Australian women’s football team faced a major setback as their captain Sam Kerr has been ruled out of the first two games at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
Kerr sustained a calf injury during training and has already missed Australia's opening game against Ireland — which the hosts won 1-0?? — and will now miss the match against Nigeria on July 27.
The 29-year-old footballer is now hoping to mark her return in the last group-stage match against Canada on July 31.
Kerr, who plays for the English club Chelsea, is Australia’s all-time record scorer with 63 goals.
She also scored five goals in the 2019 World Cup, while four of them came against Nigeria in the group stage.
Her World Cup debut was in 2011 at the age of 17, if she ends up playing in this year's tournament, it will be her fourth appearance in the mega event.
The 29-year-old showed great disappointment by posting on her Instagram account as she will not be able to participate in the first two games.
“Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training. I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve,” Kerr wrote on her Instagram.
"Of course I would have loved to have been out there tonight but I can't wait to be a part of this amazing journey which starts now."
The Australian team also confirmed their captain’s injury through their Twitter account.
"Sam Kerr is unavailable tonight after she picked up a calf injury at training on matchday minus-one.
"Sam will be unavailable for the next two matches with the Matildas medical team to re-assess her following our second group-stage match."
Kerr has won 10 trophies while playing for Chelsea with three successive domestic doubles where she also won the Player of the Year award twice in England’s Women’s Super League.
With their captain out, Australia will bring in Arsenal’s defender Steph Catley to replace Kerr for the match.