Matildas captain Sam Kerr has been labelled the ‘greatest within the enterprise’ by Chelsea supervisor Emma Hayes after the Australian striker scored a milestone fiftieth Women’s Super League aim.
Kerr’s strike sealed a 3-0 win away at Aston Villa which put Chelsea one level behind leaders Manchester United – however with a sport in hand –
The Australian reached the 50-goal marker in simply 62 appearances for the Blues, the second-fastest to achieve the milestone behind Arsenal icon Vivianne Miedema (50 video games).
This season, 29-year-old Kerr has a formidable 19 targets in 28 matches throughout all competitions.
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Chelsea coach Emma Hayes was filled with reward for Kerr, telling Sky Sports that the Australian means: “Everything to this crew – as a result of we will rely on her.
“She’s been match and out there, our solely out-and-out striker this half of the season.
“It’s been difficult for us however, with somebody like Sam, she not solely makes a distinction on the pitch, she makes it off the sphere too.”
Hayes later added in an interview with membership media: “Best within the enterprise, so far as I’m involved, the perfect quantity 9 there’s. She confirmed once more her significance to the crew.
“She’s been invaluable. We’ve been in a position to rely on her sport in, sport out.”
Norwegian worldwide Guro Reiten was equally sturdy in her reward for Kerr, telling Sky Sports: “You discuss her targets however Sam means a lot to this crew, the work she places in each single day and the individual that she is. Then, clearly once we want her, she steps up and scores.
“That toe-poke she’s been speaking about for weeks, so she was so pleased scoring a type of.”
FOORD SUFFERS HAMSTRING INJURY
There was much less pleasure for fellow Matildas attacker Caitlin Foord, who limped off the sphere simply 36 minutes into Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Manchester City.
Foord had been set to affix the Matildas’ squad this week for Friday evening’s conflict with Scotland (10.15pm AEST) and subsequent Wednesday’s big conflict with world quantity 4 England (4.45am AEST).
But her hamstring damage is a significant blow to Tony Gustavsson’s preparations for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in July-August down underneath.
The 28-year-old attacker has been on a red-hot run of type, with 10 targets for Arsenal this season (all competitions), and two targets in as many matches for Australia in February’s Cup of Nations.
Caitlin Foord was clutching her left hamstring as she left the pitch.Source: Getty Images
Foord is just not the one worldwide veteran that Matildas coach Gustavsson will likely be sweating over. Arsenal teammate Steph Catley will miss this fortnight’s friendlies with a foot damage, as will Emily Gielnik of Aston Villa.
Alanna Kennedy has been included within the squad, however the Manchester City centre-back is in need of type and health and didn’t make the bench for the Arsenal conflict.
Kennedy has battled a sequence of accidents within the final 12 months: a damaged nostril final April in opposition to New Zealand, a hamstring damage in September in opposition to Canada, a shoulder fracture later that month, and a calf damage on worldwide obligation once more in February.
She has made simply six appearances in all competitions, with none coming since that February damage.
Her fellow Australians at Manchester City, Hayley Raso and Mary Fowler, each got here on within the remaining ten minutes of the Arsenal conflict.
There are, nonetheless, two key gamers getting back from damage for the Matildas squad – Lyon’s Ellie Carpenter and Melbourne City’s Holly McNamara, who each suffered ACL accidents early final yr (May and February respectively).
