The key image from Australia’s 2-1 defeat to Canada on Saturday evening in Spain – the final warm-up before the teams head to the Paris Olympics – probably wasn’t captured on the field of play. The sight of Caitlin Foord, caught by cameras early on in the contest sitting in the stands with an ice pack strapped to her quadricep, was the most arresting.
Just 11 days from the Matildas’ Olympic opener against Germany in Marseille on 25 July, Foord has become the latest in what is a lengthening number of injury headaches for coach Tony Gustavsson. The key attacker was withdrawn from the starting XI for the friendly hit-out in Marbella after feeling tightness in her upper leg. “All focus is on players [being] available,” for the Games was the word from a Football Australia spokesperson.
