Australia star Sam Kerr has declared herself fit to play in her side’s vital World Cup group stage finale against Canada.
Kerr missed both of Australia’s first two matches with a calf injury. The Matildas eked out a win over Ireland in their opener but now have their backs against the wall after a shock 3-2 defeat to Nigeria.
Australia must defeat Canada on Monday to have any chance to avoid crashing out of a home World Cup at the group stage.
Ahead of the must-win game, Kerr told the media that she is ready to go for the Canada match. Asked if she was fit to play, the superstar forward simply replied: “Yes.”
“It’s going to go down to the wire but I’m definitely going to be available but how we decide to use that is not to be given to the opposition,” she added.
How fit Kerr actually is remains to be seen. Australia has no reason to be forthcoming with her exact status and every reason to make Canada plan for potentially facing one of the world’s best players.
Last week, Australia midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross said Kerr “tore her calf,” before the Australia federation quickly walked back those comments.
Speaking about an injury that occurred the day before Australia’s World Cup opener, Kerr took a lighthearted view of the awful timing.
“It’s hilarious because I have the biggest calves in the world so I’m not sure why it decided to play up the day before the World Cup,” Kerr said.
“But that’s football, isn’t it? I’m going to be there. I’m going to be ready. And, like we said at the very start of [the injury], the plan was to miss the first two games and reassess and that’s where we are now.”
[lawrence-related id=21229,23914,23559]