Sam Kerr returns for Australia forward of must-win Women’s World Cup match towards Canada

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Sam Kerr is about to return for Australia on the Women’s World Cup simply in time for a must-win match towards Canada. If the Matildas lose, the match co-hosts shall be eradicated.

That was barely even a consideration forward of this World Cup, with Kerr anticipated to take Australia deep into the match for maybe a shot on the championship. But the star striker missed the house workforce’s first two matches with a calf harm.

She introduced forward of Monday’s match in Melbourne that she’s going to play towards Canada, the Olympic gold medalists in Tokyo. A win will put Australia into the knockout spherical for the fifth consecutive time. A stunning 3-2 loss to Nigeria dropped Australia to 3rd in Group B, behind Nigeria and Canada, and a loss within the final group sport can be devastating for the co-hosts.

Kerr is Australia’s all-time main scorer with 63 objectives in 121 video games.

“I’m definitely going to be available,” Kerr stated, “but how we decide to use that is not to be given to the opposition.”

Australia’s head coach Tony Gustavsson stated through the workforce’s pre-match information convention that the teaching employees and the medical workforce would meet with Kerr “and discuss what the possibilities are to play tomorrow.”

PHOTOS: Sam Kerr returns for Australia forward of must-win Women’s World Cup match towards Canada

He stated they’d do extra assessments on Monday extra “to see what it looks like.”

The Australians had misplaced solely one in every of their earlier 11 matches earlier than the Nigeria sport, however the Matildas have been hampered by accidents past Kerr; Manchester City ahead Mary Fowler missed the Nigeria match with a concussion sustained at apply.

Canada opened the match with a scoreless draw towards Nigeria, adopted by a 2-1 win over Ireland.

Japan-Spain

Japan and Spain sq. off within the Group C decider that pits two match heavyweights towards one another in a Monday match between critical match contenders.

Both groups are undefeated headed into the match in Wellington, the place the highest spot within the group shall be determined. Spain has rolled to a 3-0 win over Costa Rica and a 5-0 rout of Zambia, whereas Japan has logged a 5-0 win over Zambia and a 2-0 win over Costa Rica.

Spain has a one-goal edge within the tiebreaker headed into the showdown.

“They’re very good, and I respect the team very much,” Japanese defender Moeki Minami stated of Spain. “In Europe, they play in a similar style to as a Japan team. Therefore, having a similar type of performance, I think we will have a very interesting match.”

Japan, winners of the 2011 World Cup, has received 5 of its six earlier video games. The final three wins have been by a mixed 12-0 rating.

Spain has recorded eight consecutive wins because it dropped a 3-2 match to Australia in February. Spain has scored 27 objectives in that span with seven clear sheets.

Ireland-Nigeria

Ireland’s first-ever Women’s World Cup match will finish after Monday’s match towards Nigeria in Brisbane, Australia. The Nigerians, nonetheless, nonetheless have a shot at advancing out of Group B and into the knockout spherical.

Ireland was regular however not sturdy sufficient in a 1-0 loss to co-host Australia within the match opener, after which the Girls in Green scored first on Canada earlier than falling 2-1 to lose their fifth sport in six matches and slip out of rivalry.

“I think we’ve shown that we deserve to be here with the two performances that we’ve put in,” stated Megan Connolly, who had an personal purpose within the loss to Canada. “As a team and as a nation, we wanted to come out with more, but I know we’ve made everyone proud and our goal doesn’t change: we want to come away with a win.”

Nigeria has 4 factors from its first two group video games – a scoreless draw towards Canada adopted by a stunning 3-2 upset over Australia. Nigeria can advance by avoiding defeat to Ireland; a loss would go away Nigeria depending on the results of the match between Canada and Australia.

“In a lot of ways, it could be our hardest match,” Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum stated. “I don’t think we’re expecting them to just lay down because they’re going home already. I expect us to get the best from them.”

Nigeria star striker Asisat Oshoala is offered after a thigh harm saved her out of the beginning 11 within the win over Australia, when she got here off the bench and scored Nigeria’s successful purpose. Waldrum wouldn’t specify how Oshoala shall be used towards Ireland.

“I think she’s doing much better. I think we did the right thing by managing her minutes,” he stated. “We still may have to do a little bit of that in this match with Ireland. We will start to make some decisions on whether that’s at the front end or the back end of it.”

Costa Rica-Zambia

Costa Rica and Zambia would each prefer to get on the scoring board – and earn a Women’s World Cup victory – earlier than departing the match following the Group C finale Monday in Hamilton, New Zealand.

The groups had been eradicated with a match to spare. Zambia had a pair of blowout losses to Japan and Spain, whereas Costa Rica misplaced to the identical two groups however my smaller margins. Zambia has given up 10 objectives in two video games, whereas Costa Rica has conceded 5.

Neither workforce has scored within the match.

Costa Rica additionally appeared within the 2015 match, the place it picked up two factors, and has a shot at its first victory towards Zambia. Costa Rica is ranked 41 locations greater than Zambia within the FIFA world rankings.