The Matildas have copped a triple injury blow ahead of their year-ending friendlies against world number 10 Canada, but a young gun put her name up in lights with a sublime performance for Arsenal.
On the back of a sensational World Cup performance, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold was unfortunately ruled out due to an arm injury.
“Arnold sustained the injury in training on Saturday,” West Ham said.
[She] will work with our medical team throughout the international break on her rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, defender Charlotte Grant was diagnosed with a hamstring injury in a standard pre-camp evaluation and will also miss the pair of matches on Saturday Dec. 2 (2.30pm AEDT) and Wednesday Dec 6. (2pm AEDT).
Grant has been strongly linked with a move to the WSL in England after leaving Swedish side Vittsjo GIK recently.
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Coach Tony Gustavsson was forced into a third change to his 23-player squad for the matches when rising star Holly McNamara of Melbourne City ruptured her right knee ACL last week.
It is the third time the 20-year-old has torn an ACL, while she also endured a foot stress fracture aged 17.
“This one is really hard to put into words,” McNamara posted on Instagram.
“So grateful for all the support and love, I’ll be back soon!”
McNamara had only just recovered from an ACL tear on her left knee and had started the season in red-hot form, scoring six times in five games for Melbourne City.
But she’ll now spend another season on the sidelines.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson named Sydney goalkeeper Jada Whyman, Leicester City forward Remy Siemsen, and fan favourite midfielder Alex Chidiac as the trio’s replacements.
The first two were part of the extended Matildas squad before the World Cup but missed the cut for the final 23-player side, while Chidiac featured in that tournament but has struggled for game time at Mexican club Tigres UANL recently which saw her initially miss out on this Matildas’ side.
Canada are the reigning Olympic gold medallists and have become regular opponents of the Matildas in recent years, including Australia’s 4-0 win in their final group stage match of the Women’s World Cup this year.
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The matches will double as the farewell of Canada captain and all-time great Christine Sinclair, who will retire from international football at the age of 40.
Her record includes three Olympic medals and the all-time record for international goals – men’s or women’s – with 190 strikes in 327 games blowing away Cristiano Ronaldo’s men’s record of 128 goals.
But Australia will enter the fixtures on the back of some incredible individual performances at club level, including young midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross delivering two assists for Arsenal in a 3-0 win over West Ham overnight.
Coach Jonas Eidevall told the club website: “Yes, Kyra has so many qualities of course. We know it’s a big step coming from the league in Sweden to the league here in England, of course but I think she’s shown here in this block how well she’s adapted here early on and how important she is already for us on the pitch.
“It’s been really delightful to see.”
Matildas captain Sam Kerr scored another goal for Chelsea in a 5-2 win over Siemsen and Courtney Nevin’s Leicester City.
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FIXTURES
December 2: Canada v Australia, 2.30pm (AEDT), Starlight Stadium, Langford
December 6: Canada v Australia, 2pm (AEDT), BC Place, Vancouver
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