The Matildas are yet to decide whether and how to utilise captain Sam Kerr in their must-win Women’s World Cup clash with Canada on Monday. Coach Tony Gustavsson said at the pre-match press conference that he would meet with Kerr and the team’s medical staff later on Sunday night to decide how to balance risk and reward in the crucial encounter.
On Saturday the star striker declared herself fit to return from a calf injury suffered in training on the eve of the tournament.
“We’ve been clear from the first day – that we knew that she was going to miss the first two games and then be assessed for this game,” he said. “And that was going to go down to the wire – a new expression for me that I learned yesterday.
“We’re going to have a meeting tonight with the medical team and Sam and discuss what the possibilities are for her to play tomorrow. And then we’re going to do some tests tomorrow and see what it looks like.”
The Matildas must beat the Olympics champions to guarantee progression from the group stage. A loss will end their tournament, while a draw would leave the co-hosts reliant on the outcome in Nigeria’s simultaneous clash with Ireland.
Gustavsson highlighted the potential risk to Kerr’s calf in returning from injury.
“You’re available, but there is also risk when you come back from a muscle injury,” he said. “We need to balance how many minutes is she available, what are the risks, if we manage to go through to the playoffs, playing time and so forth. So there’s a lot on the table to discuss and we probably won’t know how exactly we’re going to use that until coming into the stadium tomorrow.”
Gustavsson said that Kerr would be involved in the decision whether she was fit to be picked on Monday. “All decisions made for medical purposes is the medical team together with the athlete,” he said. “And as a coach you need to follow those guidelines.”
The coach explained that he had outlined two options for his players ahead of the Canada clash, one involving Kerr and another without. “Every player knows exactly what we’ve prepped for – if Sam’s on the park, this is what it looks like, if she’s not on the park, this is what it looks like,” he said.
Gustavsson indicated that defender Aivi Luik was unavailable, as she recovered from a concussion suffered earlier in the week. Kerr’s striker partner Mary Fowler has recovered from her own concussion, but requires final medical sign-off on Sunday night. “Obviously I hope it’s a thumbs up,” said the coach. Kyah Simon, returning from a long-term ACL injury, remains unavailable.
Earlier on Sunday, the Matildas coach was cagey when asked repeatedly by host broadcaster Optus Sport whether Kerr had trained with the team during their final session ahead of the match.
The clash with Canada is one of the most important in the Matildas’ 45-year history. On Sunday he described it as a “cross-roads moment.” Midfielder Emily van Egmond added that “it’s tournament football now. We know exactly what’s on the line tomorrow night.”
Gustavsson is contracted with the Matildas until late 2024, following the Paris Olympics, but he admitted that not securing the necessary result on Monday would be regarded as failure. The Swede will come under mounting pressure if the Matildas’ exit the tournament without reaching the round of 16.
“I think it’s definitely fair to say it’s a failure if we don’t go out of the group,” he said. “Everyone here understands that. Of course we want to go out of the group in a home World Cup, for sure. I’m the first to admit that, I will take ownership for that.
“But that’s not where our mindset is right now – our mindset is just about playing the game in front of us,” Gustavsson added. “The only thing we can focus on right now is what we can control, and that’s our performance against Canada tomorrow.”
