Australia star Sam Kerr opened up on her injury woes after suffering a devastating semi-final loss to England on Wednesday.
The fairytale ending was all but set as Kerr levelled the score for Australia in the second-half with a sublime strike from range. Stadium Australia was sent into Kerr-induced delirium, a sensation the home nation had cruelly been precluded from feeling after Kerr suffered a calf injury on the eve of the tournament and was forced to watch a majority of the competition from the vantage point of the bench.
Yet, a first start and first goal promised to reverse Kerr's, and by extension Australia's, fortunes. Only where Kerr's equaliser was a moment of singular brilliance, it proved singular in quantity as England claimed a 3-1 victory over the Matildas to book their place in a first-ever Women's World Cup final at the expense of Kerr and Co.
As if to accentuate the sense of suffering, chances had fallen to Kerr to rewrite the script. A first arrived as fellow forward Mary Fowler lifted a sumptuous cross into the box that only needed the gentle graze of Kerr's head to guide it past Mary Earps in goal, yet found itself sailing inexplicably high over the bar.
A second arrived with less than 10 minutes remaining but Kerr's volley from inside the six-yard box was once again off target. The clunky finishing was uncharacteristic of Kerr, one of the WSL's most prolific goalscorers. Yet it was telling of a player who had been denied so little time to grow into the tournament.
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And Kerr was left to lament her interrupted World Cup campaign as she attempted to come to terms with defeat.
Sam Kerr of Australia reacts after a missed chance during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Semi Final (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)"Really disappointed obviously. We just fell short but yeah really proud of the girls for this whole tournament,” Kerr told Channel 7 after the match.
“I think I did everything I can to be back in this tournament and if I train more than five times this World Cup maybe I would have sunk that one.
“I can’t put all the blame on myself, I have to think of all the things the team have done and I’ve done to be where we are right now and inspire the nation but yeah, it’s really disappointing."
Sam Kerr of Australia celebrates her goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Semi Final match (Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)The responsibility on Kerr's shoulders heading into the tournament had been nothing short of colossal. An early substitution of Kerr in a Chelsea match towards the back end of the domestic season ignited frantic headlines Down Under that the team's taliswoman would be unavailable for the grandest of stages.
After news of Kerr's calf injury filtered throughout the World Cup milieu, the only headline that mattered was one revealing when Kerr might return. And as Australia fans waited with bated breath, so too did Kerr.
“It’s been tough. I can’t remember the last time I missed three games in a row," she said.
"I just had to stick with the girls and they’ve done amazing and just had to focus what I could focus on and then be ready for tonight and the minutes I got over the last two games.
"It’s been an enjoyable ride to be on, I guess regardless of the calf, it’s been an amazing honour to be here.”
Australia's loss to England will see them play Sweden in the Women's World Cup third-place play-off on Saturday. But Kerr acknowledged that third-place is no consolation prize for the impact the team and their triumphs has had on their nation and the perception of women's football.
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“I mean, the support we’ve had from Aussies has been absolutely incredible," she said. "They’ve pushed us over the line, they’ve been at her hotel on screens, on planes, and everywhere we’ve felt the love so hopefully we can go and get third for them,” Kerr said.
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