FIFA World Cup 2023, Matildas v Canada: Sam Kerr fitness latest, calf injury warning
The Matildas believe Sunday will be D-Day for Sam Kerr as she bids to prove her fitness for the must-win match against Canada. But a former Matilda has tempered expectations of a timely return.
Sam Kerr doesn’t need match fitness or kilometres in her legs – just a healthy calf muscle – but former Matildas’ striker Ashleigh Sykes said coach Tony Gustavsson won’t risk her unless he is 100 per cent certain more damage can’t be done.
Kerr, injured during a training session in the lead up to the first World Cup game against Ireland hasn’t played a single minute this tournament – relegated to spurring her team on from the bench and in the dressing room at halftime.
The stage is set for her to make a heroic comeback against Canada on Monday night and keep the Matildas’ World Cup chances alive.
The extent of Kerr’s injury has been kept under lock and key. Gustavsson said he wouldn’t know until Sunday if his captain was fit to play in the do or die game.
With the Matildas struggling to seal the deal in front of the net this tournament many doubt if they can get the win against Canada without Kerr.
Sykes, an Optus Sport football expert, said one certainty in the equation was Kerr’s drive to get on the pitch.
“Sam’s competitive, she wants to get out there as well,” Sykes said.
“But muscle injuries are tough, you cannot rush them at all. So the medical staff and Gustavsson won’t let her out there to play unless they are 100 per cent certain that it’s not going to tear even worse.
“They’ll be making sure she can prove her fitness. She doesn’t need running under the belt, she doesn’t need match fitness, she just needs for that calf to be healthy enough to take the field.”
Sykes said the conundrum facing Gustavsson, should Kerr be cleared, was whether he starts her or brings her on off the bench.
“If you start her and it goes not well in terms of the injury then you just swap her off and it’s fine,” Sykes said.
“On the other hand the risk of having her on the bench and bringing her on is that if she gets hurt again then you have to swap her again, so you use a rotation.
“If I had to say one way or the other I’d have her on the bench and only bring her on if we need that impact.”
Mary Fowler, who filled in for Kerr alongside Caitlin Foord in the Ireland game, is expected to be back for the Canada match after suffering a mild concussion at training this week.
“I think having her back will make the team stronger,” Sykes said.
“I think Emily van Egmond in the end did okay standing in up there, it’s not her natural position, so getting another more natural striker upfront will help us as we try to create more opportunities moving forward.”
But the opportunities won’t mean much if the Matildas can’t put the ball in the back of the net.
Of their 41 shots on goal this tournament just three have resulted in a goal.
Sykes said Foord had the ability to score and had just been unlucky so far this World Cup.
“She just needs one goal to go in and then they’ll flow,” Sykes said.
“I think she’s in that sort of position at the moment. She has had some opportunities, but that is the quality of Caitlin Foord.
“She creates a lot of opportunities for herself, she’s always in and around the box, she’s always looking busy. I’m sure the goal is going to come for her.”
If the Matildas can pick themselves up and learn from their mistakes against Nigeria Sykes said they could certainly survive the Canada clash.
“They’re going to have to be a lot tighter defensively then they were against Nigeria, there’s no doubt about that,” Sykes said.
“I think we let ourselves get a little bit drawn apart. Canada doesn’t have the weapons, and speed upfront that Nigeria have.
“We need a little bit of calmness, a bit of finesse in the final third as you try and build up play down there so we can get a few goals.”
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