Injury scare for Kerr weeks out from World Cup

Sam Kerr injured her leg and was substituted before half-time in Chelsea’s seven-goal thrashing of Everton, just 10 weeks out from Australia’s opening game at the Women’s World Cup.

The Matildas talisman scored with a powerful header in Chelsea’s 7-0 Women’s Super League romp on Sunday (Monday AEST) but seemed to be struggling with a leg issue soon after. Following treatment on the field, she was able to walk off the pitch and was replaced by Pernille Harder in the 32nd minute.

With Australia’s World Cup opener against Ireland kicking off on July 20, Matildas fans would have feared the worst, but Chelsea coach Emma Hayes played down the injury after full-time.

“Sam was sick last night,” Hayes told chelseafc.com. “She decided to play but her calf was cramping up, so we decided to take her out.”

Chelsea’s victory at Kingsmeadow keeps the pressure on league leaders Manchester United, who are four points ahead of the Blues but have played two games more. The title rivals face each other in the FA Cup final at a sold-out Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Chelsea also play Leicester City in the league on Wednesday.

On a personal level, it was a disappointing end to a big weekend for Kerr. The 29-year-old led the Australian delegation in the formal procession into Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III. Kerr was her country’s flag-bearer in a group with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Australia’s all-time top scorer said on Friday it was “an amazing honour” to be part of the delegation.

“We’ve had so many big games recently that it’s [the coronation] been in the back of my mind and I hadn’t had a chance to really think about it until it was coming up,” she said.