Women’s World Cup reflections: Matildas the black cats under ladders

Where’s the black cat? Who walked under the ladder? How many mirrors have been broken? Injury-wise, everything that could go wrong is going spookily pear-shaped for the Matildas.

Injured Matildas strikers Mary Fowler was restricted to light walks at training in Brisbane on Wednesday. Picture: Adam Head

Where’s the black cat? Who walked under the ladder? How many mirrors have been broken? Injury-wise, everything that could go wrong is going spookily pear-shaped for the Matildas. They’re plumb out of luck.

And running out of strikers.

Thursday night’s Women’s World Cup game against Nigeria in Brisbane is being approached in the manner of Jem, Scout and Dill walking up to Boo Radley’s house in To Kill A Mockingbird. With ­caution and a hint of trepidation.

Captain Sam Kerr is unavailable because of her calf muscle injury; Kyah Simon has a bung knee; and now Kerr’s replacement, Mary Fowler, needs a replacement of her own. She was ruled out after being knocked out in a mysterious training session on Tuesday.

Fowler and substitute defender Aivi Luik were both concussed during what must’ve been quite the rugged workout. Specifics remained in his closet. The biggest closet in Australian sport.

“When it comes to the training, I totally understand if you didn’t see the training, if you were sitting out there going, what the heck is going on with the trainings?” coach Tony Gustavsson said.

“Two concussions in one training, two days out from the game … it was a completely normal training. It was high-intensity but we were unlucky. We didn’t do anything different. Sometimes you are unlucky and you need to deal with the cards you’re handed. We’re ready to play those cards.”

Stand-in captain Steph Catley said of the spate of withdrawals: “Obviously it’s not what you want, ever, at a tournament. As Australian players, it’s probably the biggest moment of our careers, so it’s the last thing you want to see your teammates and friends going through. There’s so much pressure coming into a tournament like this for our team.

Sam Kerr at training on Wednesday. Picture: Adam Head

“It’s probably the most pressure I’ve felt as an athlete in my career, coming into this tournament. I think because we care so much, that builds pressure. Because the public cares so much, as well.”

What is this? A curse on the Matildas? A ghoulish hex on goal corers? Payback from the spooky-dooks sporting gods for the rain at Old Trafford? Perhaps the fine print to two days of Ashes-retaining precipitation in England was that the Matildas would have to play against Nigeria without Kerr and Fowler. Fair enough, you’d probably take that. But it’s a dire situation at a delicate stage of the tournament. What a headache.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons have more than a formidable nickname. “So confident,” says striker Rasheeda Ajidabe.

They’re a physical, skilful, fast, well-coached and attacking side emboldened by their draw against the Olympic champions, Canada, and the fact Australian players are dropping like flies.

All those football-loving young women planning to be at Brisbane Stadium on Thursday evening – pack your boots. You’ll get a game at this rate.

The Matildas can ensure qualification for the knockout rounds with a win. A loss or draw will throw the black cat among the ­pigeons.