Matildas cagey on Tameka Yallop fitness battle

Anna Harrington | July 19, 2023

Injured Matildas midfielder Tameka Yallop faces an uphill battle to feature in their Women’s World Cup opening match against Ireland.

The versatile veteran hyper-extended her left knee in Friday’s send-off match against France in Melbourne and hasn’t trained with the main group since.

It has since been confirmed to AAP Yallop is actually dealing with a thigh issue.

Matildas staffers and players have maintained that Yallop is fine, but on a modified program.

The 32-year-old has been seen with a strapped left thigh and while she appeared on the track at QSAC in Brisbane on Tuesday, didn’t join in with her teammates.

“Football can be a cruel game,” midfielder Clare Wheeler told reporters.

“Everyone knows, unfortunately, that’s sometimes the way things go but Meeks, she’s well, she has her own individual plan and hopefully she’ll be there on Thursday.

“But everyone’s got individual plans and she’s doing what she needs to do to be there.

“She’s doing her training so that she can be available.”

Yallop, who has had a wretched run with injuries over the past year, was injured just 12 minutes into her first appearance since injuring her ankle in April.

Charli Grant (illness) also didn’t train on Tuesday, but is on the mend.

Australia don’t have any standby players in camp, with neither Yallop and Kyah Simon, who is on a modified program after recovering from an ACL tear, likely to be replaced.

The deadline to replace a player is Wednesday 8pm (AEST), 24 hours before Australia’s opening match.