Sam Kerr starts from the bench for second game in a row as Matildas name unchanged line-up for World Cup quarter-final against France
Sam Kerr starts from the bench for second game in a row as Matildas name unchanged line-up for World Cup quarter-final against France
- Recovering from calf injury
- Training with team this week
- Could play more minutes
Matildas captain Sam Kerr has been benched for a second game in a row as Australia attempt to make history in the Women’s World Cup quarter-final against France in Brisbane.
The Chelsea striker missed the entire group stage with a calf injury and was brought on for just 12 minutes in Matilda’s round of 16 win over Denmark.
Now Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has named an unchanged line-up, rewarding the players who beat the Danes 2-0 to kick off the crucial quarter-final.
The Matildas have never progressed beyond the quarter-finals at a World Cup and neither have their opponents.
The decision could indicate that Kerr has not fully recovered from the calf injury that has plagued her this World Cup, despite participating in running practice with Matildas teammates on Friday.
Coach Tony Gustavsson said yesterday that Kerr would definitely start if he was 100 percent fit, but has benched her for the second game in a row.
That means tournament heroes Hayley Raso, Mary Fowler, Caitlin Foord and Emily van Egmond will be called up again to throw the offensive punch in the opening exchanges.
“I want to be very clear here now to say that if Sam is fit to play 90 minutes, she will start,” he told reporters. “There isn’t even a question and the team knows it.
“We’re talking about Sam Kerr here. Whether she is ready for 90 minutes plus extra time, that must be decided tonight. But there’s no question that if she is, she’ll start.’
Kerr poses for selfies as she arrives at Brisbane Stadium for the Women’s World Cup quarter-final against France
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson, who arrives at Brisbane Stadium today, previously said Kerr would start if she was 100 per cent fit
Gustavsson was also outraged by the suggestion that starting Kerr would disrupt the rhythm of the Matildas crushing Canada without her and sending Denmark out with minimal input from their captain.
“They are great teammates who support each other,” the coach said of his players.
“There are no complaints about whether you start or come off the bench – they know their part and play their part. And I certainly would never see Sam as a disruption to the team.”