LIVE: Australia’s opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is underway, with the Matildas hosting Republic of Ireland in front of a record crowd at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
Australia’s forward #20 Sam Kerr sits on the sidelines as players warm up.Source: AFP
It is a devastating blow to the Matildas, with Kerr Australia’s highest scorer of all-time in men’s or women’s international football and one of the finest strikers in world football.
Kerr wrote on social media: “Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training. I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve.
“Of course I would have loved to have been out there tonight but I can’t wait to be a part of this amazing journey which starts now.”
The Matildas announced: “Sam will be unavailable for the next two matches with the Matildas Medical Team to re-assess her following our second group stage match.”
Australia has been forced into a single change from their line-up that beat France in a warm-up game on Friday, with youngster Mary Fowler – who scored the winner against France – replacing Kerr. Veteran fullback Steph Catley takes the captain’s armband for Australia.
It is the second match of the tournament, after co-hosts New Zealand earned their first ever win at a World Cup with a 1-0 boilover of Norway in Auckland.
Almost 80,000 fans are set to flood into Stadium Australia, breaking the record for a stand-alone women’s football match in Australia, set just last week when 50,629 Melburnians witnessed the Matildas beat world no. 5 France in their final warm-up match.
That was a ninth win in the last 10 matches for Australia, who are carrying the hopes of a nation as they look to progress beyond the quarter-finals for the first time in history – and perhaps even go all the way.
World no. 10 Australia, co-hosting the tournament with New Zealand, will kick off their campaign against the world’s 22nd-ranked side.
Ireland, ‘The Girls in Green’, are one of a bunch of teams competing in their first World Cup this tournament, after beating Scotland in a playoff.
They may arrive with lower expectations than the Australians, but with a number of players regularly impressing at top clubs – particularly captain Katie McCabe of Arsenal – they are confident of an upset victory.
However, Ireland has struggled for form since qualifying for the World Cup, winning just twice in their last six matches.
Fowler nets one for the Tillies! | 00:32
27-year-old McCabe, who has captained the side for six years already, says her team are ready to embrace the underdog moniker.
“As a small nation, you carry that title I guess,” McCabe said. “We know we are debutants, but we know what we want to do. We don’t want to just be happy to be here. We want to compete, and we want to give Australia, Canada and Nigeria the hardest games possible.
“It’s going to be exciting. We know what Australia have. They have got quality all over the park. But we also know what we can do.”
But as Kerr said yesterday, “we have a lot of respect for Ireland … [but] it’s about us tomorrow.”
The two teams have been placed in Group B, along with Nigeria and Tokyo Olympics gold medallists Canada, both of which the Australians will also face in the group stage this fortnight. The top two teams progress to the knockouts.
Midfielders: Quinn (OL Reign), Simi Awujo (University of Southern California), Jessie Fleming (Chelsea), Julia Grosso (Juventus), Sophie Schmidt (Houston Dash)
Forwards: Jordyn Huitema (OL Reign), Cloe Lacasse (Benfica), Adriana Leon (Portland Thorns), Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns), Nichelle Prince (Houston Dash), Deanne Rose (Reading), Evelyne Viens (Kristianstad), Olivia Smith (Penn State Nittany Lions)
Forwards: Mariona Caldentey (Barcelona), Athenea del Castillo (Real Madrid), Esther Gonzalez (Real Madrid), Eva Navarro (Atletico Madrid), Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona), Alba Redondo (Levante)
Costa Rica
Goalkeepers: Priscila Tapia (Saprissa FF), Daniela Solera (Sporting FC), Genesis Perez (University of Central Florida)
Defenders: Mariana Benavides (Saprissa FF), Maria Paula Elizondo (Saprissa FF), Valeria del Campo (Monterrey), Fabiola Villalobos (Alajuelense), Maria Paula Coto (Alajuelense), Gabriela Guillen (Alajuelense), Carol Sanchez (Sporting)
Forwards: Wang Shuang (Racing Louisville), Wang Shanshan (Wuhan Jiangham University), Tang Jiali (Shanghai Shengli), Xiao Yuyi (Shanghai Shengli)
Kerr reveals the ‘key’ for WC success | 01:10
Group E
United States
Goalkeepers: Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
Defenders: Alana Cook (OL Reign), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns), Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Kelley O’Hara (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (OL Reign)
Forwards: Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham)
Vietnam
Goalkeepers: Tran Thị Kim Thanh (Ho Chi Minh), Khong Thị Hang (Than KSVN), Dao Thị Kieu Oanh (Hanoi).
Defenders: Chuong Thị Kieu (Ho Chi Minh), Tran Thị Thu Thao (Ho Chi Minh), Tran Thị Thu (Ho Chi Minh), Hoang Thị Loan (Hanoi), Tran Thị Hai Linh (Hanoi), Le Thi Diem My (Than KSVN), Luong Thị Thu Thuong (Than KSVN), Nguyen Thị My Anh (Thai Nguyen), Tran Thị Thuy Nga (Thai Nguyen).
Midfielders: Nguyen Thị Tuyet Dung (Ha Nam), Nguyen Thị Bcch Thuy (Ho Chi Minh), Tran Thị Thuy Trang (Ho Chi Minh), Ngan Thị Vạn Su (Hanoi), Nguyen Thị Thanh Nha (Hanoi), Thai Thị Thao (Hanoi), Duong Thị Van (Than KSVN)
Forwards: Phạm Hai Yen (Hanoi), Vu Thi Hoa (Ho Chi Minh), Nguyen Thị Thuy Hang (Than KSVN), Huynh Nhu (Lank Vilaverdense)
Netherlands
Goalkeepers: Daphne van Domselaar (Twente), Lize Kop (Ajax), Jacintha Weimar (Feyenoord)
Defenders: Stefanie van der Gragt (Inter Milan), Merel van Dongen (Atletico Madrid), Aniek Nouwen (Chelsea), Lynn Wilms (VfL Wolfsburg), Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City), Caitlin Dijkstra (Twente), Dominque Janssen (VfL Wolfsburg)
Midfielders: Sherida Spitse (Ajax), Danielle van de Donk (Lyon), Jackie Groenen (PSG), Jill Roord (Wolfsburg), Victoria Pelova (Arsenal), Damaris Egurrola (Lyon), Jill Baijings (Bayer Leverkusen), Wieke Kaptein (Twente)
Midfielders: Peyton McNamara (Ohio State), Drew Spence (Tottenham), Trudi Carter (Levante), Solai Washington (Concorde Fire), Giselle Washington (University of Tennessee), Rachel Jones (Southern Soccer Academy), Atlanta Primus (London City Lionesses).
Forwards: Khadija Shaw (Manchester City), Jody Brown (Florida State), Tiffany Cameron (ETO FC Gyor), Kameron Simmonds (University of Tennessee), Kiki van Zanten (Notre Dame), Mikayla Dayes (Maryland), Paige Bailey-Gayle (Crystal Palace)
Brazil
Goalkeepers: Leticia Izidoro (Corinthians), Camila (Santos), Barbara (Flamengo)
Defenders: Hanane Ait El Haj (ASFAR), Nouhaila Benzina (ASFAR), Nesryne El Chad (Lille), Rkia Mazrouai (Charleroi), Yasmin Mrabet (Levante), Zineb Redouani (ASFAR), Sabah Seghir (Sampdoria)
Defenders: Shim Seo-yeon (Suwon), Lee Young-ju (Madrid CFF), Lim Seon-joo (Incheon Hyundai), Kim Hye-ri (Incheon Hyundai), Jang Sel-ji (Incheon Hyundai), Choo Hyo-joo (Suwon), Hong Hye-ji (Incheon Hyundai)
Midfielders: Kim Yun-ji (Suwon), Jeon Eun-ha (Suwon), Bae Ye-bin (Uiduk University), Cho So-hyun (Tottenham Hotspur), Lee Geum-min (Brighton), Ji So-yun (Suwon), Chun Ga-ram (Hwacheon)
Forwards: Kang Chae-rim (Incheon Hyundai), Son Hwa-yeon (Incheon Hyundai), Moon Mi-ra (Suwon), Park Eun-sun (Seoul), Choe Yu-ri (Incheon Hyundai), Casey Phair (unattached)
Chelsea secured a fourth consecutive Women’s Super League title after a 3-0 win at Reading on Saturday held off Manchester United’s fight to win the English top flight for the first time.
Australia’s Sam Kerr scored twice, while Guro Reiten was also on target, to secure the victory the Blues needed and which relegated Reading in the process.
Victory completed a league and FA Cup double for Chelsea after they beat United 1-0 at Wembley earlier this month.
And they came close to a treble after missing out narrowly to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals.
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Heartbreak & ecstasy: Luton are PROMOTED | 00:43
But Chelsea’s reign of domestic dominance has been seriously challenged this season as United, Arsenal and Manchester City pushed them in a four-way title race until the final weeks of the season.
The champions, though, showed their quality when it mattered most with a seven-game winning run to finish the league season.
Fittingly, it was Chelsea’s two star performers this season in Kerr and Reiten who took centre stage to seal the title.
“We’ve played so many games, you have to go again every third or fourth day,” said Reiten.
“But we keep doing it again and again, digging deep, finding that special moment to win games and, yeah, we’re good!”
The two combined for the opening goal after just 18 minutes when Kerr headed in Retien’s cross.
The Norwegian midfielder then slotted through the legs of goalkeeper Grace Moloney to make it 2-0 before half-time.
Kerr was crowned the football writers’ women’s player of the year this week and struck her 29th goal of the campaign in all competitions two minutes from time by tapping home at the second attempt.
“If I‘m scoring goals, people will say it’s not about stats, and if I’m not scoring, it’s about the stats,” Kerr told Sky Sports after the game when questioned about criticism she copped this season.
“I just do whatever, I keep lifting these trophies, and I don’t really care what people say about me honestly.
“I’m in the greatest team in England. I’m happy, the team’s happy. It’s not about me, it’s about the team.”
Ange to Celtic fans: ‘We never stop!’ | 01:12
United won 1-0 at Liverpool thanks to Lucia Garcia’s goal but finished two points adrift of Emma Hayes’ women.
The Red Devils women’s side was only formed five years ago and they will play in the Champions League next season for the first time.
“I think we’ve maxed out on our potential in terms of running with Chelsea to the wire. It’s nice that it’s close but we know we’ve got some way to go,” said United and England goalkeeper Mary Earps.
“I’m hungry for success. I want to go and win the Champions League now!”
Arsenal claimed the third and final place in next season’s Champions League ahead of City on goal difference despite losing 2-0 at home to Aston Villa.
