Sam Kerr In Defence? Matildas Rocked By Key Absences For Asian Cup Quarter-final

The Matildas’ hopes of Asian Cup glory person been dealt a awesome rustle aft prima duo Hayley Raso and Steph Catley were ruled retired of Friday night’s quarter-final conflict pinch North Korea successful Perth.

Raso was concussed successful nan 4-0 triumph complete Iran connected March 5 while Catley copped a concussion successful Sunday’s 3-3 tie pinch South Korea.

Under AFC rules, location is nary mandated play connected nan sidelines for concussed players astatine nan Asian Cup, meaning some Raso and Catley remained successful nan moving to play against North Korea.

But Matildas coach Joe Montemurro ruled a statement done some of them connected Thursday.

“They’re search well. They were very close, but they won’t beryllium included successful nan squad tomorrow,” Montemurro said.

As for really to woody pinch Catley’s absence?

“Sam Kerr is playing astatine left-back,” Montemurro said arsenic he cheekily looked crossed to Kerr sitting adjacent to him.

Caitlin Foord during nan last group crippled against South Korea Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Courtney Nevin struggled astatine left-back aft replacing Catley successful nan tie pinch South Korea, but has been backed this week by her Matildas teammates to rebound.

Montemurro is assured he has nan resources to capable nan void near by some Raso and Catley.

“We’ve sewage capable backup successful our squad and we judge successful nan back-up that we’ve sewage to travel in,” Montemurro said.

Australia bombed retired successful nan quarter-finals astatine nan 2022 Asian Cup, and location is immense unit to debar a repetition flop, particularly connected location soil.

Kerr said nan Matildas are focusing connected their past successes alternatively of failures successful their bid to mentally hole themselves for Friday’s make-or-break game.

Two examples Kerr gave were nan 4-0 triumph complete Canada to unafraid progression past nan group shape of nan 2023 location World Cup, and nan 4-3 extra-time triumph complete Great Britain successful nan quarter-finals astatine nan 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

“[We’ve focused on] games erstwhile everything was connected nan statement – it was do aliases die,” Kerr said.

“The girls person brought up nan Canada crippled astatine nan past World Cup, wherever we had to triumph to spell done and it could person ended successful tears that night, but nan girls went retired location and smashed it.

“Obviously you tin deliberation astir nan heartbreak and worldly [of different games], but I don’t really deliberation it’s valuable successful these moments. You request to deliberation of nan positives.”

Kerr believes her team, who opened nan tourney pinch a 1-0 triumph complete nan Philippines, are fresh to spell to different level successful nan quarter-finals.

“I deliberation we’ve been building ourselves up successful nan tournament. I don’t deliberation yet we’ve had a apical performance, but we’re redeeming that for tomorrow,” Kerr said. “It’s a bully [thing] we haven’t peaked excessively early, and I deliberation nan champion is yet to come.”

If Australia scope nan semi-finals, they will besides unafraid qualification for nan 2027 World Cup successful Brazil.