Fifa Women’s World Cup: Kerr-less Australia limp past Ireland in unconvincing start to tournament
- Poster girl Sam Kerr ruled out of first 2 matches with calf injury that team kept secret
- Steph Catley’s second-half penalty enough to earn side 1-0 win on opening day of competition
Australia overcame the late loss to injury of poster girl Sam Kerr to make a victorious if unconvincing start to their Fifa Women’s World Cup campaign on Thursday, as Steph Catley’s second-half penalty earned the Matildas a 1-0 win over unfancied Ireland at Sydney’s Stadium Australia.
Catley fired high into the net in the 52nd minute after Hayley Raso had been upended as she darted into the penalty area to meet Kyra Cooney-Cross’ lofted centre to end stubborn Irish resistance.
It was a fortuitous victory after an uninspiring display by a home side missing their best player and one who has been heavily hyped as the face of the entire tournament.
Kerr had succumbed to a calf injury sustained in training the day before the opening game, the news kept secret by the Matildas’ captain and team officials as she completed her prematch media commitments a little more than 24 hours before kick-off.
The injury left Kerr in tears on the sidelines as the teams entered the field, the Chelsea forward heartbroken at her absence from a game four years in the making and watched by 75,784 fans, many wearing shirts with the 29-year-old’s name printed on the back.
In her place came Mary Fowler, the 20-year-old Manchester City attacker viewed as a future star within the Australian set up and who was last seen scoring the winner in last week’s 1-0 friendly win over France in Melbourne.
