England recognise threat to unbeaten run from Sam Kerr

Ian Chadband | April 11, 2023

England are ignoring the speculation about Sam Kerr’s fitness and firmly expect to face the power of the world’s best woman striker in their clash with the Matildas.

The European champions recognise the Chelsea ace, who impresses them every week in their Women’s Super League, as the one major threat to their two-year, 30-game unbeaten record.

While Australia’s coach Tony Gustavsson was remaining coy on whether his national captain would play in Tuesday’s international amid suggestions of an injury concern, the hosts appear in no doubt that the Chelsea ace will be tormenting them at Brentford FC’s stadium.

“They rested her for a little bit for tomorrow’s game, I think,” said England’s Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman, referring to the Matildas’ defeat by Scotland on Friday.

“Australia have had some very good results and I don’t think the game against Scotland really represents what they have done.

“They’re very physical, they’ve very direct – and, of course they have Kerr up front.”

Gustavsson, who had refused after the Scottish game to reveal whether Kerr had been carrying an injury, did acknowledge that team medics would be talking with him and the striker about the England match.

But on Monday, he wouldn’t give any clues about whether she would be available.

Kerr herself had made no bones in a news conference last Thursday that she wanted to play, having never previously turned out against England.

Her presence will be critical for the Matildas, whose resources up front have been stretched painfully thin with injuries to key attackers like Caitlin Foord, Kyah Simon and Emily Gielnik.

But Wiegman expects Australia to give her European and Finalissima champions a real examination in a match taking place exactly 100 days before their opening World Cup fixture with Haiti, in Brisbane, on July 22.

“This is another big game. Australia are a big team,” said Wiegman, who oversaw the ‘Finalissima’ penalty shootout triumph over South American champions Brazil on Thursday.

“They are 10th in the world, so I hope we will be challenged again.”