BrisbanecTypeface:> Australia captain Sam Kerr will sit out the next two matches of her home woman’s World Cup with a calf injury, her national federation has announced. The Chelsea striker is Australia’s all-time goalscorer of either gender with 63 goals across 121 caps, but she will be forced to watch Thursday’s opener against the Republic of Ireland from the bench after sustaining the injury during a training session on Wednesday. Australia next face Nigeria on July 27 and will hope Kerr is fit enough to start their final group stage match on July 31 against Olympic champions Canada.
Football Writers’ Association women’s footballer of the year Kerr, 29, took to Instagram to express her disappointment in a post that read: “Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training Of course I would have loved to have been out there tonight but I can’t wait to be a part of this amazing journey which starts now.”
Australia coach Tony Gustavsson revealed that Kerr made a speech to the team. “Sam said it’s not about me, it’s about you, about the team ... That says a lot about her as a person,” Gustavsson quoted Kerr as telling the team. Arsenal defender Steph Catley replaced Chelsea striker Kerr as captain and also smashined the winner early in the second half. (PA Media/DPA)
