Australia and Chelsea ahead Sam Kerr ruptured her ACL throughout the English membership’s heat climate coaching camp in Morocco, in response to her nationwide group.
Chelsea stated Kerr might be “assessed by a specialist within the coming days,” per an announcement, earlier than she begins her restoration. The membership didn’t set a timeline for her return, calling it an ACL harm, however Australia stated she ruptured her ACL. She’s anticipated to overlook the rest of the WSL season in addition to the ultimate spherical of the AFC Ladies’s Olympic Qualifying Match subsequent month. The Matildas will face Uzbekistan in a home-and-away collection on the finish of February with a spot on the summer season’s Olympics Video games on the road. It is unclear what her standing might be for the Olympics later this summer season.
Australia would be the favorites to qualify for Paris, however the Olympics may mirror final yr’s Ladies’s World Cup on residence soil in some respects ought to they qualify and if the harm limits her availability. Kerr missed the start of the World Cup with a calf harm, a interval wherein the Matildas struggled earlier than they finally made a run to the event’s semifinals.
As for Chelsea, the reigning champions have a three-point lead over Manchester Metropolis after 10 video games this season. It throws a wrench into Emma Hayes’ plans as she tries to finish her last season with the Blues on a excessive earlier than starting her tenure because the U.S. ladies’s nationwide group head coach in Could. Kerr has 4 objectives in eight WSL video games this season and is the highest goalscorer within the UEFA Ladies’s Champions League to date with 5 objectives this marketing campaign, a notably essential output as Hayes goals to win the one trophy that has eluded her throughout an illustrious run with the Londoners.
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Chelsea’s choices in assault
The excellent news for Chelsea is that they don’t lack attacking expertise. Lauren James has 9 objectives in WSL play this season, whereas academy product Aggie Beever-Jones has 5 objectives throughout her first full season with the membership after some mortgage spells. Hayes can even name upon England veteran Fran Kirby and U.S. ladies’s nationwide group prospect Mia Fishel for help in assault.
A brand new arrival this season after two years with Mexico’s Tigres, Fishel is without doubt one of the first forwards off the bench for Hayes and has one purpose in eight league video games to date this season. The potential want for Hayes to regulate her assault may present a gap for the 22-year-old as she seems to be to determine herself within the WSL and with the nationwide group. It could possibly be a vital few months for Fishel, whose membership success may straight translate to nationwide group achievement since she may have familiarity with Hayes, who may have simply two months and a handful of video games to make sure the USWNT are prepared for the Olympics.