women’s World Cup opener against the Republic of Ireland, with captain Sam Kerr unavailable through injury.
Australia’s captain is now expected to miss a further match in the tournament after picking up a calf problem in training.
Why was Sam Kerr not playing in Australia vs. Republic of Ireland?
Host nation Australia had to navigate their opening match of the Women’s World Cup without captain and star striker Sam Kerr.
They could have done with her services up front too, struggling to create clear-cut chances in their 1-0 win over Ireland.
One hour out from kick-off, the Matildas announced that Kerr had picked up a calf injury in training in Brisbane on Wednesday, and was unavailable for the clash.
She will now be re-assessed following Australia’s second match against Nigeria, meaning the 29-year-old could return as early as Monday, July 31 for their final group game against Canada.
Kerr has also shared a message via her Instagram story confirming the news.
“Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training,” she wrote.
“I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve.
“Of course I would have loved to have been out there tonight but I…
