There’s no Sam Kerr – but – however Australia’s World Cup hopes are happening the road of their Spherical of 16 conflict with Denmark in Sydney tonight.
Kerr, who has battled a calf grievance all match, was once more named on the bench by coach Tony Gustavsson because the Matildas entered the knockout sport with an unchanged lineup following their 4-0 demolition of Canada final week.
Australia have been below heavy stress from the spectacular Danes within the early levels.
Comply with all of the motion in our dwell weblog under.
9:00PM GOOOOOOOAAAAAAL
Caitlin Foord has put the Matildas 1-0 up with a scientific end that nutmegged the Canadian objective keeper.
Denmark dominated the opening half-hour however Australia struck on the counter assault and Foord’s tempo was an excessive amount of for Canada.
8:50PM MATILDAS UNDER FIRE EARLY
Denmark have had the higher possibilities after 20 minutes and look significantly harmful on the counter assault.
Australia have held up okay, with Alanna Kennedy and co maintaining out the Danes up to now however they’ve been a tad fortunate as properly.
The Matildas would have appreciated to have threatened Denmark’s objective much more by now.
Soccer analyst Adam Peacock feels Australia “will cop one quickly in the event that they’re not cautious”.
8:30PM WE’RE AWAY
After all of the discuss we’ve lastly kicked off in Sydney for the Matildas spherical of 16 conflict with Denmark.
Who will rise up in Sam Kerr’s absence?
Will our star skipper make an look off the bench?
Can the ladies preserve their cool on the again?
All these questions can be answered within the subsequent 90 minutes, or 120…
8:20PM ANOTHER POWERHOUSE ALMOST KNOCKED OUT
The match favorite has nearly been eradicated in what would have been an enormous enhance to the Matildas’ hopes of lifting the trophy later this month.
Nigeria took England all the way in which to penalties, however the Poms held their nerve from the spot.
The English keep away from becoming a member of the USA, Germany, Canada and Brazil as top-10 ranked nations to have been knocked out of the World Cup.
7:10PM KERR TO START ON THE BENCH
After every week of conjecture about her situation Sam Kerr hasn’t been named to the Matildas beginning checklist for his or her spherical of 16 conflict with Denmark.
Tony Gustavsson named an unchanged aspect from the eleven gamers that put 4 targets previous Canada of their ultimate group match, opting to maintain Caitlin Foord on the left wing.
It means Katrina Gorry would be the possible agitator in matching up in opposition to Danish playmaker Pernille More durable.
More durable is the x-factor in Denmark’s line-up, not taking part in the final time the crew’s met, in Australia’s 3-1 win over the Danes final 12 months.
Denmark have made one change, choosing defensive midfielder Stine Ballisager, who normally performs a wing again function over midfielder Nicoline Sorensen suggesting Denmark want to guarantee protection in opposition to the Matildas’ velocity in the back of the park and management tempo via the center.
The Danish aspect dominated possession stats of their group matches in opposition to China and Haiti, permitting them to play their slower soccer, with More durable liking to regulate distribution out of the centre and into the ultimate third.
6:45PM ‘NO REGARD FOR LOCALS’: FURY OVER MATILDAS KICK OFF TIME
Mother and father across the nation can be debating whether or not to let their youngsters look forward to the Matildas’ spherical of 16 conflict with Denmark tonight.
The 8.30pm kick off time isn’t a preferred one with the locals.
If the match heads into further time and penalties, we may very well be taking a look at an 11.30pm end on a piece evening for us adults and a faculty evening for the youngsters.
One commentator slammed FIFA, saying they’ve “no regard for the native market”.
It’s actually not ideally suited.
5:45PM MATILDAS PRAYING FOR KERR ‘MIRACLE’
It’s the query on each Australian’s lips.
Will Sam Kerr play in opposition to Denmark?
Properly, former Matilda Catherine Cannuli doesn’t maintain a lot hope for the Australian skipper.
“I’m no physio, however I don’t assume there’s any probability of her beginning tonight,” Cannuli mentioned.
“I believe I do know slightly bit about soccer and slightly bit about accidents, however going the way in which she’s gone on this match I can’t see her beginning, and to be trustworthy if we see her off the bench, I believe it will likely be slightly little bit of a miracle as properly.”
If Kerr fails to function in opposition to the Danes, the Matildas can take confidence from topping their group with out their skipper taking part in a single minute of the World Cup up to now.
Particularly the 4-0 end result in opposition to Canada, who sit seventh on the planet rankings, ought to give Australia an enormous enhance heading into tonight’s spherical of 16 conflict.
3:00PM PARTY POOPERS DENMARK ‘FEEL NO PRESSURE’ AGAINST MATILDAS
Lars Sondergaard mentioned the stress is on co-hosts Australia in entrance of a packed home.
Denmark have reached the final 16 for the primary time in 28 years after securing a 2-0 win over debutants Haiti to take second place in Group D behind England.
They’ll face Australia in entrance of a partisan sellout crowd in Sydney tonight, however Sondergaard mentioned: “Something may be determined in these sorts of cup video games, something can occur.
“Now we have a fairly good defence, now we have a participant like Pernille (More durable) who can determine video games.
“So now we have a fairly good probability. We all know it’s going to be troublesome however we’re wanting ahead to the sport. We’re going to see it as a improbable expertise.
“The entire nation are standing behind them. That’s essential for them, nevertheless it may be stress when the sport goes into the second half and it’s nonetheless 0-0, and something can occur.”
Overlook any celebration plans for the Matildas – it’s Denmark who can be having its personal ‘social gathering’ after knocking the hosts out, based on Sondergaard, whose crew has no intention of exiting the match on the round-of-16 stage at Stadium Australia.
“We’re going to have our personal social gathering if we reach ruining a celebration, and that half is okay for me,” Sondergaard mentioned.
“After all it’s going to be a troublesome sport however we see possibilities, and we’re residing on this dream and we wish to proceed residing there so long as potential, even till the ultimate day of the match.
“As a small nation as properly, we’re used to being underdogs once we play in opposition to the large nations.
“Australia as a house crew with numerous spectators behind them may very well be mentioned to be favourites and we’re high quality with it.
“We wish to shock in opposition to them, and we additionally assume – that’s a very powerful factor – that we will do it.”
Skipper More durable, the undoubted star of the Denmark crew and whose first-half penalty put them on the way in which to victory over Haiti, mentioned her aspect is not going to accept merely reaching the final 16.
“I’m so happy with the ladies, happy with the crew that we made it via the group levels,” mentioned the Bayern Munich attacker.
“It’s a very long time since a Danish crew did that on the World Cup so I couldn’t be extra proud for the onerous work that we put in and I’m additionally excited for the following sport.
“It’ll be a full stadium with numerous Australians in it, so it will likely be an expertise for us and it’s one thing I’m wanting ahead to.”
Australia’s skipper and talismanic striker Sam Kerr is predicted to return from a calf harm to make her debut at this World Cup nevertheless it stays a thriller how a lot time she is going to spend on the sector.
More durable is aware of Kerr properly, having performed along with her at Chelsea earlier than her latest transfer to Germany.
“I’m wanting ahead to seeing her, however not taking part in in opposition to her,” she mentioned.
Australia beat Denmark 3-1 in a pleasant final 12 months, however Tony Gustavsson’s crew can be cautious of the risk posed by a aspect that pushed European champions England onerous in a 1-0 group stage loss.
Aside from Kerr, Australia even have harm worries, with each striker Kyah Simon and winger Cortnee Vine to be assessed earlier than kick-off.
Initially printed as Matildas vs Denmark FIFA World Cup 2023: Sam Kerr beginning on bench
