Sam Kerr misses Matildas friendlies due to injury

Sam Kerr will miss the Matildas' upcoming friendlies against South Korea due to her recovery from knee surgery. The captain of Australia's women's national team had been expected to return, but her club, Chelsea, has decided she should not play yet. Kerr is still healing from a serious knee injury that kept her off the field since last year. Matildas coach Tom Sermanni expressed disappointment but noted that Kerr is getting closer to being fit. He emphasized that her priority is returning to Chelsea's team before she can join the Matildas. The absence of Kerr is particularly concerning for the Matildas, who have struggled recently. They finished last in their Olympic group and did not earn any points in the SheBelieves Cup. This poor performance has dropped them to 16th place in the FIFA rankings, tying their worst-ever position. In Kerr's absence, the squad still includes talented players like Holly McNamara and Michelle Heyman. New defenders Courtney Nevin and Jamilla Rankin have been added, along with midfielder Clare Wheeler, who is returning from injury. The Matildas' friendlies against South Korea will take place on April 4 and April 7 as they prepare for the 2026 Asian Cup.