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Sam Kerr Is Set to Get Her Women’s World Cup Campaign Going for Australia after Injury Setback

Sam Kerr of Australia celebrates following their win over Canada during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 soccer Group B match between Ireland and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, 31 July 2023. (EPA)
Sam Kerr of Australia celebrates following their win over Canada during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 soccer Group B match between Ireland and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, 31 July 2023. (EPA)
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Sam Kerr Is Set to Get Her Women’s World Cup Campaign Going for Australia after Injury Setback

Sam Kerr of Australia celebrates following their win over Canada during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 soccer Group B match between Ireland and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, 31 July 2023. (EPA)
Sam Kerr of Australia celebrates following their win over Canada during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 soccer Group B match between Ireland and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, 31 July 2023. (EPA)

In the end, Sam Kerr wasn't needed as Australia advanced to the knockout stages of the Women's World Cup.

But the Matildas’ inspirational captain is finally expected to get on the field against Denmark in the round of 16 on Monday,

“I’m really excited. I will play,” Kerr told Australia's Nine TV network.

The star striker has been sidelined since injuring her left calf on the eve of co-host Australia's first game against Ireland on July 20.

Though she recovered well enough to make the bench against Canada, coach Tony Gustavsson didn't have to ask the Chelsea forward to perform a rescue act as the Matildas routed the Olympic champion 4-0 to top Group B.

While it is still not clear if she will be in the starting 11 against Denmark, both Kerr and Gustavsson are talking as if she will make her entrance at the World Cup at Stadium Australia.

“We had a nice moment as a team yesterday, to see her back with the boots on and touching the ball and be with the team training," Gustavsson said Sunday. "And it was a very good feeling for her and a very good feeling for the players and the teammates and a very good feeling for me.

“Today she was off-feet. It’s all an individual plan for her in training - I trust my (medical) team 100% to prepare her the best way possible."

Gustavsson said he was working on “how to get the best out of Sam Kerr” in the game.

Kerr is one of the biggest sports stars in Australia and has been the face of the country's preparations for the World Cup, which it is co-hosting with New Zealand.

Considered one of the best players in the world, she helped Chelsea to a Women's Super League and FA Cup double last season.

The 29-year-old Kerr was one of the favorites to be the leading scorer in this tournament, but there were initial doubts she would be able to play any part for Australia after sustaining a calf injury in training.

She has won four league titles with Chelsea, as well as three FA Cups and two League Cups.

Kerr scored the winner as Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium last season. The game was played in front of a crowd of 77,390.

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‘Worse than I Thought’: Hamilton Endures Difficult Ferrari Debut

Formula One F1 - Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 16, 2025 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in action during warm up. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 16, 2025 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in action during warm up. (Reuters)
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‘Worse than I Thought’: Hamilton Endures Difficult Ferrari Debut

Formula One F1 - Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 16, 2025 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in action during warm up. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 16, 2025 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in action during warm up. (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton said Sunday he found his new Ferrari "really, really hard to drive" in the wet as the seven-time world champion endured a difficult start to his career at the Scuderia.

The 40-year-old is hoping for a new lease of life after his bombshell switch from Mercedes, but it has been a steep learning curve since he joined the Italian team in January.

It culminated in a disappointing 10th in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, where he was well off the pace of McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes and behind teammate Charles Leclerc in a rain-hit race, punctuated by safety cars.

"It was very tricky and went a lot worse than I thought it would go. The car was really, really hard to drive today," he said after a race that was marred by a series of crashes in the treacherous conditions.

"For me, I'm just grateful I kept it out of the wall because that's where it wanted to go most of the time."

Hamilton was in the Ferrari not only for his first Grand Prix, but also for the first time in wet conditions.

Clearly still getting used to how his new team works, he was heard on the radio at one time telling his race engineer they had "missed a big opportunity" to capitalize strategically after he led briefly during a series of pit stops under the safety car.

A delayed switch back to intermediate rain tires dropped him back down the field, but the Briton said afterwards there had been "a lot" to take from his debut.

"Just getting acclimatized with the new power unit in the wet conditions," he said.

"The settings it requires are different, and a different way of driving and a different set-up on the steering wheel.

"I hung out as long as I could, got in the lead at one point. Just the guidance with how much more rain was coming, was missing there, so I think we missed out."