Matildas buy Sam Kerr an extra time to prove fitness

MATILDAS superstar Sam Kerr has until early next week to prove her fitness for the Women’s World Cup knockout stages but can take heart from how her teammates dominated without her.

Kerr was medically cleared to play a role off the bench and prepared to risk further damage to her troublesome left calf if Australia needed her on Monday night.

But her teammates heeded their captain’s request to get the job done without her, thrashing Canada 4-0 to advance at the Olympic champions’ expense.

It set up a round-of-16 clash between Australia and the second-placed team from Group D, likely Denmark or China, but possibly England, on Monday.

“The only words Sam said to the team was, ‘make sure you win without me so I can get another week to try and recover and get healthy’,” Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said.

“The team responded and said, ‘yes, we will, you sit on the bench tonight and we’ll win for you’.

“You could see that commitment from the players, ‘let’s do it so Sam gets another week’.

“Having that belief as a team (to be without) in my opinion the best striker in the world, which I think Sam is, and still go out and play the fluid football we did against the Olympic champions and score four goals, I think is very impressive.”

The fluid front four of Caitlin Foord, Emily van Egmond, Mary Fowler and Hayley Raso, who scored a brace, dazzled without Kerr.

“Everyone in this team is prepared to play any role they’re asked to,” goalscorer Fowler said.

“It just goes to show the kind of depth and players we have, ready to be there for one another.”

Foord and stand-in captain Steph Catley were a force to be reckoned with on the left.

“Obviously, with Sam out of the picture, Caitlin is versatile,” Catley said.

“But I personally love it when she’s on the left. We know each other so well, we don’t even have to think, it’s very natural.

“Wherever she is on the field, she’s dangerous, and she’s going to do a job for us.”

There were early signs Kerr was not going to feature against Canada.

– AAP