Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson hopes Sam Kerr can return from injury for their clash against Canada to inspire the victory required to keep Australia’s Women’s World Cup alive.
Australia must beat the world No.7 team at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on Monday to reach the round of 16 after their disastrous 3-2 loss to Nigeria, letting a 1-0 lead slip, in Brisbane on Thursday night.
The Matildas (three points, goal difference 0) sit third in Group B behind Nigeria (four points, +1) and Canada (four points, +1).
It means a draw against world No.7 Canada, who beat Australia 1-0 in Brisbane and 2-1 in Sydney last year, almost certainly won’t be enough to avoid an embarrassing exit on home soil.
Kerr, Australia’s all-time leading goal scorer with 63 goals in 121 games, injured her left calf the day before the opening game against Ireland and hasn’t properly trained in public since.
Had the Matildas secured a win against Nigeria they would have locked in progression with a game to spare and could have rested Kerr in the last game.
Even a draw would have given them some room to move.
Instead they will have contemplate whether to use their superstar captain – or risk exiting the tournament without her playing a single minute.
When asked whether she had any hope of having Kerr play, strike partner Caitlin Foord bluntly said: “That’s the plan.”
Gustavsson could only offer: “All I can say now is that I hope so.
“I know it’s going to be tight. Most likely not getting confirmation on that until the night before the game and we’ll go from there.
“It might even be we have to test her on game day. That’s how tight it is.
Kerr will be putting her hand up to play.
“Of course she will. That’s going to be her mindset and that’s what I love about Sam,” Gustavsson said.
“She’s going to give anything she can to be out there.
“She deserves to be out there and if she can be out there she will be out there.
“We have to come up with a plan together to see what’s the best to maximise the minutes she has if she’s available.”
Mary Fowler should return from concussion and will be a welcome inclusion after the Matildas largely lacked a clinical edge against Nigeria.
Australia will also need to take a good hard look at their defence after conceding three sloppy goals.
“I’m actually not that disappointed about the performance, but I’m disappointed by the result,” Gustavsson said.
“The attacking game was much, much improved compared to the Ireland game which I’m happy about.
“The second ball game (in defence) cost us three goals. We knew they had threats and it was costly.”
Source: AAP
