Coach coy on whether Kerr will start for Matildas against England
By Emma Kemp
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson says Sam Kerr is “definitely available for selection” in the World Cup semi-final against England, and will decide on Tuesday night if the captain will start.
Kerr looked fresh and energetic at training 24 hours before the most important match in Australian football history, having declared she was “good to go” after playing 65 minutes in Saturday’s history-making quarter-final win over France.
Sam Kerr at Matildas training at Jubilee Stadium.Credit: Getty
“She pushed through more minutes than we hoped for, to be honest,” Gustavsson said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“One of the reasons why we kept her on the bench was that we were uncertain how many minutes she had coming back from that calf injury, but also the limited training minutes she had.
“The way she pushed through was fantastic and impressive, both from a mental and physical aspect.”
All 23 players were on the pitch at Jubilee Stadium on Tuesday – at least for the 15 minutes media were permitted to watch – in a positive sign for Australia’s chances against the reigning European champions at Stadium Australia.
Steph Catley’s right thigh was still heavily strapped, as it was when the Matildas travelled back to Sydney from Brisbane on Sunday, but the left-back was moving well in the warm-up.
Midfielder Katrina Gorry, too, had some sort of taping or dressing on the outside of her right calf but did not appear to be hampered.
Once again Kyah Simon was the only player on the sidelines, suggesting the forward is unlikely to play any part in Australia’s campaign, having not even been brought on for a penalty on Saturday against France.
But it was Kerr’s sprightly demeanour which offered the most promise. The Matildas captain played 65 minutes off the bench against France and then converted a penalty in the shootout.
Sam Kerr at Matildas training on Tuesday at Jubilee Stadium.Credit: Getty
It was the longest shift at this tournament, having made a 15-minute return from a calf injury in the round of 16 against Denmark.
Whether these incremental improvements mean she can start on Wednesday is unclear, especially given her capacity to play a potential 120 minutes is untested.
Gustavsson will take advice from his oft-mentioned Triple-SM team as to what she can feasibly contribute.
“She recovered well, she trained today, so she’s available,” Gustavsson said.
“There’ll be a meeting tonight again to see the best starting XI and the best finishing XI, and whether we plan for 90 minutes or plan for extra-time, and those types of decisions.
“There’ll be some tough decisions tonight again, but Sam is definitely available for selection.”
But to have the Chelsea striker back in his arsenal is a major sign of encouragement, particularly given she played regularly against many in England’s team and has an excellent record against goalkeeper Mary Earps.
Kerr scored against FIFA’s best women’s goalkeeper of 2022 in April, when the Matildas snapped England’s 30-match winning streak via a 2-0 friendly win in London, and did so again a fortnight later when Chelsea defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the FA Cup final.
“Everyone knows her pretty well on the worldwide stage,” said England’s interim captain Millie Bright, who is a teammate of Kerr’s at Chelsea. “She’s made a name for herself, so it’s pretty hard not to know Sam and her abilities.
“But there are other players in the team. We’re prepared to play against Australia as a team. We know everyone’s individual traits – strengths and weaknesses.”
England coach Sarina Wiegman acknowledged Kerr as a threat but said the Matildas were “more than Sam Kerr”.
“There’s a lot of pressure on her because everyone expects things from her,” Wiegman said. “I think Australia grew in the tournament, too. They had some disappointing situations they had to come back from, and did really well.”
The Lionesses travelled to Sydney on Tuesday from their base on the Central Coast, where the European champions have been preparing to face a hostile crowd at Stadium Australia for a place in the final against either Spain or Sweden.
Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, whose penalty-shootout heroics captured the hearts of a nation, said the Matildas have achieved only part of what they have set out to do.
“The legacy that we wanted to leave throughout this World Cup, to inspire the generation coming through – we’ve done more than that,” Arnold said.
“We’ve done more than what we thought we would accomplish, but obviously we’re not done yet. This is only the beginning. There’s much more to come.”
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.